Posted:23-June-2025
My Sushi Moment
Talha Tahir opened The Sushi Co’s Kensington’s franchised store in 2023. As franchisee, he now oversees the success of his own authentic live sushi kitchen and restaurant. In the past few years, the Kensington branch has built up a reputation for flavoursome, fresh food in the local area, which keeps customers coming back for more unforgettable taste experiences.
Talha explains: “I have a background in the food industry. I began as a pizza delivery driver many years ago and worked my way up to head of operations at a big name brand, responsible for 100 sites. However, I decided I’d like to do something for myself.
“I saw a great opportunity in The Sushi Co. Healthy, tasty, fresh food is growing in popularity in the casual dining industry and it was the right time. I knew some of the team already and trusted them to support my new venture. The Sushi Co has been incredibly helpful ensuring my own team is well trained and a senior chef joined us for the launch so everyone hit the ground running.
“Unlike our competitors, we make all our food fresh to order. Our customers tell us they can really taste the difference. They watch as our skilled chefs craft every roll to perfection, catering for any occasion or craving. Our food sets us apart and I find it hard to resist our Shake Yaki Salmon Nigiri which is a gently seared sliced salmon placed on rice with chives and served with ginger, wasabi and a sweet and salty unagi sauce. My other favourites are a Hot Sweet Chili Chicken with rice, or a Chicken Katsu Bao Bun.
“I now work with my team of 14. We have 54 covers in the restaurant and it’s always busy. I’m hands on in the business and tend to go where I’m most needed. We also offer take away and delivery, so customers can enjoy their favourite dishes at home with friends and family too.
“Our day starts at 10am with pre-preparation then we open for business at 11am. Our busiest time is lunch time, between mid-day and 2.30, and again from 6pm until around 9.30pm, sometimes later.
“Our friendly service and focus on excellent customer service has earned us a good reputation and we attract a lot of repeat customers. Our high standards and no-compromise approach to our quality ingredients has proved popular and the business is doing really well. My aim now is to continue to grow with the company and open more live sushi kitchens in the future.
“So far, running my own franchised Sushi Co has been an amazing experience. It’s a totally different experience to that of an employee. I feel in control of my future and I’ve been pleased that the Sushi Co’s team have supported and helped me achieve this goal and my very own sushi moment. We work well together and I’m excited to see my own franchise and the brand grow over the next few years as we bring our love for sushi to a wider market in even more locations across the UK.”
Interested and want to know more about The Sushi Co?
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