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Desi Fusion

Episode 5 of 6

Restaurateur Russell Norman helps newcomers to the trade. Nahida in Coventry wants to open a restaurant offering Asian fusion food but ignores much of Russell's advice.

Coventry mother of ten Nahida is used to cooking for big numbers, so she's decided that opening a restaurant offering the same tasty Asian fusion food she cooks at home will allow her to make money from what she does best. But with no business plan, no grip on her finances and no intention of asking for help despite keeping her full-time job as a social worker, will naive Nahida's restaurant become one of the many that fail before opening?

Restaurateur Russell Norman has his work cut out trying to get through to head-strong Nahida on everything from her unusual restaurant design to the menu and how to market the business. As her loan and savings begin to disappear, Nahida soon learns that opening a restaurant and 'just hoping for the best' generally leads to good money being thrown after bad.

Russell Norman loves Nahida's innovative take on home cooking and thinks there could be a gap in the market. However, he's immediately concerned when he sees the size of her costly premises, her confused menu and witnesses her severe lack of timekeeping. As Nahida ignores much of Russell's advice and decides to employ a chef who makes her dishes more generic, despairing Russell worries that Nahida has lost sight of her dream. As opening day approaches, will Nahida already be out of pocket, and will her curry be a hit in Coventry?

59 minutes

Credits

Role Contributor
Participant Russell Norman
Series Producer Francis Baker
Producer Harry Beney
Director Harry Beney

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Recipes from The Restaurant Man

Try some of the recipes featured in the programme