We don’t cut corners and all our products are made from scratch daily. If we can’t make it, we don’t have it. We never sell anything that’s canned or not in season, and we take pride in the freshness of our product. Our bread is baked in-house, we make our own hummus, and our falafels are made when you place your order.
What or who is the inspiration behind your start-up?
Well, my passion for falafel has always been there, but frequent trips to Paris ignited it further. Le Marais has all these awesome, tasty, fresh falafel joints, like L’As du Fallafel. I wanted something similar in Dubai and it just wasn’t available. I then realized that fresh, healthy, tasty food at an affordable price was basically unavailable, and I wanted to bring it to the market because food can be all those things and still not break the bank. The Late Shaikh Jaber AlSabah passed a law in Kuwait 35 years ago that basically said no falafel can be sold for more than 100 fils (about 1.5 AED) and the premise behind that law was that falafel was a food that should be enjoyed by all. It was a food for the masses. My goal was to provide a humble falafel, with that old school freshness and a little urban twist, and price it as low as possible for the quality being provided.
Tell us why your business is the “best thing since sliced bread’
Well, when you order a meal, you can take comfort in knowing that you are eating fresh, quality produce that is made in-house for your consumption daily, and we think that’s pretty amazing. We bake our own bread; we pickle our own pickles, make our own hummus, and bake or fry our own falafels the minute they are ordered. The things we don’t make ourselves, we source from local suppliers, for example our tahini. It might be just a falafel, but for us, it’s everything and we put everything into ensuring our customers are eating fresh, tasty food.
What is your favourite dish in the menu? Why?
My favorite dish is from the ‘Get Creative’ section, as I get to customize my falafel the way I want it, so I never get bored. Today I’m feeling spicy, maybe tomorrow I’m feeling crispy- I can base my dish on my mood and my options are limitless.
Who is your hero in the restaurant business – the one that you aspire to be?
That would have to be Matty Matheson. He is the definition of cool in my book. He’s not a Michelin star chef, just a purely self-taught guy who picked up talent from people he interacted with. He took normal food and just made it better. He didn’t create a new food culture, or invent a new dish; he just took plain, simple food and elevated it to the next level. He made delicious food that any person could relate to, consume, and understand.
What (lessons) have you learnt along the way that you would like to share with another foodpreneur?
Whatever they tell you the cost is, add 50 percent to that and get used to delays. Life moves slowly when you’re trying to move fast, and fast when you’re trying to slowdown. Love every moment regardless.
Falafel Farm
Facebook, Instagram & Twitter @falafelfarm
https://www.falafelfarm.com
Find us at Churchill Towers, Business Bay and opening soon in Umm Suqeim 2 on Jumeirah Road
[Images provided by Falafel Farm]