Shafaq News- Kirkuk
Five young men fromKirkuk, northern Iraq, have turned a bus into a mobile restaurant servingTurkish cuisine, choosing entrepreneurship over waiting for government jobs.
The idea came fromMohammed Hassan, a PhD student in the Turkish language, who turned his academicbackground into a business introducing authentic cuisine to Iraq.
He was joined by fourpartners, including Hussein Iyad, a graduate of a Turkish university whoseexpertise in traditional cooking methods helped shape the venture. Together,they combined their skills to pursue self-employment instead of traditionalpublic-sector careers.
The menu features avariety of dishes tailored to Iraqi tastes, led by Turkish doner, therestaurant's signature item. It also offers traditional meals and sandwichesprepared with authentic recipes and imported spices.
: From clay tablets to modern tables: Iraq's timeless cuisine
Unable to affordrenting and equipping a food outlet, the group bought a bus, one of Iraq'sbest-known utility vehicles, particularly associated with Najaf province. Afterwinning a public auction in Baghdad, they converted it into a fully equippedmobile restaurant.
Speaking to ShafaqNews, Hassan said balancing doctoral studies with running a business had beenchallenging, but his belief in the project motivated him to continue. “Workdoes not diminish the value of my academic degree, as it gives it practicalvalue by allowing me to apply my knowledge and experience in serving society.”
Hassan also called forgreater respect for vocational work and entrepreneurship, arguing thatunemployment cannot be addressed through government hiring alone but requiresstronger support for small businesses and youth-led initiatives.
