Uncommon gesture: Minister tips cook Rs. 25k, trip to Umrah

MANGALURU: Impressed by the culinary skills of a Mangaluru cook, Karnataka minister gifts a cash of 25,000 as a tip and a pilgrimage to holy Makkah to perform Umrah.

According to reports, the Minister for Food and Civil Supplies BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan on Thursday (October 18) was in the coastal district for an official review meeting.

He went to ‘Fish Market,’ a seafood restaurant in Lower Bendoor for lunch along with the President of Wakf Committee UK Monu, Former MLA Mohiuddin Bawa and UT Iftikhar Ali, brother of minister UT Khader.

Haneef Mohammed, the 48-year-old chef and co-owner of the restaurants served the minister the local delicacies such as stuffed Pomfret and Green Tawa Pomfret along with rice preparations.

Such was the flavour and aroma of the sumptuous meal that the minister made the cook sit next to him, fed him a mouthful from his own plate.

“As I entered, the minister greeted me warmly. He made me sit next to him, fed me a mouthful of food and told me that he had never eaten such an appetising course of fish,” said the father of six, reported TNM.

Image Courtesy: The News Minute

Post lunch, he promptly handed over a hefty tip of Rs 25,000 to Haneef with a promised that he would pay for his Umrah (Islamic pilgrimage) as well.

Haneef, who has been a chef for the last 18 years, serving fish as his speciality said he never come across by such benevolent offer.

He distributed Rs 25,000 out of the tip to all the employees at his restaurant.

The legislator, who holds the post of Minority Welfare alongside the portfolio of Hajj and Wakf, famed for his generosity.