Posted:11-February-2025
Day in the life of YouMeSushi Franchisee Alamgir Shek
Alamgir Shek opened his YouMeSushi franchised store in Greenwich in 2023. He talks about a typical day running his business.
“I travel about 15 minutes to my YouMeSushi store in Greenwich, London, to open up. My role as franchisee overseeing a small team of seven, is varied! I am the manager but also I’m head chef and in charge of customer service too! At the moment, I manage one store but as I plan to expand and take on more YouMeSushi sites soon, so my role will change over time.
“Currently, I usually start by preparing all the fresh sushi. Previously, I was a sushi chef and worked in kitchens for 18 years, so food is my first love and this is the part of my business I enjoy the most. I take pride in my work, especially now I’m the franchisee and working for myself. It’s important that all our meals are fresh and delicious as this keeps customers coming back for more.
“From classics like tuna and salmon rolls to more innovative sushi combinations, our menu offers something for everyone. We only use the freshest fish, vegetables, and rice, ensuring that each roll is crafted with care and precision. Our commitment to quality and freshness means every bite reflects our passion for creating the finest sushi in Greenwich.
“Our regulars will start coming in to pick up their lunch from 11am onwards. So it’s important we are ready to provide them with their favourite sushi boxes to go. Then, the lunchtime rush itself is always crazy busy with take aways.
“A handful of customers can also eat-in at our seating area, which they often enjoy doing if ordering our delicious hot Japanese food like our Chicken Katsu Curry or our Seafood Ramen Noodle Soup. Occasionally, we will get one or two tourists but most customers are from nearby offices or work in the city.
“Students may come in for refreshments if they are studying in the library but the afternoons are usually a little quieter.
“During the day I usually take a break for a couple of hours. I have a young daughter and my wife needs a break too so I spend time with them.
“The evenings are always very busy with delivery orders. The team also need to find time to place orders for stock. I also manage the staff rota and this means keeping a close eye on labour costs. It’s early days with my business so to keep staff costs down I often do jobs myself. As I become more established, I will be able to delegate more tasks to my team.
“I’m really excited to be able to run my own business with YouMeSushi’s support. Tim Circus, Head of Franchise is always available to answer any questions and nothing is ever a problem. The accounts department is also very helpful and I feel the support structure of the franchise has really enabled me to thrive. The business is doing very well indeed and I’m excited about my future with YouMeSushi.”
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