Amazing Entrepreneur Award to biryani chain founder

Chennai’s fast growing restaurant chain Aasife Biryani’s founder, Aasife Ahmed, received The Weekend Leader – VIT Amazing Entrepreneur Award at a function held at VIT University, Vellore on Wednesday.  

Aasife started by selling biryani on the roadside in a pushcart, but within a span of three years opened his first small outlet in 2002, a 15-seater, in St Thomas Mount, and has never looked back since.

Aasife Biryani founder Aasife Ahmed addressing the students of VIT University after receiving The Weekend Leader - VIT Amazing Entrepreneur Award (Photos: H K Rajashekar)

Now he operates a chain of multi-cuisine restaurants, whose combined turnover has touched Rs. 70 crore.

The Weekend Leader featured him in the Amazing Entrepreneurs series and his story went viral on social media. (Read Article: A cook called Aasife tastes success by serving the best of biryani that he could churn out)

Aasife is a Class nine dropout, who grew up in difficult circumstances, and built a business empire from scratch.  

Aasife Ahmed interacting with the students

At the award function, addressing the students of VIT University, Aasife turned emotional and admitted that it was the first time he was addressing a large crowd and described it as “an unforgettable day in my life.”

He said his dream was to open branches around the world. In India, he said, they would soon be opening outlets in small towns like Vellore.

Replying to a query during an interaction with students of VIT Business School, he said plans were afoot to open a branch in Vellore before end of the year.

Dr D Ashok, Dean, VIT Business School, presenting the Award to Aasife Ahmed. Also seen is P C Vinoj Kumar, Editor, The Weekend Leader

Students greeted with loud applause his promise to offer a 15 per cent discount for all VITians at his Vellore outlet.

Aasife said he had plans to start ‘Aasife Express’ outlets in villages to cater to the rural market.

“I am always looking for ideas to steal from people,” said the entrepreneur, who wishes to have the best of everything and when it came to designing his outlets chose the architect who had worked on music maestro A R Rahman’s projects.  

VIT Business School students share some intimate moments with the awardee

Earlier, Aasife confessed he kept a watch on his competitors and disclosed that he stopped for lunch at another well-known biryani chain en route to the function to get a taste of the food there.

Dr D Ashok, Dean, VIT Business School, presented The Weekend Leader – VIT Amazing Entrepreneur Award to Aasife, and P C Vinoj Kumar, Editor, The Weekend Leader, anchored the interactive session with the students.  - TWL Bureau