Chef Khalil Gets President Biden’s Lifetime Achievement Award
Chef Khalil Gets President Biden’s Lifetime Achievement Award Mr. Khalilur Rahman claims the US Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award. He is the owner of Khalil Biriyani House. The US President cedes this honor to recognize outstanding community services and monumental contributions to society.
On March 19, the award-giving ceremony took place at One Plaza in New York. Amerian envoy to the United Nations, Dr. Sima Katnaya, handed the certificate to Khalilur Rahman, the owner of Khalil Biriyani, Khalil Chinese, and Khalil Grocery. Dr. Katnaya says, “this acknowledgment signifies a brilliant national recognition, and we are proud to show our appreciation to him.”
In Bangladesh, Mr. Khalil did his masters in Mathematics at Dhaka University. Subsequently, he moved to the USA in 2008. The chef in him soon started Khalil Biriyani House, a tiny eatery in the Bronx. The restaurant soon sprawled into Khalil Halal Chinese, Khalil Pizza & Grill, Khalil Sweets, and Khalil Super Market.
He creates loads of jobs for countless immigrants. Besides, Khalil Foundation keeps busy with diverse charitable functions. He launched “Biden Biriyani” after the President’s name. Inevitably, the recipe turned him into a hot topic in the community.
Bangladeshi foods have claimed a sweet spot in multi-ethnic New York City. Khalil Restaurant is the ultimate success story that rises high above other Bangladeshi eateries swarming the streets. New York is bustling with Bangladeshi halal diners.
Typically, one locates those eating places more frequently across Astoria, Hillside Queens, Jamaica, and Jackson heights. However, Khalil Biriyani House, Bronx, is the most popular desi restaurant in New York. Their delicious recipes have transpired the local tastes and started appealing to a broader section of mainstream food lovers. The restaurant took off in July 2017.
Earlier, Mr. Khalil used to be a butcher's hand and then a dishwasher. His professional stints stretched to kitchen hand, assistant chef, chef, and more. As a chef, his last job was at Premium Sweet & Restaurant.
A dreamer he is, Mr. Khalil imagined himself a skilled and professional chef all along. Driven, he found himself in the Institute of Culinary Education, New York, for formal learning. The institute control food quality across New York. The course took him four years, and he became a certified chef in 2018.
During the last leg of his institutional education, Khalilur Rahman launched Khalil Biriyani House in July 2017. Mr. Khalil was a banker in Bangladesh. Lady Luck forced him to an unimaginable turn in his career, a professional chef and eminent businessman.
“Never did I fancy my current achievements. Moving to the USA, my previous educational qualifications presently turned to dust. I needed education all afresh to build a sustainable career. Then, numerous possibilities flashed along, offering economic freedom and professional skills at once. Therefore, I promptly pursued both of them.”, exclaimed Mr. Khalil with a big smile!
Recently, delicious Khalil Biriyani has firmly asserted itself among New Yorkers. Typically, no business can flourish at such a breakneck pace. How has Khalil Biriyani claimed this much popularity?
He continues, “I have been involved in the culinary industry for too long despite recently initiating Khalil Restaurant. To many, the Khalil Bhai, I am a certified professional chef on international cuisine. Deep association with tasty foods keeps me going. Those potent factors must have played crucial roles in securing a home run in the business. A fresh and healthy diet is the critical element if you ask. Customers choose to trust my cooking method and business principles.”
Lately, he has established the Khalil Food Foundation. Their mission is to train fresh immigrants. So, those newbies can sustain themselves. Here, millions come to seek bread and butter. Various difficulties rough up their path to wholesome employment. The Khalil Food Foundation levels out the earning prospects of those newcomers by imparting personalized culinary training.
Khalilur Rahman emphasizes his battle-rife days in the past, “I think, my life can teach them a lesson or two in that no profession is negligible. Hard work brings us success no matter what. Also, I hope traditional Bangladeshi foods become commonplace delicacies across American and European tables.”
He furthers in the same token, “I am a professional chef and successful businessman. This dual role boosted my good fortunes by a great length as I needed no chef to run the kitchen. My restaurant prospered because I have a trailblazing career as a chef.”
The Presidential Award did mellow him. Ever gracious, Mr. Khalil thankfully remembered his community's love and support throughout the journey. He considers his accomplishments a Bangladeshi success abroad.
Meanwhile, the Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman took a bite at Khalil Biriyani while taking a tour of New York in 2019. He also visited the restaurant in person. Chef Khalilur Rahman vividly recollects his memory of serving Mr. Matiur Rahman since Bangladeshis cross a path with Khalil Restaurant whenever they arrive in New York. Hence, the Prothom Alo respects Chef Khalilur Rahman via this report on this auspicious moment of his memorable achievement.
