Daily Times

The owner and manager of one of Islamabad’s finest restaurants, Chattha’s, is a young man in love with food. Waqar Chattha gave up a lucrative career in Scotland to return to Pakistan and open what has come to be one of the most popular restaurants in Islamabad. In an exclusive interview for the Daily Times, he talks to Ally Adnan about his love for food, the restaurant business, Chattha’s, and his plans for the future.

You are known to have a great love for food. Why is food so important to you?

I have had a lifelong love affair with food. I agree, very wholeheartedly, with George Bernard Shaw when he writes, “there is no sincerer love than the love of food.”

God has blessed me in many ways. He has always given me enough food to satisfy my appetite and my nutritional needs. He has endowed me with the ability to appreciate and enjoy good food. He has blessed me with the knowledge and sense to eat in a healthy and hearty manner. He has given me the ability to tell good food from bad. And, He has made me grateful for all the pleasure that food affords me. Food has always been a huge blessing for me.

Food is important because it sustains us. It brings people together. It has the ability to please. There is great diversity in food. It comes in innumerable varieties. It is the foundation of all societies; there is no culture without food. Various national and regional cuisines help people develop a sense of identity and belonging. Food helps us appreciate the good things in life. There is little, if anything, that one can do on an empty stomach.

I would like to add that, while I love food, I do not advocate overeating and am against unhealthy eating practices. It is very important to eat in a healthy and responsible manner.

Men typically do not cook in Pakistan. How and why did you learn to cook?

It is true that cooking has traditionally been the domain of women in Pakistan but things are changing. A lot of Pakistani men are learning to cook. People appreciate the talent of cooking nowadays. Men are coming to enjoy cooking and women like seeing men in the kitchen. My days of cooking started when I went to London for studies. I was forced to learn to cook because I missed Pakistani food very dearly and could not go to restaurants to get it. I was a student and very rarely able to find the time and money needed to eat out. I, therefore, started cooking at home. My mother became my teacher and would guide me, over the phone, as I prepared food. The whole process of doing grocery shopping, preparing ingredients, trying out new recipes, cooking food, setting the table, and eating new dishes gave me immense pleasure. It was a break from the rigors of school and a way for me to unwind and relax.

What prompted you to give up your career as an investment banker in Scotland and return to Pakistan to open a restaurant?

I had gone to the United Kingdom to study and not to settle down. I did work there as an investment banker but missed Pakistan terribly. It was always my plan to return to Pakistan. While in Scotland, I came across an opportunity to own and operate a restaurant. I found the opportunity attractive but did not want to settle down outside Pakistan. I had an epiphany and thought of opening a restaurant, not in Scotland, but in Pakistan. As soon as I took the decision, I wound things up in Scotland and returned to Pakistan to open a restaurant. Chattha’s has allowed me to do what I wanted to do and live in the only country that has ever been home to me.

What challenges did you face while setting up Chattha’s?

The biggest challenges were finding the right location, recruiting capable staff, and setting up processes and procedures that would allow me to serve guests well. I had underestimated the cost of setting up the restaurant and ran out of money a few times. Coming up with additional funds was always challenging. Another challenge was understanding and navigating the rules and regulations that have been put in place for restaurants by government bodies and authorities.

The cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are full of people with an inflated sense of entitlement, privilege and importance. Does this create problems for a restaurateur in the cities?

I am aware of the problems that you mention. They do exist and make things very difficult for restaurateurs in the twin cities. Fortunately, Chattha’s has managed to largely avoid the problems. Guests who like to throw their weight around and misbehave are far outnumbered by those who are genuinely nice. The vast majority of Chattha’s patrons are well-mannered, well-educated and fair-minded. They give honest feedback, both good and bad, and have a genuine interest in being served good food in good style. They want nothing else. I live for such guests.

What kind of diners do you dislike?

I am a very tolerant and easy-going person and can deal with just about any kind of guest. There is just one kind that I dislike and that is diners who treat waitstaff with disrespect, contempt and disdain. I have no tolerance for such people and wish they never come to Chattha’s.

Chattha thinks food is important because it sustains us and brings people together. “It is the foundation of all societies; there is no culture without food”

What kind of diners are your favorite?

I like diners who are polite, gracious and well-mannered. They go to restaurants to eat good food and to have a good time. They do not misbehave and do not feel a need to assert their importance by being unpleasant, rude and arrogant. They have respect for people who work very hard to make their restaurant visits enjoyable, pleasant and pleasurable.

You own and operate Chattha’s and are known for your hands-on style of management. Why do you like to be involved in all parts of the business?

I love food, I love being in the kitchen and I love serving food to our guests. The favourite part of my job is taking food from the kitchen to the guest tables. Once I have served food, I literally hold my breath, waiting anxiously to see the reactions of the guests. Nothing makes me happier than seeing guests enjoy their food.

The menu of Chattha’s features Punjabi dishes almost exclusively. Do you only like Punjabi cuisine?

It is true that the menu of Chattha’s has a large number of Punjabi dishes but it does feature items from other cuisines, as well. I am continuously expanding the menu and making it more diverse and varied. A number of Shinwari food items were added to the menu recently. They have become immensely popular with our clientele.

What do you think of Awadhi, Bihari, Baluchi, Kashmiri, Mughlai, Pashtun, Rajhastani, Sindhi, and Uttar Pradesh cuisines?

I think that regional Pakistani and Indian cuisines are wonderful. I love all the cuisines that you have mentioned and some. The amazing thing about the regional cuisines of South Asia is their individuality. Each one of them is unique, different and distinct. One does not resemble the other. I plan to add items from each and every one of the regional cuisines to the menu at Chattha’s.

What are the best dishes at Chattha’s?

This is a difficult question to answer. I like all the dishes on the Chattha’s menu. In fact, a dish does not make it to the menu if I don’t like it. That being said, I must admit that I find the Whole Wheat Desi Ghee Paratha and Makhani Mutton Karahi absolutely irresistible. They are the best dishes at Chattha’s.

Are there any dishes that were particularly difficult to create at Chattha’s?

Yes, Nihari and Paye. These dishes cannot be prepared in half an hour’s time and need the whole night to be cooked properly. It took me a while to figure out the right way of preparing the dishes and being able to serve them to guests, in a reasonable amount of time.

What do you think of the Pakistani and Indian food served in the United Kingdom?

I think it is really bad food. It has nothing to do with the wonderful fare of Pakistan and India. It is not authentic and it does not taste good. A lot of the restaurants use packaged spice mixes to prepare it. That, in my book, is no less than a crime.

When eating out, what restaurants do you like to go to?

I have been to every single restaurant in Rawalpindi and Islamabad at least once and always try to patronise new eateries in the cities. The restaurants that I really like and visit frequently are Tuscany Courtyard, Loafology Bakery & Café and Roasters Coffee House & Grill.

Do you have plans to expand Chattha’s?

Yes, I do. The plan is to first expand Chattha’s inside Pakistan and then overseas. It is my dream and I am looking to God to help fulfill it.

Is there a plan to offer Chattha’s branded frozen food, offer catering services, and add delivery to your portfolio?

Chattha’s recently launched catering services. The feedback has been very good thus far and I believe that catering will become a very successful part of the business. The restaurant offers delivery services, as well. At this point, there is no plan to offer branded frozen food.

The writer lives in Dallas and writes about culture, history and the arts. He tweets @allyadnan and can be reached at allyadnan@outlook.com

Published in Daily Times, March 5^th 2018.