The other day, I had the opportunity to interview and enjoy an evening at a popular eatery in Islamabad – Pizziano. Its oven baked pizzas are now not only enjoyed at the owner’s lush garden, but due to the winter cold, Zehra Valliani, a woman of substance, a woman of strength, and a woman of entrepreneurship, has started a comfortable and cozy place, a casual shed with heaters burning, and art work on display.

Zehra Valliani started her career after being trained by her father Siraj Valliani (late) who was in the travel business in Islamabad, Pakistan. Zehra was lucky to inherit the entrepreneurial talent from him, and has used that not only at “Pizziano”, but has also started her own clothes line known as “Zehra V”. With so many things already going on, she is also in partnership with a Dubai based company, being their representative here in Islamabad. She is still using her travel and tour agent skills. She is a woman who is not a quitter, but a go-getter; a woman who likes to move with time, and is a symbol of womanhood in its true sense. She encourages the many other young women in Pakistan to come forward, and use their talents, skills, and ideas. Her idea is to work hard for the progress of society, of the country, and herself. She wants to serve the local people in Pakistan with the best service in any industry, whether food, clothes or travel. Zehra Valliani is out there doing it all, and proving to be an achiever.

The Interview -

Question 1: At the moment you are managing three businesses. How do you get the time to manage the three, since each is a solo business venture – or do you have partners?

Answer 1: It is not solo; my mother is backing me, especially with “Zehra V”. She is actively managing it alone, as I run the other businesses as well.

Question 2: Having a Travel/Ticketing and Tour business background, how and when did you decide to enter the hospitality line?

Answer 2: Travel and hospitality go hand in hand. When I was living in Dubai I started taking interest in fashion, and started the business, and continued in Islamabad. It was at a later stage that I went to Serena, and the experience and training I got at Serena has helped me in starting “Pizziano”.

Question 3: How was your experience in the travel industry, since you were running the business with your family?

Answer 3: It was a very good experience; we were out bound to all destinations, catering to different diplomatic missions. I was working with my father; my father was a pioneer in the travel industry. I started at age sixteen, after my O levels. We had businesses in Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad. I was handling the sales and marketing side. We were partners with United Airlines, and a UAE based company, Al Rustamany Group.

Question 4: Did you have to go through any academic/educational requirements to enter the travel business, or was it just handed over to you to take care of? Do you recommend the young generation to enter this field, women in particular?

Answer 4: Of course, when I started I was studying privately. I went through proper training with IATTA, travel and tour courses and training. I definitely recommend ladies to enter this field.

Question 5: What made you enter the hospitality business? Fun, food or entertainment?

Answer 5: The fact that I have always been a people’s person and I love to socialize. Even when I came from Dubai I loved socializing. When I started working at Serena, I got great exposure there. We had international clients/dignitaries, and a lot of professional level training. Serena is of course a member of leading hotels of the world.

Question 6: How was your experience working at Serena hotel as a woman?

Answer 6: It was an amazing experience. As a woman, I felt protected and it was a clean environment. I was taking care of over 350 accounts. Hospitality is creative and has very different aspects to it. The biggest advantage is being single so you have plenty of time to cope with the demanding hours.

Question 7: Some time back you started your clothes line as well. What would you say about the fashion scene in Pakistan at the moment? Is it here to stay and progress, or will it be banned eventually?

Answer 7: It is here to stay. Dubai motivated me, they loved my fashion. I started “Zehra V” from Dubai for my Indian friends and my trip to India was a success also. Our Pakistani work is very minute, beautiful, and intricate and therefore appealing abroad. I hold exhibitions every two months in Islamabad, but not commercially. It is on a one to one basis with my clients.

Question 8: You are doing a small business venture in three different sectors, hospitality/food, clothes/fashion, and Travel/Tours. Which one is your favorite?

Answer 8: “Zehra V” is my favorite.

Question 9: How do you get time to manage the three businesses?

Answer 9: I have divided my day. Socializing is done at night when I take time out for my friends because doing business can be stressful. “Zehra V” and “Pizziano” complimented each other, so all my three babies are actually under the same roof. My mother is a pillar behind my business venture, and time management skills I inherited from my Dad.

Question 10: Your latest venture is “Pizziano”- wood fire, oven baked Italian Pizzas. How did you decide to start a restaurant, and how do you feel about it?

Answer 10: I had been wanting to do something in my house. I ate oven bakes Pizzas in London and Dubai, liked the concept and wanted to do a business in this line. Our specialty is the thin crust 14 inch, 8 sliced Pizza.

Question 11: Which are the most popular and favorite pizzas at your eatery?

Answer 11: Italian Combo, Smoked Chicken, Diavola, veggie Pizzas and usually foreigners prefer the all time favorite Margharita.

Question 12: What age bracket are you catering to and who are your regular clients?

Answer 12: Pizziano is visited by teenage boys and girls, corporate people, people from far off places, government servants, and a lot of diplomats. I have regular clientele, and marketing is done by word of mouth.

Question 13: How original are your recipes and techniques in preparing the pizzas?

Answer 13: We try to do it as Italian as possible, by adding basil, green chilies, fresh salads, and not compromising on price and quality. We use imported cheeses.

Question 14: Do you have a lot of competition, as it seems “Pizziano” is the only one preparing the brick clay oven style pizzas.

Answer 14: No, I do not have much competition, as “Pizziano” is one of a kind in the city right now – preparing wood fire oven baked Italian pizzas.

Question 15: Once you are done with business – how do you relax – that is if you get any time to relax?

Answer 15: I love to be with my friends, go to the movies, socialize, go to a party; the biggest relaxation is going to the cinema, exploring my work and new ventures.

Question 16: Any message for the women in Pakistan, for encouraging them to use their talents and skills by coming out and proving themselves, by contributing towards the progress of society and the country?

Answer 16: A woman has a world of opportunities, so she can enter any field. If you have gifts/talent or skill, all you need is confidence, and faith. If you believe in yourself, you have to go get it! You have to put your mind and soul to it. “Your hard work never goes to waste”. Keep your intentions clear.

Ciro Pomodoro plans to bring Italian cuisine, with ravishing club energy, to town, writes Marian Sharaf

There is an old saying by some intellectual genius that goes: “Music is soul for food!” Isn’t that so true? – Especially for addicts like me who are ‘Made in Music!’ I wonder if any of you ever pondered over the fact that our city is over crowding with restaurants – we love entertaining and if we don’t have anyone else to entertain, we entertain ourselves. Ha! Check out the streets of Lahore and you’ll see no one sleeps hungry in this city.

However, when it comes to music, very few modern day restaurants know what they are serving to those paying heavily to fill up their tummy. Especially for me, savoring scrumptious food in a place which unfortunately does not even know what club music is (as happened to me at one of the famous cafes on M M Alam Road, Lahore); it’s a big turn off. Music casts a spell on everyone, and eating to a good beat or tune, fills the soul while filling the stomach. Guess what? It seems soon, Lahore will be getting lucky in this aspect.

Knowing Lahore is one of the best cities worldwide when it comes to food, Ciro Orsini brings his club energy restaurant to Pakistan. “From the first Ciro’s Pomodoro in Knightsbridge in 1978, Orsini has developed a restaurant that works across different cultures and countries.” It has set the benchmark for other restaurants aboard by establishing connections with celebrities from Hollywood. The restaurants have added life to the cosmopolitan cities like Beijing, Bahrain, and Kiev to name but a few.

To extend his relationship at this corner of the world, Ciro plans to jazz Lahore up with his club energy restaurant soon. For Ciro, it’s not just a restaurant. It’s building a new family in a very different part of the world that some have quoted as ‘The most dangerous country in the world.” Ciro, when asked about this, said, “I love Pakistani people; Lahoris are awesome. It doesn’t matter what the world says; I have to die one day and it does not matter if it is here.” The Ciro’s Pomodoro family works closely with each other in mutual support of the four pillars that ensure their growing success; Great Food, Great Live Music, Great Atmosphere and Great Service.

Mainly based on Italian cuisine, Ciro is willing to experiment with Pakistani cuisine as well. He believes, “The ‘cult of personality and ambience’ surrounding Ciro’s Pomodoro is a perfect combination of Italian food, image and high energy, forming the nucleus of the success formula, creating the greatest asset to the organization.”

VELOCITY Marketing & Communications organized Ciro and his, partner in Pakistan, Tauseef Asif’s (Tipu) meeting with a few exclusive guests at Royal Palm. It was Tipu and his father M Asif Hafiz’s friendship that inspired Ciro to open Ciro’s Pomodoro here. Hafiz, a business and construction tycoon has large investment portfolios – textiles, construction, international trade and polo clubs to name a few. Tipu has a dynamic vision for the food industry in Pakistan. At a time of distress and economic instability, when people are planning to move out, Tipu has the confidence and courage to invest in Pakistan. Together with Ciro and Tipu, the new Ciro’s Pomodoro family carries the message of peace and brotherhood, with excellent cuisine to add to Lahore’s scrumptious cuisine and club energy. Let the good times roll!