Today we’d like to introduce you to Nasreen Hussain.
Nasreen, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
It was last year in August of 2017 when I received a hysterical phone call from my Mom that my Dad wasn’t waking up from his sleep. At that moment in time, I felt as if someone had ripped my heart out. I quickly got to my parent’s house in the hope of waking my Dad up, and as I ran up the stairs, I was stopped to find out that my Beloved Father passed away in his sleep. I broke. It has been a very turbulent year for me to say the least. After six years, I quit my job as an Operations Manager, and soon after his death, I enrolled back into school for my Master’s program and Fashion Styling. I came to Starbucks often to study and would find myself tearing up every time I attempted to do any work. My Father and I shared a love for food – I grew up eating fresh home cooked meals every day. After his death, I distanced myself from cooking and leaned on takeout. Anytime I would attempt to cook, I would find myself crying hysterically. These wave of emotions continued for a few months until I found the courage to start cooking again. The more I cooked, the more I tasted my Dad’s food in mine. After many Starbuck crying sessions, I realized I needed to do something more to keep his legacy/memory alive. In January of 2018, I decided I wanted to create a cookbook with all of his recipe and family recipes passed down from my Grandmother. I went back and forth with different ideas of how to execute until I finally decided I would launch a Food Blog – I wanted to share stories about my father as well as his recipes so that the whole world will be able to taste his food. I started Lazy Bawarchi in April of 2018 in honor of my Late Father’s Recipes – The most kind, caring, loving Father – Mohammed Wajahath Hussain.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. My grandmother (Dad’s Mom) passed away two months before him and my Aunt whom I was very close to passed away a year before that. Due to these traumatic events, thinking about the future had me anxious all the time. Being a Daddy’s girl, his absence broke me into a million pieces, and I honestly thought I would never find peace. I found myself constantly sad and crying all the time. Although I had the idea of creating a cookbook/food blog, I never thought I would complete this project due to my wave of emotions, lack of focus, and anxiety. My faith, immense support from my husband, family/friends, gave me the strength to keep going.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Lazy Bawarchi – what should we know?
The Lazy Bawarchi which means Lazy Cook is customized to the busy woman and man of the modern world today. Here, simple, and delicious Indian/Pakistani recipes are offered, which can be created in a fraction of time. My father always used to say, “Put everything in the pot, and close the lid.” He was a big advocate for simple recipes, and food that was easy on the stomach. I think we all crave home-cooked meals but shy away from the process and time it takes to recreate that result. I guess what I’m most proud of is the positive feedback I get from my followers. Everyone seems to love all the recipes and always looking forward to more. I think what sets me apart from others is the traditional dishes I offer and how simple and time efficient all the recipes are. I also have step by step videos on Instagram so everyone can follow along. Recently I added a Restaurant Recommendation Section on my Instagram which covers different restaurants in Chicago along with other parts of the world.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Consistency and communication are key! I think in order to be successful, I have to be consistent in my recipes along with expanding on new and different ideas. It’s important to communicate with your followers to obtain any feedback as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lazybawarchi.com
- Email: lazybawarchi@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lazybawarchi/
Image Credit:
Tehreem Hussain
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
