After being laid off twice from high-paying tech roles, Zeeshan Bakhrani used his savings to launch ‘Nishaan,’ a viral eatery blending Chicago roots with South Asian spices.
The corporate world’s loss has officially become the food world’s gain. For nearly a decade, Zeeshan Bakhrani lived the quintessential tech life in New York—navigating the high-pressure world of product management, sitting through endless strategy meetings, and dealing with shifting corporate priorities. But in August 2025, after being hit by a second layoff, the 34-year-old decided he was done with the “9-to-5″ grind.
According to a report by CNBC, Bakhrani took a $70,000 (approximately Rs 65 lakh) leap of faith, investing his personal savings into a brand-new Manhattan eatery called Nishaan. Today, that gamble is paying off to the tune of $140,000 (roughly Rs 1.3 crore) in monthly revenue.
Growing up in a Pakistani-American household in Chicago, Bakhrani’s palate was always a mix of two worlds. His mother would often spice up American staples with South Asian flavours—a culinary DNA that now defines his menu.
At Nishaan, you won’t find standard fast food. Instead, Bakhrani serves up “Pakistani-American street food,” featuring dishes like Bihari-style barbacoa tacos, Pakistani chopped cheese, and buffalo tandoori chicken sandwiches. It’s the kind of food he used to experiment with at home, swapping tortillas for parathas and topping burgers with spicy chutneys.
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Freedom From The Boardroom
While Bakhrani now works gruelling 14-hour days, he says the trade-off is worth it. Comparing his kitchen to his former tech roles, he highlighted the instant gratification of the food business. “Here, I come up with an idea, I can knock it out in a week,” he explained, contrasting the speed of the kitchen with the slow bureaucracy of tech projects.
