A Pinch of Hope and a Dash of Love
Celebrating its one-year anniversary, Nani’s Kitchen is spreading the love one dish at a time
When you first walk into Nani’s Kitchen, you know you’re in for a special treat. The rich smell of spices, the cozy feel of an intimate space, and the array of familial photos hanging on the walls transport you off the streets of Ballston Spa and into a one-of-a-kind experience.
And while the vivid splashes of color on the walls brighten up the space, they pale in comparison to the vibrant smile spread across Nafeesa Koslik’s face the moment a customer walks through her door.
“When people come into Nani’s, I not only cook for them, but I pull up a chair and get to know them,” said Nafeesa. “You can’t help it when it’s such an intimate space. And that’s the beauty of it.”
Nafeesa is the owner and operator of Nani’s Kitchen, which opened just shy of a year ago on Black Friday 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Nani’s was a true labor of love for her – and what she calls the beginning of a second rebirth.
Nearly 30 years ago, Nafeesa arrived in America and began working in the hospitality industry to help support her family. From that point on, she began building a career as a general manager at a variety of hotels throughout the region.
“I love the hotel industry because it’s challenging, and I like a good challenge,” said Nafeesa. “It’s keeps me busy and engaged, and I like to meet different people while having the chance to travel the world.”
But once COVID hit in March of 2020, Nafeesa decided it was time for a change. So she turned to an integral part of her life – cooking.
“My original thought was to cook and have a farm stand at local farmer’s markets,” she said. “I would find commercial space where I could cook on the weekends and take the food somewhere to sell.”
After falling in love with a quaint space right down the road from where she lives with her husband and three kids, Nafeesa knew this would become something greater than she had originally imagined. With support from her family, many long nights of renovating the space, and tweaks and enhancements to her recipes, Nafeesa officially opened Nani’s Kitchen in November 2020.
“Nani is my mom,” Nafeesa said, referring to the inspiration behind the name of her restaurant. “My mom is very, very dear to me. I would not be who I am without my mother who taught me to cook from an early age. I wanted to make her the centerpiece of the restaurant. Everything I know is from her, and I have to give credit where it is due.”
Along with Nani, Nafeesa said the creation of Nani’s Kitchen has been a true family affair. With help from her husband and kids, they’ve each been able to come together and use their strengths to help bring this dream to life.
“I hired the perfect crew without even knowing it!” she said.
Nani’s tutelage coupled with Nafeesa’s attentive dedication to perfecting her recipes has resulted in the creation of delicious traditional Indian dishes that brings Nani’s spirit to life within the restaurant.
“My recipes are a labor of love,” Nafeesa said. “Everything is homemade, freshly made every day. I cook all day, every day – and I absolutely love it.”
Each customer – whether a regular or a newcomer – will inevitably have their favorite Nani’s dish, but Nafeesa most enjoys cooking Biryani – a legacy from the town she was born in India.
“Biryani is a big deal,” said Nafeesa. “People flock from all over the country, even the world, to eat Biryani in Hyderabad. I’m proud to serve it to my customers.”
When she first opened Nani’s Kitchen, Biryani was missing from the menu, though. Nafeesa wanted to do it justice and knew it would take time to perfect a recipe that could be made in smaller quantities for individual orders while still tasting as good as it did when she made it at home.
And from what her customers have told her, the dish was worth the wait.
While Nafeesa’s rebirth is just beginning with the opening of Nani’s Kitchen, she has her sights set on the future – with catering, cooking classes, and at-home cooking parties among her top ideas. Regardless of what may come, Nafeesa is grateful for each moment in time.
“I live my life by the philosophy that I’m always grateful to have a glass – whether it’s full or not,” she said. “I fill it up whenever I can, but I just go with the flow and always look at the bright side of things. Having a grateful mindset has gotten me through many obstacles, and I know it will continue to do so.”
