A Dundee man is hoping to provide for the community after the opening of his new takeaway in Stobswell.
Zen Butt has opened Sliders & Slices at the old Pizza NY building on Dura Street.
The decision to open the takeaway came after some horrific news for the 35-year-old.
He said: “I was diagnosed with cancer in 2019. It was stage four and the doctors told me I had six to 12 months to live.
“It made me think about who would be able to support my wife and kids.”
Zen, who has spent some time teaching in Spain, has now fully recovered from the condition.
He said: “It made me realise how short life could be and that it could end at any moment. Nothing is guaranteed.
“Battling cancer sparked a desire within me to do something greater.
“I’ve been recovering all this time and this year I’ve been in a position where I can go back to work.
“I could have carried on teaching but I decided that I want to do something beneficial with my time.”
Zen went back to education, obtaining a HNC in Business at Dundee and Angus College.
He said: “I wanted to set something up to help other people but also help my family in the long run so after I’m gone there’s still something to support them and they can continue supporting the city.”
Finding a gap in the Dundee takeaway market
Zen chose a pizza and burger takeaway spot after spotting a gap in the market.
He said: “There’s a limited number of places where you can get pizzas by the slice.
“I was an English teacher in Spain from 2015 to 2018 and there was one place on my way to work that sold pizza by the slice that I thought was a fantastic idea.
“I found myself frequenting there quite a few times.
“After Covid the cost of everything started going up, the cost of chips and cheese can cost up to £5 these days.
“I thought that if costs are going up and wages aren’t going up, there has to be some alternative for people who want good quality food at a reasonable price.
“The location is good because there’s a lot of passing trade and there’s a school that could benefit from it too.
“These schoolkids will benefit, instead of spending five or six quid a day we have this deal where they can buy a slice of pizza, chips and a tin of juice for £3.50.
“It helps them and it helps their parents as well. I want to help as many people as I can.”
Meals at a knockout price
Sliders & Slices is currently taking collection-only orders, before doing deliveries at some point this week.
Once fully decorated, there will be a seating area for customers.
Every burger on the menu is renamed after a boxing term, including the Haymaker and the 10-Count.
Zen recommends any entrepreneur to gain support before starting their new venture.
He said: “I’ve been going to Business Gateway with my idea and they gave me a lot of support.”
Conversation