Sharif Ahmed knows he has big shoes to fill as the new owner of the Clay Oven following the recent departure of beloved restaurateurs Syed and Joba Sadeque.
With this in mind, Ahmed plans to keep his predecessor's legacy alive while also gradually evolving the South Asian fine-dining restaurant in downtown Acton.
"This very small town did not have any Indian restaurants. So he (Syed) introduced something to the people and they are used to it. I wanted to respect that," Ahmed said about maintaining the Clay Oven's culinary tradition and menu.
Syed Sadeque and Ahmed are friends and have worked with people they mutually know, giving the new owner an advantage and inside knowledge about how his friend does things in the kitchen.
"I know the cooking style and everything. And personally, I know how to cook. So there's a reason I wanted to keep the same taste," he said.
Ahmed is also putting his personal touch on the local restaurant. One of the first changes regulars may notice is in the atmosphere, with new table cloths and fresh flowers.
If locals are looking to try some new dishes at the Clay Oven, Ahmed has them covered with malai. Not to be mistaken for the desserts of the same name, these are creamier styles of curry. Examples include malai chicken and malai shrimp.
Complimentary mango chutney and papadum - very thin, crunchy snacks with a smoky flavour - are part of the new offerings.
The owner hopes to expand the menu further down the line to have more dishes that are cooked in a tandoor - a real clay oven the restaurant is named after. Currently, he says the restaurant serves five recipes that are cooked in the oven.
"The flavour is different. It's a very smoky kind of flavour," he explained.
Ahmed has experience with tandoor ovens from his native homeland of Bangladesh, as well as during his extensive time in the restaurant industry.
He came to Canada in 2002 and spent a lot of time working as a server in different restaurants. Throughout that time, he learned as much as he could from the chefs he worked with, watching what they did and asking them a lot of questions. In 2008, he opened his first restaurant. His previous place is a Guelph eatery called Spice 11.
For further details, visit the Clay Oven's Facebook page or website.
