RAWALPINDI: A Pakistani chef and entrepreneur who runs her own café and shop in London has been recognized for her achievements in retail and e-commerce by Forbes, which put her on its prestigious ‘30 under 30’ Europe list this month.
Khan, 30 years old and the mother of two daughters, is the sole founder of two of London’s culinary hotspots – Feya Café and DYCE. She is a graduate of the iconic Tante Marie Culinary Academy and committed to the movement toward female equality in business.
Khan opened her debut eatery Feya Café on Bond Street just months after the birth of her first daughter in 2018. The award-winning DIY dessert parlour and interior masterpiece DYCE was opened in quick succession, followed by the flagship Feya Knightsbridge in December 2019.
Speaking to Arab News, Khan said she was nominated for the Forbes list by her team and did not expect to be recognized.
“I had just woken up and I knew the list was going to be released [on April 9], but they were meant to send an email as well and my inbox was empty, so I was a bit disappointed,” Khan said in a phone interview. “But then I pulled up the list anyway to see. As I started scrolling down, I saw my name. It was an amazing feeling!”
In this undated photo, Forbes ‘30 Under 30’ honouree Zahra Khan tackles a recipe in her kitchen in London. (Photo Courtesy: Zahra Khan
This is how the Forbes listing describes Khan:
“Immigrant Zahra Khan defied Pakistani cultural stereotypes and launched a career in the UK focused on empowering women. The chef and mother of two runs Feya cafes and shops. She employs 30 full-time staff, hires female illustrators to design packaging, and donates 10% of retail profits toward professional coaching for women.”
Khan said she initially went to university to study medicine but then turned toward the culinary world, graduating from the Tante Marie Culinary Academy in Woking, England, before launching Feya in May 2018, whose wares include chocolates along with specialty spices and jams, all packaged in designs that pay ode to women.
Khan has been nominated for the NatWest Everywomen Awards 2020 (The Artemis Award), London Business Mother of the Year 2020 (Venus Awards), Business Owner of the Year and Businesswoman of the Year (National Women’s Business Awards 2020) and Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2019 (Federation of Small Businesses UK).
“In Pakistan, we don’t have as many opportunities for women as men. I recognize that and I also realize that I’m lucky that I’ve got the opportunity to actually move and experience living in different countries,” Khan, who studied at Ryerson University in Toronto before going to culinary school in the UK, said. “It was an eye opener, I learned so much and I wanted to bring about change when I was in the position to give back.”
Khan launched Feya Cares at the start of the pandemic in collaboration with the Young Women’s Trust, a feminist organization working to achieve economic justice for young women based in London.
This undated photo shows Zahra Khan, a Pakistani chef and entrepreneur, who was recently listed on the Forbes ‘30 under 30’ list, in London. (Photo Courtesy: Zahra Khan)
Feya Cares aims to tackle issues faced by women within the professional space, such as racial and gender inequality; 10% of the profits made from the sale of each Feya Retail product are donated to the Young Women’s Trust.
During the pandemic, Khan also launched the Feya Retail Line which features various luxury products such as teas, jams, chocolates alongside a selection of other delectable treats.
“Each product in this retail line carries its own unique message of empowerment and motivation, encouraging women to take a break from the ordinary and celebrate the little things that make us different. With beautifully illustrated, unique packaging, each product in the line-up aims to inspire you to escape reality, explore your imagination, and celebrate fearlessness and diversity,” Khan’s website said.
“Every woman can run her own business, even if it is a small-scale, home-based venture,” said Khan, who launched her own business shortly after becoming a mother of two daughters. “I want to show that it can be done.”
