Opening an Indian restaurant in the Lismore CBD is always going to be a tough task, given the number in close proximity.

That challenge was taken on by Rami Singh on February 9, 2016, when he opened the doors of Flavour of India for the first time. Today, he and his family celebrate 10 years in their Keen Street location.

Over a decade ago, Rami had built a passion for cooking and moved to Lismore to be a chef in another Lismore Indian restaurant, when the idea was floated with a business partner to open their own restaurant. The partner pulled out and Rami was left with a decision to take a risk on his own or keep cooking for someone else.

"Amazingly, my wife got her visa from India, and she came over. And that's when we started. We thought, okay, let's do it ourselves, rather than falling onto someone else's shoulder," Rami explained.

Initially, the plan was to stay in Lismore for three years, the end of the term of the first lease, but that turned into one extension, and then another.

"Sometimes the job that you love, you like to just keep it going. After three years, we started settling in Lismore, and we started looking for a house by the time the lease was up. By the end of the lease, we found a house in Goonellabah that we bought. That was in 2022."

A new three-year lease was signed in February, the big flood occurred on the 28th, and Rami and Preet discovered they were going to be parents. 2022 turned out to be an eventful year. As Rami, said, "The universe wanted us to be in Lismore."

When you think about what Rami and Preet have been through in the last 10 years, that is the 2017 flood, COVID-19, and the 2022 floods, the business cycle has been anything but a smooth ride. Surprisingly, starting a business was Rami's toughest period in the last decade.

"When I started in Lismore, there were multiple Indian restaurants, and being at the history of working for someone in Lismore didn't help at all. It was a struggle. People talking to your face, stopping you on the street, saying bad things and whatnot."

Rami says it is because of his farming background in India. His family still own farming land in his homeland. When he came to Australia and discovered his love of cooking, he studied in Brisbane to gain a Bachelor's in Hospitality and became a certified chef.

During COVID-19, Flavour of India ended up thriving, thanks to the fact that 75% of the business is deliveries. When restrictions came into force and hospitality venues were closed due to the lockdowns, takeaway became a key source of income. This ended as a strong period for Rami and Preet.

"From the second lockdown onward, that was probably the best time for us," Rami said, "Thanks to the locals."

The 2022 flood had Rami thinking that this was the end of his dream. As the CBD was wiped out and the income stopped, he found a job at a supermarket to pay the mortgage and feed the family.

Fortuitously, in 2022, Rami had a large delivery of restaurant ingredients to his Keen Street address. He decided to keep a third of it in his garage in Goonellabah, so when the group of six Sikh Melbourne volunteers drove into Lismore, Rami had food and chef skills to contribute to feed many of our community who had absolutely nothing in early March.

This period of time also provided him with one of his highlights in the last 10 years.

"One day, I came in to get some stuff from here, and someone left a note with a red marker on the door: ' We love your food, and we would love to see you come back. I took a photo, and took it home to speak with my wife, and we decided to open again. As I said before, the universe works in its own ways."

(Rami, Preet, Ekam and the Flavour of India staff)

The beauty of owning a business for a long time is the connections you make with your customers. They are valued by Rami and Preet.

"I've seen people coming to my shop for their first date, then having a marriage, and then having kids."

"Thank you to the Lismore community. Sticking together through the thick of things and accepting us in Lismore. I can call myself a proud Lismore guy. It's been almost fifteen years now, when the initial plan was to stay two or three."

Rami and Preet will have special offers over the next few weeks to celebrate their 10th anniversary at 106 Keen Street, Lismore CBD. Call (02) 6621 7799 to make a reservation or check out their Facebook page.