Getting to know: Ziad Kassab
Customer service is in the blood for Ziad Kassab, better known as Ziggy from Burhan's Espresso. He grew up working at his family's mixed takeaway in Brunswick, then was involved in a business distributing milk. As his distribution customers included some of the Market traders, his rounds brought him to the Market every Friday. It was while filling orders and shopping for groceries that Ziggy decided the Market would be a great place to open his own cafe.
"I liked the area and the market itself, as well as the fact that it's a four-day operation so there's a certain lifestyle that goes with that," says Ziggy, a father of four.
While Burhan's Espresso offers breakfast, lunch and in-between items such as Bircher or toasted muesli, wraps, biscuits and slices along with the popular Greek toastie with kefalograviera cheese, it is the coffee that is Ziggy's passion. "We are always trying to perfect our coffee," he says. "We roast our own 4 blend; it's a smooth, mild roast of beans from Brazil, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia."
Ziggy's passion for coffee is such that his spare time is devoted to the search for the perfect brew. "When I'm not working, I'm having coffee at other places, trying to perfect ours. I go all over the place tasting other coffees, even as far as Geelong," he says.
His pastime has obviously paid off, as he has a steady flow of regular customers who drop in for a chat as much as for a coffee. Naturally, Ziggy's love of the daily grind along with his customer service skills means he can always remember their coffee orders!
