Life & Work with Mariam Ansari of Los Angeles / OC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mariam Ansari.

Hi Mariam, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I started Gulab House because I’ve always loved hosting and making drinks. For the longest time I was basically the barista for my family and friends, making chai, coffee, matcha, whatever they were craving whenever they came over. I just loved being able to make something special for people.

Growing up, drinks were a big part of my life. From nimbu pani in the summer to my mom’s Kashmiri chai, there was always that feeling of comfort and nostalgia tied to it. As I got older, I started noticing there weren’t many South Asian inspired drinks in the café space, and it just felt natural to create something that represented those flavors.

I started with our Gulab House Special, which is a Roohafza matcha with a Roohafza cream top. The floral syrup with the earthy matcha was an instant hit and that’s really what started everything.

Since then, we’ve created drinks that remind us of home but with a twist, like Mango Lassi Matcha, Rasmalai Latte, and our Nimbu Pani Sparkler. Now Gulab House is really about bringing those nostalgic flavors into a new space and sharing that with other people.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Navigating everything was really hard. There was so much more that went into building a business from scratch in a competitive market than I expected, from perfecting recipes to pricing to creating a menu that actually made sense.

As the eldest daughter and the only one in my family starting a business like this, there was a lot of pressure on me to figure everything out on my own. It was also a challenge introducing South Asian flavors that not everyone is familiar with and trusting that people would be open to trying something new.

But those challenges really shaped Gulab House and made me more confident in what I’m building.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I run Gulab House, a South Asian inspired coffee and matcha cart serving drinks with a modern twist, blending flavors I grew up with into coffee and matcha.

What really sets it apart is the experience and the vibe. I’m inspired by Pakistan in the 70s, that sense of nostalgia, color, and creativity. It’s one of my favorite eras and I try to bring that feeling into everything, from the drinks to the overall atmosphere.

I’m most proud of being able to turn something so personal into something others can experience. For me it’s about bringing life back into our culture and roots, while tying it into what I’ve always loved like coffee and matcha.

What matters most to you?
What matters most to me is creating something that feels meaningful and true to where I come from.

A lot of what I do is rooted in my culture and my childhood, so it’s important to me that it doesn’t feel watered down or just for trend. I want people to feel something when they try my drinks, whether that’s nostalgia, curiosity, or comfort.

At the end of the day, it’s about bringing life back into our culture and sharing that in a way that feels real to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://form.typeform.com/to/OGFjeDK8
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gulab__house?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr