After a costume rehearsal month of fine-tuning, NALA is formally open on Alserkal Avenue. Fast, contemporary, and stuffed with flavour, NALA isn’t your common fast-casual joint—it’s an entire new option to seize a chew with out chopping corners on style.
On the helm of this daring new idea is Natasha Sideris, Founder and CEO of Tashas Group, alongside Jill Okkers, Culinary Director, and Sangiwe Khumalo, NALA’s GM.
“This 5-year ardour challenge created a elaborate canteen the place high quality and velocity go hand in hand. We noticed a niche available in the market for heat, healthful meals which can be fast however don’t really feel rushed,” says Jill. “NALA is our reply—contemporary, flavorful, and made with care.”
The concept for NALA began 5 years in the past experimenting with recipes and flavours till they nailed the right stability of consolation and comfort. When it got here time to construct the workforce, Sangiwe was the primary title on Jill’s listing.
The daughter of two pure mathematicians, Sangiwe at all times felt misplaced within the calculus subject. She determined to comply with her ardour for hospitality as an alternative. “Persons are what make me joyful and heat my coronary heart,” she typically says. To pursue her dream, she began her profession at Burger King in Johannesburg, steadily working her means up the ladder. In the future, she obtained a proposal from the Tasha’s Group. With out hesitation, she stated sure. After spending a number of years with the corporate, she now holds the place of NALA’s Normal Supervisor and is without doubt one of the inventive minds behind the idea.
A Menu with Coronary heart
NALA isn’t simply quick—it’s thoughtfully crafted. Each dish tells a narrative, from the creamy corn perfected over a number of trials to the cookies that needed to be simply the proper shade of purple.
“The cookies had been really a cheerful accident, and it labored out completely. In the future, I used to be experimenting with recipes and ended up creating the final word heartwarming cookie. At this time, we provide greater than three flavours, and it’s not possible to maintain observe of what number of we promote every day,” says Sangiwe.
For Jill, the menu is deeply private. “We didn’t simply need fast bites; we needed meals that creates recollections —dishes that really feel acquainted however carry one thing contemporary to the desk,” she says. Take the Masala Steak Sandwich, impressed by her aunt’s recipe—a nostalgic, spice-packed basic with a contemporary twist.
The banana bread, the chopped egg parm toast, the black mushroom pita, and the pistachio bostock (Bostock is a French pastry that’s just like French toast) are highlights. For those who go away us, we are able to go on and on with our star dishes. We’re working behind the scenes and plan to unveil new month-to-month specials quickly.
Revolutionizing Fast Eating
At NALA, freshness is essential. The kitchen is at all times in movement, prepping all through the day to maintain up with demand whereas guaranteeing each order meets the best requirements. The aim? A wonderfully plated meal in eight minutes or much less—with out sacrificing an oz of flavour.
That is only the start. With plans to open 50 new places globally, NALA is gearing as much as take the fast-casual scene by storm. Quickly, followers can even be capable of carry a bit of NALA residence with retail choices of house-made Granola, their signature chilli crisps, salts, dressing and rubs, all crafted in-house beneath the watchful eyes of Sangiwe.
The costume rehearsal was successful. Now it’s time for the true present. Come hungry, come curious—NALA is formally open.