As an individual that has lived in the local area all my life, I knew very little about the significance of Ramadan in the Muslim community until recently.
The month was not delved into during my education and if I were to ask a group of friends what they knew of Ramadan, I imagine I would be met with mere shoulder shrugs and a simultaneous grunt aiming to utter the word “nothing”.
It takes looking into Ramadan to realise how fascinating it is, and what exactly it entails.
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and it occurs on different dates every year.
This year, Ramadan began on the evening of Saturday, April 2 and will end on either Sunday, May 1 or Monday, May 2 – depending on when the next crescent moon is sighted.
Those observing it abstain from food, drink and impure thoughts between the hours of sunrise and sunset, so they can instead focus on prayer and connecting with Allah (God).
The act of fasting allows the individual to understand the pain and suffering of millions around the world who live their lives in poverty and famine.
This leaves the participant feeling more grounded and grateful for all that Allah has given them.
Chefs and servers during Ramadan
One question that has entered the minds of the food and drink team is “how do Muslim chefs and servers function while fasting?”
They are on their feet for countless hours of the day, every day and constantly surrounded by mouth-watering dishes while their establishments fill with the aromas of food.
And, they are overseeing customers tucking into fresh, homemade grub throughout their shifts.
To find out more on the topic, I caught up with Flakes Diner owner Kasim Hussain and head chef Satram Khanwani, as well as co-owner of Riksha, Anis Ahmed.
Employing extra staff
Kasim, from Glasgow, started his entrepreneurial journey when he left school to join his father’s business in the hot food industry.
Keen to branch out, Kasim decided to take the dessert café route and launched Flakes Diner in Aberdeen in September 2021.
The eatery aims to provide a one-stop-shop for people after hot food and desserts serving up smash burgers, milkshakes, waffles and more.
“We have over 21 staff members with 12 working in any one shift,” he said.
“Most of the members, including chefs, are Muslim so we fast all day long.
“As the owner, I have employed extra staff to accommodate and reduce pressure on staff that fast.
“We offer our fasting staff free meals and easy shift times as we have extra staff to reduce pressure on them.”
With the majority of the eatery’s customers being Muslim and it being located next to the mosque on Nelson Street, Satram went on to say this can pose a challenge at times.
“We get a lot of people who come to open fast at iftar time,” he added.
“Iftar is the time of the fast opening, so the challenging time comes when we have to open our fast and also serve customers, but we always somehow manage.”
‘It is a very important time’
Kasim, Satram and Anis, 33, emphasised the importance of Ramadan in the Muslim community on several occasions.
Anis, who resides in Aberdeen, holds the fort at Riksha and has been in the hospitality industry since the age of 14.
The eatery, which serves home-style Indian cooking and non-alcoholic beverages, is located in Union Square on Guild Street in the city centre.
He said: “Ramadan is an important part of any Muslim’s life.
“Yes it can be tough, but once you get over the anxiousness you start to enjoy the benefits of fasting and most importantly learn to appreciate what you have.
“It’s about practising to be patient and giving. There’s always someone out there who is worse off than you, not just financially, it could be by health or any other means.
“It’s about putting those people first for a change and helping them out.”
Riksha opened in August 2019 and boasts a small, close-knit team of eight – six observe Ramadan.
Speaking on his experience as a restaurant owner operating during the month, Anis went on to say: “To be honest when it’s busy, we’re thriving. We enjoy the buzz and most importantly time flies.
“When it’s quiet, the day does tend to drag but we keep each other entertained.
“It’s not any less challenging than other days. I think it’s because we all have fun together at work.”
Regular breaks are available for those at Riksha that are fasting during Ramadan, and Anis encourages his employees to take them.
Crown Terrace Mosque
Not only does the business owner oversee the running of Riksha, but he also partners up with a local mosque during Ramadan to sponsor food on a daily basis.
It is located on Crown Terrace.
Anis said: “The mosque hosts around 100 people every evening to break their fast – the iftar as it’s called.
“There are two courses served. The first is snacks and the second is the main meal.
“My family and I are frequent visitors to the mosque even outwith Ramadan as we often supply or sponsor food for events held there.”
