Americas favourite snack at 50

When two classmates from school and subsequently foreign educated decided to go into business, they did not dwell too deep into the area of specialisation because establishing food joints that could revolutionise the culture was on top of the mind. Giving shape to the idea also did not take much time. Coceptualised in May of last year, they unveiled AutoExpress, which caters to just one product-the typically American Hot Dog in November!

The 26-year-old Ashish Emanuel and Urvash Khanna gave practical touches to their resolve and in entered the former’s elder sister, Anisha Lloyd, the head chef for all practical purposes. Anisha comes with an envious resume- graduation at the famed National Bakery School of London and a Bachelors of Business in International Restaurants and Catering Management from Le Cordon Bleu in Australia.

“We were aware that the people were exposed to the Spanish, Chinese, Italian, Arabic cuisine but one hardly found anything that symbolised American delicacies. Hot Dog was the entry point because everyone has seen them in movies but their availability here was a near zero. Moreover, Hot Dog can be cost-effective and be within the reach of the normal consumer who goes in for a quick bite. It was a virgin market and boasted of immense potential if one could sustain the tastes,” points out Ashish, who like the other two is also a product of St Andrews School.

To complete the innovation, they hit upon the idea of reaching out to people on autos and not the run-of-the-mill food trucks. “The whole idea of having food trucks makes it a bulky affair and one cannot reach out to those narrow lanes of the city. This is why we opted for a self-contained auto.”But given their tastes and exposure to the global trends the autos are anything but ordinary.

They have been designed by National Institute of Design (NID) graduates and are equipped with GPS, camera, steamer and roller, among other technological facilities.Anisha has got a secret recipe for the sauces and also the bread, both of which are made at the central kitchen (set up at a cost of Rs ten lakh) located at Diamond Point, which is easily accessible and helps in transporting the food in double-quick time. There are two varieties of hotdogs- Insane and Rebel. While Insane is the conventional hotdog with mayo-based sauce, Rebel has spicy mustard sauce and is the signature hotdog bun of AutoExpress.

But the biggest temptation is not getting to partake of the delicious dish but in its cost. Unlike the staggering bill one gets in star hotels, the AutoExpress variety comes at fifty bucks, all taxes inclusive!The AutoExpress currently has three autos at their disposal. The vehicles operate and station in select localities, including Gachibowli, DLF entrance, Vinayak Nagar, Wave Rock, Financial District, Sindhi Colony, Karkhana and 5th Avenue in Sainikpuri.

“Our endevour is to reach as many localities as possible. Post-summer, we plan to penetrate the market in the Garden City. Thanks to Anisha’s London expertise, we can proudly say that we make the best buns in Hyderabad,” points out Urvash. They may not be making much in economic terms but then for starters they aim to serve more and more people with what is till date known as a dish that is a legacy from Uncle Sam. Their USP is plain and simple-mobility and the ability to park wherever required.

By:Tushar Kalawatia