Asasi Café

The owners approached Jahangir with an existing café on University Street that lacked a clear identity, market position and operating direction.

After assessing the business, location, audience, offering and operational setup, we concluded that minor improvements would not address its underlying challenges. The project required a complete new direction.

Jahangir was commissioned to develop the business from the ground up. Our work began before Asasi had a name, identity or defined concept and continued until the café was fully equipped, staffed, trained and ready to operate.

University Street serves a large student population, but limiting the concept to students would have restricted its long-term potential.

The proximity to the University of Jordan made students an important audience. However, a business built exclusively around university schedules, student spending habits and seasonal demand would have been too dependent on one group. The opportunity was to serve the wider neighbourhood throughout the day.

We developed Asasi as an accessible neighbourhood café for students, residents, professionals, families and groups. It was designed as an everyday place that guests could rely on and return to regularly.

This meant considering different reasons to visit: a coffee between classes, an informal meeting, a family meal or time with friends. The menu, price positioning, seating and service approach needed to accommodate these visits while keeping one clear identity.

The name “Asasi,” meaning essential or fundamental, reflects this idea. It also represents our approach to the project: returning to the fundamentals and building the business on a clear operational and commercial foundation.

Jahangir developed the concept’s positioning, name and overall brand direction, guiding its translation across the visual identity, materials, finishes, signage, packaging and guest experience.

The menu was created specifically for Asasi based on its audience, location and use throughout the day.

We defined the main categories before developing individual items, balancing variety with what the kitchen and bar teams could manage consistently. Products were tested and adjusted for daily service, with attention to ingredient cross-use, preparation methods and suitability for both dine-in and takeaway.

Products were assessed according to quality, preparation time, ingredient availability, equipment requirements, pricing, consistency and waste control. Recipes, portions and presentation standards were then documented to support training, purchasing and quality assurance.

The menu was developed alongside the kitchen, bar, storage and service layouts. This ensured that equipment placement, preparation areas and staff movement supported efficient daily operation.

Each item had implications for equipment, preparation space, storage and service time. Planning these together helped avoid unnecessary complexity. We also reviewed the movement of guests, employees, orders and ingredients, with particular attention to reducing unnecessary movement and congestion between the kitchen, bar and service teams.

We also created the operating model, including departmental responsibilities, service procedures, quality standards, stock handling, hygiene requirements, management controls and opening and closing procedures.

Jahangir coordinated between the architectural, construction, mechanical and electrical teams to ensure that the project remained aligned with the concept and its operational requirements.

We provided administrative supervision of construction, monitored implementation and reviewed the work from an operational and quality perspective through final delivery.

Jahangir also managed the procurement of furniture, equipment and operational materials. This included defining requirements, preparing specifications, sourcing local and international suppliers, comparing price offers, monitoring quality and supervising delivery and installation.

Supplier comparisons considered suitability, warranty and after-sales support alongside quality and cost. Equipment selection also accounted for dimensions, capacity, power, ventilation and drainage, so purchases would fit both the space and its operating requirements. Where suitable equipment was unavailable locally, we sourced it from outside Jordan.

Jahangir selected and configured the point-of-sale and operational systems required to manage the café.

We developed Asasi’s standard operating procedures, policies, recipe standards, look-and-cook manuals, quality-control requirements, service standards and system training guides.

We also recruited the complete management, front-of-house, kitchen and bar teams. Employees received practical training on products, preparation, service, hygiene, systems and communication between departments.

Before opening, the team rehearsed the full service journey under realistic conditions: receiving and entering orders, preparing products, serving guests, processing payment and carrying out closing procedures. Equipment, systems, workflows and communication between departments were reviewed together, allowing us to identify gaps and make final adjustments.

Jahangir handed over Asasi as a complete hospitality business: concept developed, space delivered, equipment installed, systems configured and team recruited and trained.

The handover included the manuals, recipe standards and operating procedures developed specifically for Asasi’s menu, layout and service model. These gave the team practical references for daily tasks and provided management with tools for ongoing training, supervision and quality control.

The result was not simply a new name or interior. It was a fully developed café with a clear position, structured offering and the operational foundation required to perform consistently.

Asasi reflects Jahangir’s approach to consultancy: connecting every decision, from the concept presented to guests to the systems supporting it behind the scenes.