Middle Eats
Meet Hatem Askar of Middle Eats!
Specialty: Falafel
How would you describe your business/brand?
Authentic vegan Middle Eastern food
What sparked the idea for your business and how did you get started?
I moved to Hawaii four years ago, and I have always missed the food back home, so I started to make this food for me and my wife, and then later I shared it with my family and work colleagues. I got a lot of positive feedback from everyone so eventually I thought about sharing a part of the Egyptian cuisine to the amazing people of Hawaii.
What do you wish you had known before you started your business?
It is not going to be as easy as cooking small amounts of food at home!
What are you most proud of about your business?
In less than eight months we fed more than 2,400 customers. Plus, our customer return rate has jumped from 11% to 20%.
What do you love most about being a food entrepreneur?
Sharing my culture, feeding people delicious food that is vegan but different from what they are used to eating.
What’s one piece of advice you have for other food entrepreneurs?
Think big and don't get your energy drained by the day-to-day operations.
What makes your business unique/special?
Currently we serve Egyptian-style falafel, which has more aromatic and fresh flavors unlike other falafels. We use a recipe that has been used in Egyptian kitchens for centuries. Also, all of our homemade sauces are made from scratch, which elevates our food to another level, makes it really delicious and surprisingly filling compared to any other vegan food—especially for the non-vegan eaters.
What’s your best seller at the moment?
Double Pita Falafel and Iced Hibiscus Tea
What's next for you and business?
I want to utilize and develop my leadership experiences that I gained throughout my career working in large corporations and build a team of talented people who can take this business to the next level. In the short-term. I want to add more dishes to the menu from all parts of the Middle East, because I feel that this cuisine is very underrated and needs more attention from people across the U.S.