Copper Chimney caters to all at affordable prices

The delectable and mouth watering fried rice made at an affordable price was

Nishantha Abeysekara's dream. He needs no introduction to the hospitality trade. Nishantha has come a long way in developing his own restaurant chain to cater to people of different social strata and with this mind Nishantha started The Copper Chimney - the fast developing fried rice restaurant in town.

He has a unique record of trying out different menus with novel ideas. A new fleet of open air vehicles used in the World War - Colombo by Jeep owned by him is another novelty thrown in.

"I realised I must use my expertise and know-how to do a service to the ordinary people of the country,"

"Getting back into the food business occurred to me when I went on the first day of school to my son's college and I spelt out the work I was involved in. There was an expression of consternation on the faces of many. In the job I was involved in I saw many people losing their hard earned money and the depressed and lost looks on their faces made me think twice. The desperate effort they put to win back the money they lost gave me food for thought," he said.

This had prompted Nishantha to open his 'fried rice' food chain. "Hence, I decided to start something which I am specialised in and good at! A good friend, Sri offered a small area in Hyde Park Corner where I started my eating outlet. Later I found that this place was a haven for drug addicts as it had remained unused and was closed,". He recalled the humble beginnings of Copper Chimney.

Even after the opening of my little eating place, hens from the nearby gardens come and lay their eggs.We got a collection of 10-12 eggs gam biththara a day," he said.

Nishantha soon realised that the best way to do business was to reach the masses and cater to low income, middle and lower class. Wanting to introduce something new during the 2001-2002 recession, I introduce a typical Sri Lankan- style chicken fried rice which I named 'crisis' for Rs 40.

"In 2002, the introduction of a Sri Lankan fried rice just like how my mother made, with karapincha, sera, rampe, chilli pieces and egg was a highlight and it caught on. It's a wholesome meal in itself, made with chicken, egg, carrot, leeks and cabbage. Excessive use of karapincha, garlic and sera helps to bring down cholesterol levels," Nishantha said.The health aspect is also taken into consideration, he said.

Pricing of the fried rice menu has been done with much thought to make it affordable to everybody, from students to busy executives in the city. "The initial price of Rs 40 for a portion of chicken fried rice, revolutionised the ordinary rice packet market where the average price of a packet of fried rice was Rs 250 at that time," he said. The affordable price attracted many customers in next to no time.

"The packet of rice was named 'crisis', the pooorer folk referred to it as Hodi Onne which was my tag line. The 'crisis' packet is made in such a way that it can be eaten without gravy. Ample kankun is mixed with the rice titillating the taste buds," he said.

Served with tomato ketchup and chilli paste, made Sri Lankan style with a smattering of oil which can be lightly dusted on the rice like sand making it a feast for the eyes and a taste for the mouth.'Crisis' had other names as well such as Kankun bath and Karapincha kade.

"After I began selling a chicken fried rice for Rs 40 in 2002 around the Slave Island area, all the food outlets were threatened and owners tried to force me to increase the price of 'Crisis' but I continued with the same price with the support of my loyal customers who rated my food as giving value for money and was affordable. The price hasn't been increased since 2005 (Rs 80 a portion)," he said.

Catering to as many hungry customers, with a small profit margin has been the key to Nishantha's success. He is more than happy with the thought that he had helped low income earner and given him food to satisfy his hunger.

"When increasing prices of lunch packets, if the price of a gas cylinder is increased by Rs100 , then the price of a packet of lunch is increases by Rs10. To let you into a secret, Copper Chimney uses one gas cylinder to make 1000 packs. If the price of a pack is increased by Rs 10, when I make 1000 packs I could have made an extra Rs 10,000 , which I never resorted to" Nishantha said.

At Copper Chimney, any cost related benefits such as reduction of LP gas or rice prices were passed on to the customer without adding to the profit margin.

"At Copper Chimney, the customer only pays for what he eats. No advertising cost, no packaging cost, no branding cost is involved in the pricing of the packet.

The customer can consume everything in the pack other than the recyclable cardboard box and the lunch sheet which only costs Rs 2 and 50 cents. Another customer benefiting venture is you can eat as much as you can for Rs 90," he said.

The recent introduction of vegetable fried rice for Rs 60 is also a hit. I like to do things differently. The Copper Chimney has innovative names for the food packs. 'Crisis fried rice' costing Rs 80,, Hodi onne chicken fried rice with a piece of fried chicken thigh for Rs.130, Duppathage Hithawatha- with the same chicken fried rice served with two spicy fried gizzards at Rs.100, Kageth Sundaree is chicken fried rice with a fried egg at Rs.100 and vegetable fried rice which is known as Ahinsa at Rs. 60.

Nishantha has bigger plans for the future - catering to private garden parties in his re-developed Land Rover 'Party' - catering service in the world's oldest Land Rover- Series 1-1948. Moving into outdoor catering also with no candle lights and only under sunlight and moonlight is also another idea.

It will be a new experience with no silver cutlery, chaffing dishes, burners to pollute the environment but hot 'made then and there' action counters in your garden for private functions.

Nishantha said the idea was prompted where old English men had their party's in old Land Rovers. The windscreen is pulled down and the bar counter is made. The spare wheel on the bonnet is filled with ice to chill beer and wine, and ice for liquo', the front grill, lowered down and used as a barbeque grill. Cooking would be done behind the vehicle with liquor and chilled water served in jerry cans.

"I always like to do different things in life. Try out my innovative plans and this is yet another step," said Nishantha. He has already developed an eating place of everyone as a wide range of people in society from the worker on a low salary to top notch company CEO's buy food from Copper Chimney.

"Even garbage collectors and those from the corporate sector visit our outlets and enjoy a meal," he said.

Copper Chimney sells only fried rice and chicken. There are no soft drinks, no tea, no plain tea and no short eats!

"We make food the way the customer wants. It is with less oil, no MSG on request! The customer has the privilege of asking for his specifications and the packet of rice is made accordingly by cooks who do it in the customer's presence. Another specialty about Copper Chimney is that food is not stored and kept for days. Every item is purchased on a day-to-day basis. All the ingredients are made fresh to give that added flavour , he said.