Over a decade, the hangout scene has been redefined with the creation of the perfect blend of cuisines and concepts from all over. Those planning to venture into the business may take notes as restaurateurs tell Team Viva their stories, inspirations and what makes them the ultimate winners
Fancy some simmering pork chops with apricot brandy in a World War II style bunker or Victorian tea parlourIJ Or that perfect crackling sound when you break into the caramelised layer of a creme brulee while Nat King Cole croons in his velvety baritone. Yes you are spoilt for choices. The industry, by 2018, is expected to grow to $78 billion, according to the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI). We would’ve quoted the number of restaurants expected to swamp the Delhi/NCR region alone but after a bit of research, let’s just say that number is “colossal.”
Everyone wants to be a restaurateur
“It is the second best thing to do after dreaming of becoming a film star,” says 36-year-old Priyank Sukhija, who is among India’s most successful restaurateurs. “It is a very aspirational job. Even the ones who’ve worked throughout their lives think the best option is to open a nice restaurant or a cafe once they retire, a mix of passion and easy creativity,” said he. Sukhija’s business model allows him to run restaurants under his own brand lazeez Affaire, as well as under unique brand names with various investment partners.
Mumbai-lad Riyaaz Amlani, CEO and MD, Impresario Handmade Restaurants, rightly tapped into the hangout scene with his Mocha cafe chain and then moved on to a finer and edgier dining area with Smoke House Deli. Soon a new haunt called Social cropped up in cities pan-India with interesting multipurpose space designs that fascinates via its raw appeal. He says that youngsters find the business “highly lucrative.” “But I feel any business can be highly profitable if there is a drive for success with hard work and relevant knowledge of it,” Amlani says.
The business prospects made many conformist multinationals spill out of their suits and put their hearts out on their sleeve. Delhi boy Arjun Sagar Gupta made a brilliant comeback last year with The Piano Man Jazz Club, which is billed as the city’s first artist-focussed jazz bar. Though the 31-year-old studied electronic engineering, he says he entered the food business “unexpectedly” with his bakery called Cake Away in Gurgaon. According to Gupta, the sudden spurt of eateries all over is not a good thing. “It’s nice that people are willing to take risks but many of them are opening restaurants because they have the money. Do it because you want to differentiate a product and not because it’s cool and you have the money,” he says.
Naresh Madan, co-owner of Imperfecto and Informal in Hauz Khas Village, shares Sagar’s seriousness. “It’s about creating a brand and not just open a random restaurant. Around five years ago, there was nothing new that the city could offer and choices were plateauing out. There were no concepts at play here. World travels have changed the way we look at life in general and food and drink in particular. Hauz Khas Village was the first template to introduce few good concepts. It’s not a place where you simply open a restaurant and make money. It’s where you are defining new urban cultures,” says Madan.
Casual is in
So why would you walk inIJ Simply because you just want to sink back on a sofa and be comfortable and not want to be swamped by overt displays of intrusive pleasure. Jazzman Arjun Gupta says, “It is to create a seed for exposure where people come in, mingle and get a chance to listen to something they normally won’t in the city. Food is unobtrusive.”
Sukhija believes in the phrase “come as you are.” Elaborates he, “These places are there for you to chill out. Everyone wants to tag everyone on Facebook or Instagram and show how they’ve been having a great time,” he says.
No need for an occasion to eat good food, is the phrase Amlani firmly believes in. “Catching up with a friend or unwinding with a couple of drinks at an external surrounding is the new culture of casual dining and drinking. Also, with the industry booming and new concepts coming up at a fast pace; everyone likes to try out new and different places beyond their favourites,” he shares.
On your plate
A well-worded menu and a beautifully presented dish can excite anyone. One can garner a great deal of pleasure by just thinking about food, said Oprah’s bestie Gayle King and we heartily concur. Dipping in crisp pita in a bowl of delish hummus garnished with fresh parsley or treating your tastebuds to crazy fusion food like kadhai paneer nachos, classic keema mattar tossed in spaghetti or a Madras curry risotto, can certainly bring in joy and new flavours. From authentic European to global fusion, it’s your pick and it’s all available.
Creating a menu is an important and an exciting endeavour that owners and chefs take on. It would define a restaurant. “I go through everything myself. Even if my chefs tell me a dish has to be on the menu and if it doesn’t work with my taste buds then I say no,” says Gupta. His team started with over 100 dishes but selected around 40 dishes.
What worked for restaurant man Amlani’s Social chain was quirkiness along textures and lip-smacking flavours. Be it their Awesomosas, A Date with Goan Sausages, Dhingra’s Punjabi Breakfast or a Hangover one, he brought to the table the ultimate champion’s meals. “At Social, we offer comfort food that is wholesome and satisfying while being presented in a fun out of the box way. This has definitely worked for us.” The restaurant business is a forever-evolving saga of new and intriguing concepts with exquisite offerings for your soul to relish or maybe not, you take your pick.