Running, Resilience & Building the Future of Aminia
Aminia Dubai and Chef Amaad Amin were recently featured by Chefs Who Run, exploring the connection between endurance running, entrepreneurship, and the fast paced world of hospitality.
As the great grandson of Abdul Rahim, the founder of Aminia Restaurant established in Zakaria Street, Kolkata in 1929, Chef Amaad represents the next generation of one of India’s most historic Mughlai restaurant brands. From training at Le Cordon Bleu in Sydney to launching Aminia Dubai in Dubai Production City, his journey reflects the balance between heritage, ambition, and innovation.
The feature explored how running became a major part of his life during the pandemic and how the mindset developed through endurance sport now influences leadership, creativity, and resilience within the restaurant industry.
Below is the full feature from Chefs Who Run.
Introduction
Chef Amaad is the great grandson of Abdul Rahim, the visionary founder of the iconic Aminia Restaurant from Kolkata established in 1929. Though his career began in finance in London, Amaad followed his true passion, culinary arts, across the globe, training at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu in Sydney. There, he mastered the techniques of fine French cuisine before honing his craft at Kiln, the acclaimed rooftop restaurant at Ace Hotel Sydney, known for its modern Australian cuisine infused with Japanese influences.
Now in Dubai, Chef Amaad brings his family's storied recipes into a new era with the launch of Aminia Restaurant in Dubai Production City. Blending nearly a century of heritage with his own global culinary journey, he offers a refined dining experience rooted in tradition yet elevated by innovation.
Outside the kitchen, Chef Amaad finds balance by lacing up his running shoes. For him, hitting the track isn’t just a fitness routine — it’s a vital part of staying grounded amidst the high pressure world of fine dining and entrepreneurship.
What inspired you to start running, and how has it impacted your life inside and outside the kitchen?
I started running during the pandemic, and over the past 5 years, it has become an integral part of my life. What began as a simple goal to complete the local 5K Park Run evolved into a deep passion — culminating in my first Ultra Marathon on the Palm Jumeirah last year.
I love how running proves that with consistency, discipline, and a strong mindset, you can completely transform your fitness and mental resilience. There’s something grounding about lacing up my shoes, heading out the door, and losing myself in the rhythm of the run. It clears my head and brings balance to my day.
That clarity follows me into the kitchen. Staying cool and level headed in a high pressure environment is essential, and running gives me the mental foundation to handle whatever the heat throws my way.
What’s been the hardest part of your running journey, and how did you push through it?
My family’s restaurant, Aminia Restaurant, is nearly 100 years old and based in Kolkata, so I’m constantly flying between there and Dubai. While Dubai offers me a runner’s dream — a safe, well developed track which I run from the Burj Al Arab to the Flamingo Park near Business Bay, Kolkata presents a very different reality.
Running long distances there is tough. I often find myself dodging traffic on busy motorways, surrounded by pollution and chaos. The carbon in the air makes it hard to breathe, let alone hit a decent pace.
But running is non negotiable for me — it’s how I reset, how I stay grounded. So I adapt. When the roads don’t allow it, I jump on the treadmill. It’s not glamorous, but it works. I get my head down, throw on an episode of Friends, and just grind it out. Because no matter where I am in the world, I need to get my Ks in and clear my mind.
What parallels do you see between running and working in a professional kitchen?
More than just working as a chef at Aminia, I’ve expanded my nearly 100 year old family legacy and launched a new brand in Dubai. It’s a leap, but one I’ve taken with the same mindset I bring to running.
Running demands discipline. You set a goal, commit, and keep going, no matter how tough it gets. The longer you go, the harder you hit the ground, the faster you run, the stronger you become.
It’s exactly the same in the kitchen: high pressure, long hours, and relentless orders. But if you work harder, faster, and longer, you get better. You grow. You win.
Not everyone sees that. Some competitors have called me fake, claiming my restaurant isn’t the “real” Aminia — despite the fact that my last name is literally in the name. To them, my response is simple: I’m an ultramarathon runner. I’m here for the long run. You can sprint ahead, try to knock me down — but I’ll pace myself, stay focused, and overtake you. The tortoise always wins over the hare.
How do you fit running into your busy chef schedule? Any tips for balancing both worlds?
The chef life is hard — especially when you add the entrepreneur grind on top of it. Some days, the restaurant is quiet, and I manage to get an early night and some decent sleep. Other days, I feel like I’m running on borrowed time!
But one thing I never compromise on is my routine. My mornings are sacred. I wake up early, head out for a run along the beach, take a quick ocean dip, smash a double espresso, and finish with a cold shower.
That combo resets me. It sharpens my focus and fuels me for the day ahead. Whether I’m creating a new dish, training staff, in a sales meeting, or hosting a full house, getting that early morning run in is my ultimate life hack. It’s my edge — it’s how I show up every day ready to lead from the front.
What advice would you give to chefs or restaurant professionals who want to start running but don’t know where to begin?
My advice is simple: treat your goals like perfecting a dish. Every element matters — but without mastering the basics, nothing else will shine.
You can throw on all the expensive garnishes you want, but if the fundamentals aren’t solid, the dish won’t turn heads. Running is the same.
Start with the essentials...a good fit, a solid track, and unwavering determination. One step at a time. Get your basics right, stay consistent, and the results will follow. Before you know it, you’ll look back and realize how far you’ve come.
From Zakaria Street Kolkata to Dubai Production City, Aminia continues to evolve through passion, discipline, and the drive to build something lasting for future generations.
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