5 Questions with Fauzia Abdur-Rahman of Fauzia's Heavenly Delights Food Cart

One of the Columbia-Harlem Small Business Development Center (SBDC) clients that will be offering food samples at Manhattanville Community Day on May 21 is Fauzia's Heavenly Delights.

Established in 1994, Fauzia Abdur-Rahman's food cart is often located at East 161 Street and Concourse Village West in the Bronx, where she serves up Jamaican fusion cuisine with staples like jerk and curry chicken, as well as dishes influenced by cultures from around the world. Recently, you may have spotted Fauzia's Heavenly Delights on Wednesdays at 130th St., between Broadway and 12 Ave., at Columbia Business School. 

Abdur-Rahman spoke to Neighbors about working with the SBDC and what's up next for Fauzia's Heavenly Delights.

Prior to working with the SBDC, how was your business coming along? 

Prior to the SBDC, Fauzia’s was solely mobile food vending. As my daughter Fauzia Aminah began taking on more leadership roles within the business, she expanded Fauzia’s and began selling the family-made jerk seasoning retail. That’s where the SBDC came in, helping us with the ins and outs of the retail side of the food industry, something we had very little understanding of.

What’s the biggest takeaway from your work with the SBDC? What about something that completely changed how you approach your business?

Many of the questions you have as a business owner are usually found in a multitude of places. Communication between fellow entrepreneurs in your area is key because many times there are so many different ways of reaching your goal and creating that network of people around you will ensure that you continue to look at things from different perspectives.

What's next for your business?

Fauzia’s is aiming to continue to grow the seasoning part of the business! We have a bunch of different products lined up for production, which should be coming out soon. The mobile food vending side of the business will continue as well, hopefully with a new food truck soon!

What should people definitely try from your business?

Our jerk chicken gyro! This menu item represents Jamaican fusion cuisine at its heart, as the jerk chicken is one of the most popular Jamaican dishes and the gyro is a New York street food staple.

Any advice for other businesses just getting started?

Recognizing that what might have worked for another business doesn’t mean it is necessarily applicable to you. There are so many paths one can take to become a successful entrepreneur so if your path does not necessarily look like those around you, it does not mean you are doing something wrong.

Try free samples of Fauzia's Heavenly Delights at Manhattanville Community Day on May 21, and keep up with Fauzia on Facebook and Instagram.