Nahim Aslam is a British Pakistani businessman and a Food Guru who has won several awards for his achievements to promote authentic Pakistani cuisine in the UK. A gentle and approachable man, Nahim is like the proverbial swan; cool, calm and graceful on the surface but pedaling and working hard below it. Never complacent, Nahim continually strives for the next challenge, the next venture, the next exciting step for the Indian Ocean. And it’s his drive and ambition that has seen the restaurant win national awards, been recognised across the country, not just locally and placed him as respected figure in the Britsh Pakistani food industry.
Many of you will recognise our gaffer and have probably had a chat with him in the lounge at some point over the last 20 years but what you probably didn’t know about Nahim is that he has a degree in engineering! Family circumstances meant an early change in career, and a young Nahim found himself working as a chef at various local restaurants and takeaways. But it wasn’t long before the entrepreneur inside took over and in 1993, the Indian Ocean was born in Ashton Under Lyne.
A reluctant frontman, Nahim cuts a modest figure but is one who leads from the front. He’s usually the first to arrive, with a string of meetings scheduled with support staff, suppliers and the like to ensure his ship is on course and running at full speed. And that’s all before the doors open! Not afraid to get his hands dirty, Nahim is still a chef at heart and can often be found cooking up a storm with other members of the kitchen team, creating new and interesting dishes.
His presence on the restaurant floor and genuine respect the staff have for Nahim is clear for all to see. His laid-back but hard working attitude is instilled in the front of house team and is what has made the restaurant the home-from-home experience customers have come to know and love about the Indian Ocean.
Five facts about Nahim
Favourite drink: coffee, coffee and more coffee, with sweeteners (Nahim is diabetic)
Favourite Indian Ocean menu item: Kashmiry chicken tikka with a kulcha and tarka dhall
Favourite football team: Liverpool
Pet hate: time wasters
Burning desire: to create the next “Chicken Tikka Massala”