FERGUS – As the Indian population in Fergus grows, Tanya Rishi noticed they usually go to Guelph, Brampton or Waterloo to have authentic Indian food.
Perhaps they don’t need to do that anymore as the serial entrepreneur has officially opened the Masti Fergus Di food truck, located at the Best Western Hotel plaza at 820 St. David St. N. which is owned by her parents.
“The meaning of Masti Fergus Di is basically having fun in Fergus,” Rishi said in an interview, explaining what the name means.
Rishi is a realtor by profession but also owns other businesses outside of Fergus and said she has more than 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry.
Rishi, 29, was born in India and came to Canada as a teenager. She has lived in Fergus since 2017 and felt it was the right time to open up this business from what she heard from her Indian and non-Indian friends.
“I know a lot of people in Fergus who were requesting authentic food, Indian food … and I used to bring that from Brampton because I know a lot of restaurants that used to serve good authentic Indian food,” she said.
“It’s hard to get stuff from the GTA and to get it over in Fergus. So I was like why not bring something here?”
The menu will consist of things such as bowls for lunch of various curry with rice or naan, wraps, sandwiches and burgers all made “Indian style.”
What separates authentic from inauthentic Indian cuisine is the spices, Rishi explained.
“A lot of people don’t know which spices go in which curry, so that’s what we are focused on, you’ll see everything on our menu tastes different,” she said, adding she’s been to Indian restaurants where different menu items all tasted similar. “I know the flavours of India, I know what I can get in India so I’m bringing that same concept over here.”
Rishi plans to start Masti Fergus Di with a food truck with an eye to open a brick-and-mortar location within a few years time.
The food truck has started with a soft opening on Friday with plans for a grand opening in around a week.
The truck is planned to be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. with orders in person and online and delivery through food delivery apps like Uber Eats or Skip the Dishes.
