[WATCH] Meet Ian Purkayastha, the Truffle Kingpin of New York City

In this short profile video from Great Big Story, meet Ian Purkayastha, owner of Brooklyn-based truffle dealers Regalis Foods. The Truffle is one of the most expensive things you can eat. With a price of about $2500 per pound and a shelf life of about 7 days, truffle dealers have to move a ton of product to wealthy buyers in a very short time frame.

At first glance, 24-year-old Ian Purkayastha seems like any other entrepreneur: he's motivated, crafty, disciplined, and personable. But behind the facade of a clever businessman lies a youthful energy and a passion for selling some of the rarest food on the planet: truffles. Purkayastha sells all kinds of truffles to 90 percent of New York's fine dining restaurants and has been peddling the fungi out of his backpack to the likes of Eleven Madison Park, Le Bernadin, and other Michelin-starred restaurants for nine years now.

Matt Coneybeare

Matt Coneybeare

Editor in Chief

Matt enjoys exploring the City's with his partner and son. He is an avid marathon runner, and spends most of his time eating, running, and working on cool stuff.

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