It was very exciting news to Pakistani residents in Sydney when they heard the news the famous Pakistani restaurant Student Biryani was opening here back in 2015.
Nestled in the western Sydney suburb of Auburn, customers battle for a seat on the weekends to have a taste of the secret recipe passed down through generations.
Biryani is a traditional dish of Pakistan made of layered rice, spices, curried gravy and meat. Popular across Asia, it’s eaten at weddings, birthdays and cultural events.
Muhammad Javed owns and runs Student Biryani in Auburn, Sydney. Source: Supplied
Owner Muhammad Javed said the small restaurant welcomes a melting pot of cultures through its doors seven days a week.
“We have everybody coming here. Aussie’s are coming, Somali’s, Sudanese, Arabic and of course Pakistani,” he says.
Javed is a second generation Biryani maker, the recipes handed down from his father who started the business in Karachi in 1969, feeding local students from a roadside stall.
“My father was already a cook and decided to start his own business,” he says.
“He started in a very small hut because he was not very rich; he was a poor man.”
The business was far from an overnight success, with Javed's father toiling day and night to perfect the unique and trademark biryani recipe it is today.
The original Student Biryani stall in Karachi, 1969. Source: Supplied
Javed began working with his father from the age of 13, training him as a chef with first-class skills.
“It was very hard work,” Javed says.
“My father was very strict. He did not compromise on the quality, in the product, in customer relations. This is why it became such a success.”
Passing the secret recipe to his four sons, the family business grew into a global chain, successfully opening restaurants all over the world.
After Javed’s beloved father passed away, his sons took over to manage the 12 international stores in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE, Canada and now Australia.
Student Biryani is a welcome taste of home for the ever-growing Pakistani community in Sydney.
One customer told SBS when he moved to Australia, he couldn’t believe his favourite restaurant was here.
Student Biryani is now a go-to restaurant for Pakistani food in Sydney. Source: Supplied
“I used to go to their first branch back in Karachi in 1994. You could say I’ve been their customer for 27 years,” he says.
“They have a special recipe with special ingredients, no other brand have been able to match the taste. I’m very happy to find it in Australia.”
Serving halal-certified meat, with traditional biryani and other South Asian favourites, the business is booming.
The chains 50-year-old recipe is considered such a world leader that Wikipedia refers to the Karachi-style biryani as 'Student Biryani'.
From a humble start to an international success, Javed now plans to franchise across Australia.
While he is now 60-years-old, his passion for continuing his fathers legacy means he is not going anywhere, anytime soon.
Heaped with spices, curry, potatoes and rice, Biryani is a favourite at cultural and social events. Source: Supplied
“This not for the making of the money; this is my father's name and my product name.
“We are proud of the Pakistani brand in Australia.”
