Women credit their mothers for inspiring them to pursue culinary careers

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Mahreen Siddiqui's kids love her butter chicken. These days, they aren't the only people who get to enjoy it.

Siddiqui is the owner and head chef of Butter Chicken House, a Regina restaurant that serves halal Pakistani cuisine using traditional spice blends and cooking methods.

She said she started cooking more when she moved to Regina and had a hard time finding halal food she liked.

"Even when I find someplace, it's way too expensive and I didn't really enjoy the meal," she said.

She asked her mother and sister for a few recipes, and turned to YouTube to learn more. For a while she cooked for fun. But in December 2023, she decided to take the plunge and open the restaurant.

Mahreen's daughter, Minahil Hashmi, casually helps out at the restaurant, along with other members of the family. She said given the number of male-owned businesses out there, it's empowering and refreshing to see her mother run a successful business.

"It shows us that women are hard-working and reliable as well, and it also just is nice to have a financially independent woman in the house, because it empowers the household itself," Hashmi said.

Siddiqui said other women who want to open their own businesses should have the courage to do so, but must be ready to do the hard work.

She also says she's grateful for all the appreciation she receives from customers, because that positivity helps her keep going every day.

WATCH | Filmmaker Ayesha Mohsin talks to three women in the restaurant industry about how they got into the business, and why they keep going: 

Women credit their mothers for inspiring them to pursue a career in the kitchen

9 months ago

Duration 5:38

Family recipes are often passed down through generations. But for some, those recipes can turn into something even bigger. A successful career, a family’s source of financial freedom, and a way to help others – whether through jobs or through delicious food that tastes like home. In this video for the CBC Creator Network, filmmaker Ayesha Mohsin talks to three South Asian chefs about going from home cook to “Kitchen Queen”. If you are a young, digital creator with a story to tell, we want to hear from you. Find out more at cbc.ca/CreatorNetworkSK

Fewer women run businesses

In Regina, 35 per cent of businesses owners are women, while 65 per cent are men. Saskatoon has similar numbers, with 34 per cent of businesses led by women and 66 per cent run by men. 

Only La Ronge and Martensville are bucking the trend in Saskatchewan. In those communities, woman-led businesses are the majority at 60 per cent and 52 per cent respectively.

Research also shows that the larger a business is and the more employees it has, the more likely it's led by a man.

The same study shows men are more likely to lead food-related businesses, as well as those that involve mining, oil, gas, construction and manufacturing. 

Women are more likely to lead businesses involved in health care, education, entertainment and recreation.

Another woman forging ahead in Regina's food industry is Zainab Kamboh. She started Al-Buraq restaurant in January of 2021.

Kamboh remembers how much she enjoyed her own mother and grandmother's cooking.

She based much of her menu, which is mostly Pakistani halal food, on her mom's home cooking, but said she has also learned many more dishes.

"My main customers, they are Pakistani, and I am making food for them because they love it," she said. "The rest of them are Indian, Bangladeshi, and Canadian too."

Kamboh said international students frequent the restaurant and tell her she makes food like their mothers did too.

Statistics Canada data from the 2021 census shows that India and Pakistan are among the top five countries of recent immigrants to Saskatchewan. People from the Philippines, China and Nigeria round out the list.

Besides catering to a large South Asian population, Kamboh is also helping others through jobs. She employs a handful of people at the restaurant.

She said her focus is 100 per cent on the restaurant and she misses it if she's not working. One day, she hopes to create a franchise.

Another woman, Sonal Patel, is a cook at Shree Akshar vegetarian restaurant in Regina. She said she learned cooking from her mother, who she describes as "the best cook in the world."

Patel said she's carrying on that passion for cooking and likes to make different recipes that are loved by people from many South Asian countries.

Despite being in a competitive industry, the women say they wish each other well and support each other's successes. 

They also know they are filling a niche with home-cooked comfort food, as they inspire the next generation of women to pursue their dreams of running a business.