Today we’d like to introduce you to Karim Habib.
Hi Karim, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My path into food is a little unusual. I graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and went straight into the tech world. But by 2019, I had this strong desire to create something of my own. I wanted a business that felt inspiring and connected to people, and food was the obvious choice—even though, honestly, I wasn’t a very good cook at the time.
I started the food truck while keeping my engineering job, which gave me the security to take smart risks and learn fast. I studied everything—how to run operations, control costs, build systems, and improve my cooking every week. I focused on Mediterranean cuisine because I’ve always loved the depth and richness of those flavors. Over time, what started as a leap of faith became a real business and a real craft
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I’ve failed a lot along the way, and most of the progress came from learning the hard lessons. I’ve dealt with equipment breaking down at the worst times, the constant challenge of finding and keeping reliable staff, and honestly the biggest struggle was managing my time while balancing a full-time day job with running a food truck.
There were moments where it felt like everything hit at once, but each setback forced me to get more organized—build better systems, plan prep more efficiently, and create processes so the business could run consistently even when things went wrong. Looking back, those struggles shaped the way I run the truck today.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Professionally, I’m an electrical engineer and I work in the tech industry. I specialize in solving complex problems and building systems that are reliable and efficient. I’m known for being very detail-oriented, calm under pressure, and someone who follows through—if there’s an issue, I’m going to figure it out and fix it.
What I’m most proud of is that I’ve been able to build a food truck business while still working my day job. It forced me to become disciplined with my time and serious about learning everything—operations, budgeting, consistency, and customer experience. What sets me apart is that I bring an engineer’s mindset into the food world: I love improving processes, reducing waste, and creating repeatable systems so the food and service stay consistent every single time.
What’s next?
In the future, I want to keep building the food truck into a brand people recognize and trust. My main focus is consistency—making sure the food and the experience are great every single time—while expanding to more events, festivals, and high-traffic locations around Minnesota. I’m also looking forward to refining the menu, introducing a few new items seasonally, and continuing to build a strong team so the business can grow in a healthy way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cafecairo.co
- Instagram: @officialcafecairo
- Facebook: @officialcafecairo
