The goal to put bowl of Naga cuisine on global culinary map

Livine Khrozhoh
Dimapur, Jan. 27 (EMN): Her dream to become an entrepreneur found expression in a bowl of Naga food.

After working in some popular hotels in India and Italy, Alemjungla Jamir embarked on her entrepreneurial journey by starting her restaurant called Naga Bowl Express, which has garnered popularity among the locals and tourists alike.

The eatery was awarded the ‘Most Admired Traditional Naga Cuisine Restaurant’ in Nagaland by ‘India’s Most Prominent Food and Hospitality Awards 2020’ and also featured in the Condé Nast Traveller.

Jamir, who is also the co-owner of Naga Bowl Bakery, had been chairing the Naga Chef competition at the Hornbill Festival since 2013 and was part of judging panel for several food competitions in the Northeast.

Read to know more about the sedulous food entrepreneur and her business…

Eastern Mirror: An introduction about yourself

Jamir: I am a food entrepreneur from Mokokchung, Nagaland and the owner of the Naga Bowl Express restaurant and co-owner of Naga Bowl Bakery in Dimapur, Nagaland. I have previously worked with the Oberoi, ITC and Hilton hotels in India as well as in Italy before returning to Nagaland where I taught hotel management at the Global Open University for over 10 years.

Eastern Mirror: Why did you choose to become an entrepreneur? What drives you?

Jamir: I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur because it gives you the opportunity to realise your dreams and the freedom of going about it the way you want to. The dedication of my team and the appreciation from my customers and well-wishers drive me.

Eastern Mirror: What inspired you to open Naga Bowl Express and how did you come up with the name?

Jamir: I started Naga Bowl Express restaurant in 2018 with an aim to preserve, recreate and promote authentic Naga cuisine in a modern setting. As far as the name goes, I wanted something which was catchy as well as easy to remember.

Eastern Mirror: What do you think sets your restaurant/business apart from others?

Jamir: I think every restaurant or business has its own unique way that makes it different from the others. For Naga Bowl Express, what sets us apart is our customer-based focus on quality, consistency and a wholesome experience.

Eastern Mirror: How many hours do you work on an average? Can you describe your typical day?

Jamir: I work for about 10-12 hours in a day. A typical day starts at 8 in the morning (sometimes earlier) when I purchase the ingredients from the local markets, followed by opening the restaurant at 10 am. Once the restaurant is opened, my time is divided between the reception, kitchen and the interactions with the customers and also the newly opened Naga Bowl Bakery. Finally, the restaurant is closed at 7 pm, followed by an hour or more of closing down and getting the place ready for the next day.

Eastern Mirror: Has becoming an entrepreneur affected your life?

Jamir: Being an entrepreneur means that it is no longer a 9-to-5 job as you can see from my previous answer. In fact, it (life) has become a whole lot busier. But the satisfaction at the end of the day makes it all worth it.

Eastern Mirror: How do you balance work and life’s responsibilities?

Jamir: The best thing about being an entrepreneur is that I can decide how much I want to work and can re-schedule accordingly. Moreover, my family gives me the freedom to pursue my passion and that balances out the demands of my work.

Eastern Mirror: Who is your greatest supporter during hard times?

Jamir: My family and my Naga Bowl team.

Eastern Mirror: Do you have an ultimate goal that you want to achieve?

Jamir: My ultimate goal is to put Naga cuisine on the global culinary map.

Eastern Mirror: What advice would you give to those aspiring to become entrepreneurs?

Jamir: My only advice is to find something that you are passionate about. If you are passionate about something then it becomes more than a job and you will find yourself willingly putting in your best efforts towards it.