Driven by his passion for the food and beverages industry, Saud Shafai opened his own restaurant Eggs & Flour, which quickly gained fame and is now preparing for expansion into other branches and collaborations across the Kingdom.
Can you tell us about yourself?
I am an aircraft engineer, businessman, registered freelance recruiter, and restaurant & café owner. After starting my career as an aircraft engineer, I discovered it wasn’t for me. So I returned to school and studied business administration in Canada from 2009-2013. It was in Canada that I developed an in-depth understanding of the food and beverage business, mainly by learning from large-scale franchise operations. During my time in Canada, I also started to develop a plan to open a restaurant called Eggs & Flour, as most of our food either contains eggs or flour. Today, I run Eggs & Flour Restaurant and also work as a freelance HR recruiter, helping local and international companies fulfill their staffing requirements here in KSA.
Why did you chose to open Eggs & Flour in the DQ? What makes the DQ special?
We decided to open Eggs & Flour in the DQ in late 2016, with a promise to offer great quality food. We have done and continue to do our best to meet all our customers’ needs and satisfaction. Eggs & Flour is the best place to enjoy your meal because of its friendly atmosphere and music. In consideration to DQ’s culture and society, we have met all of its needs by offering international cuisine. At Eggs & Flour, customers have a great opportunity to taste and eat different types of food from other cuisines especially at the lunch buffet that we do.
How have your customers reacted to Eggs & Flour in the DQ?
Our restaurant is open to everyone. However, we have found that most of our customers are professional executives, business owners, and diplomats. A lot of networking happens at Eggs & Flour; we see many customers holding meetings here. According to some of our customers, they love Eggs & Flour because they are treated as if they’re family and it’s not the standard commercial food outlets that populate the city. Our customers enjoy trying our new menu items, and when they order it again, we know it’s a winner!
How is your business contributing to the Saudi Vision 2030?
Eggs & Flour is dedicated to contributing to Vision 2030 The welcoming and comfortable atmosphere facilitates the networking required to continue to connect with other professionals to elevate business.
What advice would you give to other aspiring entrepreneurs at this time, in Saudi Arabia?
Many aspiring entrepreneurs come to Eggs & Flour and ask me for advice in starting a restaurant or cafe. I try to give them my tips and insights to help them succeed. This is exactly what aspiring entrepreneurs need to do: seek the advice and guidance from experienced professionals in their desired field. To build a business, one needs to be patient. Success is a long process. A lot of time and energy are required to start a business, especially in the beginning; other areas of your life will suffer but once you establish your business, you will eventually find a balance.
What are your future plans for Eggs and Flour?
Eggs & Flour will be launching in other areas of Riyadh very soon! We also have further plans to open in other major cities in Saudi Arabia with our sister bakeshop Eggs & Flour Bakery and Pastry.
