Syzl: “Connecting Kitchens, Cultivating Dreams”
Azrah Manji-Savin is a co-founder of Syzl, a platform designed to support food entrepreneurs by providing access to professional kitchen spaces. Together with her partner Adrian, Azrah is committed to removing the barriers faced by chefs, emerging culinary talent, and gig economy workers who are looking to bring their food businesses to life. Through Syzl, they create meaningful opportunities for local entrepreneurs and community heroes to share their passion for food without the burden of high startup costs. DeliveryRank offers an exclusive interview.
Azrah, what inspired you to create a platform that connects food entrepreneurs with professional kitchen spaces, and how does this service address the challenges faced by emerging culinary businesses?
I am a second-generation immigrant; both of my parents came to Canada in the 1970s. Through them, my grandparents, and other members of our community, I witnessed firsthand how deeply food connects us to our origins and culture. This profound connection has fueled my passion for working with food entrepreneurs. My goal has always been to help them succeed—not only to preserve this vital cultural link within their communities but also to share it with the broader communities they are a part of.
Many culinary professionals face significant challenges in finding affordable, flexible kitchen spaces that truly meet their needs. This struggle inspired us to create a solution. We believe that no one should be held back by restrictive, costly leases or the financial burden of owning expensive facilities. By connecting food entrepreneurs with individuals who have taken that leap and might need additional income, we aim to eliminate these barriers.
Our mission is simple: to allow these entrepreneurs to focus on what they do best—creating food they love and are passionate about sharing.
How does Syzl support the unique needs of different types of food entrepreneurs, such as small-scale bakers, event caterers, and manufacturing operations?
We understand that different food businesses have unique needs, and our approach reflects that. For example, small-scale bakers often require spaces equipped with the right tools but without the heavy overhead costs. Caterers need flexible spaces that adapt to their schedules, while event caterers share similar requirements for adjusting to shifting timelines. Manufacturers, on the other hand, demand specialized spaces to meet their production needs and accommodate their equipment.
What we do is provide variety. We offer a platform where different types of kitchens can be listed, allowing users to focus on what truly matters to their business. This flexibility ensures that no matter the size, type, or stage of a food business, we can support them—from the initial idea all the way through growth. A cookie-cutter environment simply cannot address the diverse needs of food entrepreneurs, which is why we focus on offering a user-friendly, easily searchable system that caters to those differences.
Many systems fail because they try to be everything to everyone. A baker shouldn’t have to work in a space designed for manufacturing, just as a manufacturer doesn’t belong in a community bakery. Success comes from finding a space that works specifically for your business and learning from the people whose kitchens you’re renting. We’re here to make that process seamless and to support food entrepreneurs every step of the way.
What role does community play in the success of Syzl, and how do you foster connections between local entrepreneurs who use your platform?
Community truly lies at the heart of everything we do. From the very beginning, our mission has been about connecting people—tying things back to their origins, their passions, and their shared love of food. The food industry thrives on collaboration, and it’s remarkable how food serves as a bridge between cultures. Take curry, for example. While it originated in India, it evolved into something uniquely different in Japan, yet there’s a shared thread that connects them. It’s this spirit of connection and collaboration that inspires our work.
For us, fostering community is essential. We host events, facilitate food business partnerships, and strive to build an ecosystem where entrepreneurs can find one another, share experiences, and collaborate. Beyond in-person initiatives, we’re also launching an online user community this year to provide even more support. This platform will serve as a space where entrepreneurs can connect, share stories, and discover resources that help their businesses thrive.
The power of these connections is evident in the incredible stories we’ve heard from our users. Through our platform, they’ve met new clients, found trusted suppliers, discovered packaging vendors, and built partnerships that propel their businesses forward. Our goal is to cultivate a company that prioritizes community, enabling food entrepreneurs to collaborate, innovate, and grow together.
Can you explain how Syzl ensures food safety and compliance in the kitchens available for booking, and what measures are in place to protect both chefs and their customers?
At the end of the day, we are dealing with food—it’s something that goes into people’s bodies—so food safety and compliance are absolutely top priorities for us. This isn’t something we take lightly. We ensure that every kitchen space listed on Syzl meets local health and safety standards, has the necessary approvals, and has been recently inspected by the local government.
On the flip side, we work closely with kitchen owners and entrepreneurs to make sure they have the training needed to operate safely. For those who haven’t yet completed their food safety certifications, we provide in-app access to training programs to make the process simple and accessible. In fact, we go beyond what many local governments require by mandating that anyone booking a space through our platform completes local food safety training.
This added layer of stringency is intentional. It’s about providing peace of mind—for the kitchen owners, the entrepreneurs, and most importantly, the consumers. By upholding these standards, we ensure that everyone involved is protected and that the food being made is safe, reliable, and handled with care.
How does Syzl's flexible booking system help food entrepreneurs scale their businesses and navigate challenges like equipment outages or temporary relocations?
Flexibility is absolutely critical in such a fast-paced industry. Things can change in an instant—a critical piece of equipment might break at the worst possible time, or you might need to find something new to meet shifting consumer demands. In this industry, those moments can make or break a business, especially since consumers can be so unpredictable. That’s why we want people to see Syzl as a resource they can rely on to adapt quickly and scale up when needed.
If there’s a sudden surge in demand or an unexpected challenge, our platform allows users to find solutions instantly. Whether they go online or connect with our exceptional customer support team, they can find a space that meets their needs. It’s something we’ve seen time and time again—customers adapting to unexpected changes with our help. The ability to book by the hour and secure a space in less than 24 hours from signing up is a game-changer. That kind of speed and flexibility simply isn’t available anywhere else in the market.
We’re here to support businesses without locking them into long-term commitments. And because we’re there for them in those critical moments, we’ve seen these customers come back to us time and again, growing alongside us. They don’t just use Syzl for emergencies—they become lifelong customers, and that’s what makes our work so rewarding.
If you would like to find out more about Syzl, please visit https://www.syzl.io/