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    Khaas: The Lady behind its Culinary Success

    Written by: Sarah Khan
    Posted on: June 17, 2014 |

    Tony (Riffat Moin)

    Khaas Gallery Café is known for its unbeatably elegant ambiance and a superb dining experience. To unveil the secret behind the culinary success of Khaas, we met its head chef, Tony (Riffat Moin). Armed with a friendly smile and an unpretentious grace as she met and greeted her guests, Tony turned out to be as delightful as her delectable culinary treats. There is a radiance that emanates from her amazingly hospitable, kind and warm nature.

    Tony shared that she was never formally trained as a chef; she has always had a knack for cooking, experimenting with new recipes and presenting food in an attractive manner. In 1985, she started her catering business in Rawalpindi whereby she supplied complete meals to homes, offices, embassies and various private events in the twin cities. Her services, owing to her great talent for cooking, were also hired for providing desserts and salads to presidency banquets arranged in the honor of visiting dignitaries, such as the Queen of England.

    Her collaboration with Khaas Gallery came about spontaneously, she told us. It was an informal family affair. “One day we were just having dinner and my niece, who owns the art gallery, asked me if I’d be interested in running the gallery’s café space.” She readily agreed and never looked back. Tony’s success as Khaas’ chef extraordinaire began to build based solely on the quality of her work, and not due to any entrepreneurial ties.

    She cooks the whole menu herself, which makes her indispensable to the café’s operation. “It does not – cannot – run without me,” she added with a smile.

    Khaas offers an eclectic menu, and aims to cater to people who are fond of home-cooked food and a pleasant, soothing ambiance.  We had heard great reviews of Tony’s culinary skills but when we asked her whether she believes people like her food or not, she answered: “Never had any complaints”, with a modest chuckle.

    The Secret behind the Culinary Success of Khaas

    Khaas Café

    Khaas Café serves only lunch; however, it occasionally remains open in evenings for private bookings also. Tony explains that the café offers lunch only because she does not want the hassle of being tied up the entire day. Also, she does not want Khaas’ evening activity to be a cause of any inconvenience to its neighbours.

    She shares that all the dishes she serves are based on original recipes which she works out through trial and error, and keeping in view people’s tastes and feedback. “I do not consider myself an expert and so I always remain open to criticism,” she said. She mentioned her salads, Japanese beef, Khao soi, and stir-fried chicken, to be some of the best things the café offers.

    We wanted to know the particular criterion that Tony considers while putting together her team for the restaurant. “They should be quick like me,” she said. We got to see her in action in her kitchen, working with amazing finesse, and we knew what she meant. She tells that she finds it unnerving if her helpers are unable to keep pace with her.

    Tony remains thoroughly involved with the day to day running of the restaurant: from managing the accounts to serving the food and everything that transpires in between.

    We wanted to probe into Tony’s professional culinary secrets by asking her about some tips for putting together a perfect lunch. She smiled and replied: “Bass haath ki baat hai” (It’s probably in the hands). If you put your heart into what you are making, it certainly turns out great.

    Tony does not plan to expand this café to a larger area; she enjoys the scale on which she works now because she is able to give it her best. “This kitchen is my baby”, she joyfully expressed, which rings true because she seems to own and nourish it like one.

    In the end, we asked her about what qualities, she thinks, make her a success. She replied that she is very consistent, and also very particular about the details. “If I take on a commitment, then I make sure I carry it to the fullest.”

    With all her warmth, commitment and energy, she was an absolute delight.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021