Dubai: A military officer from India. A developmental worker from the UK. Romance in Rwanda. And they live happily ever after despite the odds.
As Valentine’s Day love stories go, this couple can take the cake - quite literally.
Meet Aseem Grover and Fawzia Ahmed, co-founders of The Big Chill Café, Cakery & Creamery, the Indian restaurant chains with 15 outlets in New Delhi and Dubai.
“When you seek someone with all the passion of your heart and soul, destiny, and in fact, the entire universe, conspire for you to succeed and achieve your dreams,” the couple told Gulf News, retracing their unlikely journey spanning three decades.
Romance in Rwanda
It all began in 1996 when Aseem, a 25-year-old army officer from the Third Gorkha Rifles in the Indian Army, was posted in Rwanda during the UN peacekeeping mission. Fawzia, a developmental worker with a love for history, films and desserts, flew into the Central African country with two of her cousins to visit their uncle, who was the head of the UN mission at the time.”
“I still remember the first day I met Aseem. I least expected to see a young, dashing officer to show us around at the behest of my uncle. He came to collect me and my cousins and was at his charming best,” recalled Fawzia.
“Over the next few days, he took us on a tour of the historic sites, a mountain guerilla experience trek, a picnic and other outings,” she said.
By the time Fawzia’s trip ended in a week, Cupid had struck. Aseem was ready to pop the magical question, but when he actually asked her if she would marry him, she took time to think about it.
“I was delighted but harboured some doubts because I was older than him and our lives were far removed, he with his changing army postings and me with my developmental work,” said Fawzia. She was clear about staying on her career path, after obtaining degrees in Political Science and English Literature from the US, besides a coveted MPhil in Development Studies from the UK.
Parting ways with a heavy heart, the duo went back to their respective lives but couldn’t help themselves from staying in touch and exploring possible solutions to come together. The answers were elusive, but that did not stop them from getting married the next year (1997).
Aseem said, “The stars were also in our favour and Fawzia landed a job with an NGO in New Delhi.”
Meanwhile, he had broken his right ankle on three occasions and had been advised to take up a ground posting. Having graduated from the Indian Military Academy and the National Defence Academy, he had gained extensive experience in high-altitude operations and counter-insurgency. He was now posted as an instructor at the Dehradun Military Academy.
Enough is enough
Fawzia and he continued to stay apart to pursue their careers, meeting only over the weekends as they shuttled between New Delhi and Dehradun. Until one day, they decided enough was enough.
“Our marriage was not sustainable this way. So we both decided to quit our jobs and find something that we could do together,” recounted Aseem.
Foodies in their own right, he and Fawzia toyed with the idea of opening a happening café in New Delhi. After due diligence, they embarked on their new culinary adventure.
“It was not without its share of challenges but the idea of The Big Chill Café and Cakery & Creamery caught on, and here we are, continuing our journey with 15 outlets today,” he said with pride.
To the couple, who have a teenaged daughter and son, the restaurant chain is not just a culinary triumph. It is also a testimony to the power of their love and its ability to unearth the entrepreneurs in them just so they could be together.
