‘Project Chaiwala’ in Dubai is All About the Real Chai Experience
Two friends Ahmed Kazim and Justin Joseph have taken their penchant for tea to a whole new level in the magnificent city of Dubai.
Two friends Ahmed Kazim and Justin Joseph have taken their penchant for tea to a whole new level in the magnificent city of Dubai.
Kazim has done his Bachelors in Islamic Finance and is a certified public accountant while Joseph is an industrial engineer with a master’s degree in finance. Kazim is from Dubai while Joseph is an Indian expat.
Being employees of top companies like Deloitte and Touche, they were tired of their hectic work schedules. They eagerly looked forward to that much-needed chai break to break the monotony of work! In this need of having a fulfilling cup of chai is where the concept of ‘Project Chaiwala’ was born in 2017.
“We realised quite quickly that authentic and quality chai was hard to come by,” said Ahmed Kazim, Co-founder Project Chaiwala. And then started their pilgrimage to the tea gardens in India!
“Growing up to street ‘chai’ vendors and cafeterias in the region, people know the significance of a cup of tea — enjoying it with friends and family, having it midday, after a meal, or sipping on it late in the evening. This ritual is the essence of what Project Chaiwala came to be. We are a celebration of tea and its street culture,” said Joseph, who is of Indian origin.
After a thorough research, Project Chaiwala gets their tea from Naxalbari Single Tea Estate in Darjeeling although the milk and spices are local.
Their first café was at ‘The Cinema Akil’ in Al Serkal Avenue and today their business has expanded to six outlets in the city.
You certainly can’t miss the feel of tea cafes in India when you visit one of Project Chai’s local outlets in Dubai, as reviews suggest.
Smoking hot tea will be served in the typical Indian style by the skilled chaiwallas in clay pots or even regular cups. They are pretty known for their famed ‘Karak’ chai. Teas of a large variety of flavours are served here and if you want the perfect cup of tea at home, you can buy the flavours online from their official website.
They even have an elaborate menu of delectable street snacks such as the modern style samosas called smashmosa, egg bun, parathas, chilli cheese toast so on and so forth.
Kazim says that he was largely inspired by the “street culture” of India and he realized that the tea shops were the in-thing.
“There’s so much to India’s street culture, which I came across every day such as art, music, fashion, gastronomy, design, dance or even sports. Essentially, the country celebrates street culture in all its beauty. That is what we have tried to create at Project Chaiwala,” explained Kazim.
Project Chaiwala’s mission is to offer its customers a real chai experience and to celebrate the ‘chai culture’ in UAE through joyous experiences and refreshed classic flavours. Even their tagline reads: ‘Real Chai Real People.’
Visit their official website-Project Chaiwala for more information.
