Bradford’s Yasar Aziz has many roles to play in his life. Some days he is a fun cab driver and some days he turns into a fun food vlogger, where he reviews Desi food outlets across the city. Whatever the role is, the ‘fun’ in him is constant.
Having joined Uber in 2014, Yasir has transported tens of thousands of passengers from one part of the city to another in these nine years.
Speaking about his nickname, Disco Dave, he said: “It was given by students, they used to get in my car. My car had entertainment systems, they used to have a dance, they used to sing. They used to call me Dave the raver, I didn’t like that name because of the connotations it gives, so they changed it to Disco Dave.
“My car is a full taxi, there’s a lot of music you see. The name Dave started, because they can’t pronounce my name Yasar. So, they used to ask me what my name is, I used to make it up. The name Dave’s from a long running joke in the show Only Fools and Horses”
Disco Dave also has a TikTok channel, which he uses for reviewing food and food vlogging.
Speaking about his TikTok and his love for reviewing food, he says, “I have been reviewing food since 2008. I go abroad a lot, so I keep trying out new stuff. As regards to TikTok, the story goes back to 2020, when Covid struck. I started working with Bradford Council in the Covid home, as a Covid supporter. There were a lot of young people, who were working with me, who suggested to me that I should start making YouTube videos, so along with my cameraman friend, I started.
“But when Covid finished, everyone got back to their normal jobs and I was by myself, so TikTok was the easiest way out, to do it yourself. You don’t need to edit”.
Speaking about the response, Dave says, “The response has been phenomenal. It’s growing every day. I did a parody video on Wakey Wines, and that went viral. All the newspapers started contacting me for a story then.”
He adds, “I get messages from all over, restaurants and take-aways to come and review their food or just for promotions.”
Speaking about his early days on YouTube, Dave recalls, “I was doing a YouTube video, with my partner, who was from the Caribbean. I used to teach him desi language, he used to ask me what’s something called, and I used to make it up. He once asked me what’s chips called, I quipped ‘chippus’, and the term quickly went viral.”
How does Yasar manage his time, balancing his work and his love for food? When asked by Asian Standard, he said: “Yes, I do have a tight schedule. Sometimes people want me to come over during weekends, but I can’t do weekends, as I drive Uber during those days. So, I just have to work around it. I try to do it Monday to Thursdays, or occasionally on a Sunday. Whenever I find time, I try to do it. Now it’s growing a lot, and I hope it keeps growing in this way”.
Yasar joined TikTok post Covid and has amassed over 10,000 followers and over 130,000 likes on his TikTok channel, Disco Dave eats.
If you or someone you know is a foodie like Disco Dave, and has a taste of Desi food, don’t forget to join us at the Bradford Curry Mela on 8 and 9 July. For more information visit www.bradfordcurryawards.co.uk
