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Give NowPublished October 8, 2008 at 5:32 a.m.
Derek Thuraiaiyah was born in Belize, but the food he’s cooking for Braahmin — the name of his new, South End-based delivery service — runs the gamut from Mediterranean to South Indian to straight-up American. Beginning this Thursday, Thuraiaiyah will whip up salads, “wild” Buffalo wings and chicken curry. He’ll deliver the goods to hungry customers from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m Thursday through Saturday. Sunday hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This is in addition to his full-time gig as a B-town parking garage attendant.
Thuraiaiyah doesn’t have a culinary degree — his educational background is in biology and chemistry — but he does have an affinity for cooking . . . and for eating: “I just like food, and they have an old saying: ‘You don’t have to be a musician to enjoy good music,’” he suggests. “I’ve worked on the Philly sub the past two weeks and it’s pretty good. And, not to sound arrogantly confident, but my wings are the best. I say this because I’ve tried everybody else’s wings.”
Given his Central American background, are they spicy? “No. My wings have a bite to them, but the bite doesn’t start at the tip of your tongue; it’s on your lips.” If you want to turn up the thermostat, he suggests, “You need to eat more wings.” A clever marketing ploy.
Thuraiaiyah got the idea for a late-night takeout biz after discovering that working second shift didn’t leave him with many dinner options. “I’m gonna be open until 2 in the morning, and I’m gonna do gyros and wings, Greek salads. Whatever people want,” he assures. He hopes to eventually carry some traditional Belizean fare, such as fried bananas, rice and beans and a flavorful potato salad — and he’s working on a number of vegetarian dishes.
First things first: “You need to taste my wings!” the entrepreneur enthuses.
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