My 9-5: Dhaneshwar Prasad Jakhmola of Dhoom

The founder of Dunfermline-based Indian restaurant Dhoom, Dhaneshwar Prasad Jakhmola, shares his daily life and career path.

Where do you call home?

Dunfermline. I left Edinburgh and moved here with my family to be closer to my restaurant.

I love it here but I initially struggled to explain to people that we are not a curry house. Dhoom is different to most Indian food people in Scotland have had – there is no cream, butter or nuts used.

It took two years to properly establish Dhoom. People expect things like chicken tikka and peshwari naan. I started a taster menu so people can experience what it’s like.

My main responsibilities are…

When I’m at home I am always working on the next menu. It’s a long journey – my recipe books have over 5,000 pages so far. I’m a foodie and I love when people say it’s the best food they’ve ever had. I like to put some free samples on the table. The next menu is Mumbai so I made a list of my top three foods from there. I’m a workaholic and I try to give a complete journey of the area – Dhoom is an experience and good value for money.

A typical working day usually involves…

I wake up at 8am and have tea and then at 10am I start work which involves looking at bookings, checking if the fridges are wellstocked with what we need and cleaning up before the restaurant opens. From 1-2pm onwards I am usually in the kitchen. If I am not in the kitchen I try to talk to customers about what the food was like. At 9pm I go home.

The best part of my job is…

Talking to people when they come to the restaurant and taking them on a journey with the food. I love it when they are satisfied with their meal.

If I wasn’t the founder of Dhoom, I’d have been…

I can’t see myself doing anything else as cooking is my passion. I have two children but Dhoom is my third baby. From a young age, I helped my mum make simple things in the kitchen so I have always loved cooking.

Dhoom is a destination for people in Scotland – people travel from all over like Glasgow, Inverness and Edinburgh.

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve been given?

Every day is a new learning experience – take feedback as a positive, not a negative. Not everyone is going to like it.

The customers are the people who are paying your bills so I couldn’t do any of this without their support, especially during Covid. We weren’t making money during lockdown but we weren’t losing money either due to the customers ordering food for takeaway or collection. The customers have become family and are no longer just guests in my restaurant.

About Dunfermline

Dunfermline, Scotland’s newest city, is increasingly popular with families and first-time buyers. It’s just 15 miles from Edinburgh with easy access to the M90 for the Queensferry Crossing and driving into the Capital takes just 35 minutes. The city has plenty of schools to choose from with 14 primary schools and the choice of four high schools – making it a great place to bring up a family. Fife College is also located in Dunfermline, with ties to 16 partner universities for degree studies.

ESPC magazine

This article appeared in the March 2023 issue of the ESPC magazine. Find out more about the ESPC magazine and read the latest issue online.