About the Entrepreneur
Abdullah, originally from northern Pakistan, arrived in Hong Kong in 2019 on a scholarship to pursue his master’s degree. After completing his studies, he worked in the hospitality and tourism industry, where he identified a unique opportunity. Noticing the limited dining options in the Kwai Chung district, particularly the lack of readily available fast food and pizzas, Abdullah decided to take a leap of faith and start his own restaurant: The Habibi Kitchen.
About the Business
Located in the vibrant Kwai Chung district, The Habibi Kitchen is a popular restaurant offering a delightful fusion of South Asian and Turkish cuisines. Established in September 2023, the restaurant has quickly become a local favorite. Drawing on his culinary and hospitality training and experience, Abdullah has skilfully balanced quantity, quality, and pricing to ensure each dish provides exceptional value.
The Habibi Kitchen features a diverse, halal-certified menu designed to cater to the varied tastes of the Kwai Chung community. Offerings include mouth-watering pizzas, burgers, crispy fried snacks, aromatic biryanis, and savory paratha rolls. To complement these dishes, the restaurant offers a selection of refreshing beverages such as traditional lassi, invigorating teas, and a variety of soft drinks. Catering to both dine-in and takeaway customers, The Habibi Kitchen has gained a reputation for excellence, receiving glowing reviews from the Muslim community in Kwai Chung and also earning a 4.7 rating (out of 5) on Foodpanda, a leading delivery platform in Hong Kong.
Interested in learning more about The Habibi Kitchen? Visit The Habibi Kitchen’s listing on GuideFong here!
Challenges Faced by the Entrepreneur
- Lack of Knowledge and Experience in Branding and Menu Design
- Despite having the passion and capability to serve a variety of menus, Abdullah struggled with consistent and eye-catching branding and designing an appealing menu that would attract a diverse customer base.
- Difficulty in Finding Resources and Service Providers for Menu Translation
- Another significant challenge was locating reliable resources and service providers to translate the existing menu into Chinese to enhance accessibility for the local community. The primary goal was to create a translation that was straightforward and appealing, encouraging local residents to explore the diverse offerings.
Direct Business Support Provided by FSI and CBI Intern
Through FSI’s Community Business Internship Program, The Habibi Kitchen received valuable support in addressing its challenges. With the dedicated efforts of FSI and our Community Business Intern, Hajira Batool, who contributed a total of 10 hours of work during July 2024, the following objectives were accomplished:
- Newly Designed Menu
- Redesigned the menu to be visually appealing and easy to navigate, drawing inspiration from successful non-Chinese restaurants.
- Translation of Menu to Chinese
- Translated the menu into Chinese, focusing on simplicity and clarity to enhance local engagement. The primary goal was to create a translation that was straightforward and appealing, encouraging local residents to explore the diverse offerings.
From the Entrepreneur
“Thank you so much. The support service offered by FSI and their intern is truly unique, and I really appreciate that young people are keen on supporting small businesses. They are open to teaching and sharing their skills for the betterment of the community. I wish FSI’s Community Business Internship great success and hope to remain engaged with the FSI community.” – Abdullah
From the Youth
“This internship taught me a lot of skills, knowledge, and thoughtful advice from business owners that will stay with me for a long time.” – Hajira Batool
Get Involved
Here’s how you can help FSI support more grassroots businesses in mutually beneficial ways:
- If you are a youth, join our Community Business Support Internship to equip yourself or your students with business consultation skills and help under-resourced entrepreneurs;
- If you are a working professional or a corporate body, sponsor and/or volunteer for our Community Business Support Internship, Impact Jams, Mentorship Program for Ethnically Diverse Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneur’s Toolkit etc. to channel private-sector resources towards positive social impact;
- Check out GuideFong to find more grassroots businesses, try them out, leave reviews, and tell others about Hong Kong’s first online directory for ethnically diverse businesses!
