Shirish Paranjape
Christchurch, July 23, 2020
The wait is finally over.
When Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods cut the ribbon on Friday, July 10, 2020, she was doing much more than declaring open the Top in Town Restaurant in Christchurch.
Her action marked the end of a long wait for entrepreneur Tanveer Jahangir Mohammed, his family, colleagues and friends.
Out of the Ordinary
The opening marked the beginning of business of a new type of restaurant in the heart of Christchurch, serving Hyderabadi Mughlai style cuisine including a buffet with a large variety of dishes all days of the week. Top in Town in Christchurch is open from 12 pm to 10 pm every day and Tanveer plans to extend those hours in due course.
Tanveer is a New Zealand citizen. He established ‘Top in Town’ takeaway restaurant and ‘Food City’ on Sandringham Road and later opened a Restaurant in Papatoetoe in South Auckland. He left for Australia about ten years ago.
After running successful restaurants on either side of the Tasman, Tanveer decided to return to New Zealand this year and settle down in Christchurch to support his brother Ahmed Iqbal Mohammed, who is a victim of the terrorist attach Mosques in Christchurch on March 15, 2019.
However, various stages of lock-down meant that the inauguration could not happen till now.
The Christchurch massacre
Following the terrorist attack, Tanveer arrived from Australia and stood in the hospital for 12 days while his brother was recovering.
“Everyone concerned, including the government, the New Zealand Police, the Muslim and other communities did a great job. I invited a large number of people who helped during the post-attack days to my restaurant for a free lunch on the opening day,” Tanveer later told Indian Newslink.
Concerned Police Officers were also invited to the opening night.
Noble gesture
Dr Woods congratulated and thanked Tanveer for his gesture of providing free food to members of essential services.
She said it was only fitting that such a fusion restaurant had now opened for business in the suburb of Riccarton, which is home to multicultural communities,
Gamal Fouda, Imam of Al-Noor Mosque and Community Board Member, blessed the Restaurant with recitation of Islamic verses.
The opening ceremony was covered live on Facebook by Radio Sadeaala with compering by Yitesh Sharma, and Habib Mirvat from the Office of Ethnic Communities.
Shirish Paranjape is our Correspondent in Christchurch. He is a member of the Community Board.
