Believe it or not, Indian food rules!

Culinary art is redefined by the master chef Sanjeev Kapoor. The man is responsible for lending Indian cuisine an elevated status, grabbing the eyeballs of every woman with the popular cooking show. He is also an accomplished restaurateur. His candid conversation with Retailer.

Journey from becoming a chef and then restaurateur

My journey began with my decision to do something different in life once I finished my higher studies. I got into Hotel Management and then took up various jobs as a chef. It was during my stint as Executive Chef in Hotel Centaur in Mumbai that the offer to host the cookery show, Khana Khazana, came to me. Well, that show started doing very well and I quit my job and started my own production house. In the meantime, I also authored a number of cookbooks that became bestsellers. I also started my website. My viewers and fans always had this little desire to taste my food so the idea of setting up a restaurant finally took fruit in 1998 with Khazana in Dubai.

The impact of open economy on the Indian restaurant industry 

Food is a good business to get into if you really love the thought of creating for your patrons with sincerity. Serving top class food that is good value for money has been the principle that I have been following. I think this works well every time. India is a different market than what it was a decade ago. People want to eat out more now and want to eat different sorts of foods. They have the money to spend and as there is a demand, the supply too is burgeoning. It is a good phase and the restaurant industry would bode well to capitalise on it.

Amongst specialty restaurant, such as Thai, Arabian, Japanese and many others, what rules the roost?

Believe it or not, Indian food rules! There are creative chefs who are mastering the art of fusion and incorporating different cuisines but they do keep the first love of the Indian palate in mind – the need to satisfy all the senses of taste. People will eat out and try out variations of international cuisine but in the end they all want “ghar ka khana” or “ghar jaisa khana”!

The characteristics of the Indian market, the expectations of the Indian customers

Indians have the remarkable characteristics of being open minded in trying out different foods. Actually, we are confident about the power of Indian food and its massive role in our lives. We are grounded enough by it to venture out, temporarily, to explore different cuisines. That way India is different from other countries, though there might be exceptions to this rule. Indians who eat out are looking out for food that they cannot make or cook at home, and they are also looking out for something that satisfies their changing palate, their adventurous nature and also their budgets. They like a mix of old with the new and this is what they expect a restaurateur to deliver. 

 The formats that best suit for the overseas market

My focus on the overseas market is also Indian food of my brand. So the format that works for my ventures in India will work there too. Only that I will have to give them better back up and support as the distances are a hindrance. In India, my team is constantly supporting the restaurants and it is not so difficult to travel often to the outlets.

The areas to be addressed fundamentally while taking a business abroad

The only advice I could give is that think big and plan well. Be ready for hurdles but treat them as stepping stones on your path to success. The areas to be addressed will essentially mean having a strong infrastructure and this includes strong financial backing too.

What do actually hit the business?

Restaurants are hit badly by recently imposed service tax on top of VAT, and each state in India is having differential rates for sales tax or VAT and liquor licence. And adding to woes, we are burdened with performance licence and music licence. With the rising cost of inputs for everything, these are some issues where the government could be helpful.

Ensuring the brand quality and training provided to the staff

It is very important that I have to be strong and lead by example. Bench marking of my expected standards in each arena of work has been set and keep raising the bar every now and then. Training is the key and I ensure that all my staff get proper and enough training followed by regular audits.

Preferable location

If you ask me my personal interest, I’ll go for a high street. But from the business point of view, it has to be site specific and in some places malls will do well whereas in others they may not, so you cannot generalise.

Franchise criteria

Franchise criteria are defined as far as the physical and financial aspects are concerned. More important is looking for the right partner. I look for partners who have the same passion for food and who understand that this business has to be done with right balance of heart and mind, understand the customers’ needs and address them proactively, and take care of employees in such a manner that they are contented and in return they make every customer happy with everything.

Culinary art is redefined by the master chef Sanjeev Kapoor. The man is responsible for lending Indian cuisine an elevated status, grabbing the eyeballs of every woman with the popular cooking show. He is also an accomplished restaurateur. His candid conversation with Retailer.

Journey from becoming a chef and then restaurateur

My journey began with my decision to do something different in life once I finished my higher studies. I got into Hotel Management and then took up various jobs as a chef. It was during my stint as Executive Chef in Hotel Centaur in Mumbai that the offer to host the cookery show, Khana Khazana, came to me. Well, that show started doing very well and I quit my job and started my own production house. In the meantime, I also authored a number of cookbooks that became bestsellers. I also started my website. My viewers and fans always had this little desire to taste my food so the idea of setting up a restaurant finally took fruit in 1998 with Khazana in Dubai.

The impact of open economy on the Indian restaurant industry 

Food is a good business to get into if you really love the thought of creating for your patrons with sincerity. Serving top class food that is good value for money has been the principle that I have been following. I think this works well every time. India is a different market than what it was a decade ago. People want to eat out more now and want to eat different sorts of foods. They have the money to spend and as there is a demand, the supply too is burgeoning. It is a good phase and the restaurant industry would bode well to capitalise on it.

Amongst specialty restaurant, such as Thai, Arabian, Japanese and many others, what rules the roost?

Believe it or not, Indian food rules! There are creative chefs who are mastering the art of fusion and incorporating different cuisines but they do keep the first love of the Indian palate in mind – the need to satisfy all the senses of taste. People will eat out and try out variations of international cuisine but in the end they all want “ghar ka khana” or “ghar jaisa khana”!

The characteristics of the Indian market, the expectations of the Indian customers

Indians have the remarkable characteristics of being open minded in trying out different foods. Actually, we are confident about the power of Indian food and its massive role in our lives. We are grounded enough by it to venture out, temporarily, to explore different cuisines. That way India is different from other countries, though there might be exceptions to this rule. Indians who eat out are looking out for food that they cannot make or cook at home, and they are also looking out for something that satisfies their changing palate, their adventurous nature and also their budgets. They like a mix of old with the new and this is what they expect a restaurateur to deliver. 

 The formats that best suit for the overseas market

My focus on the overseas market is also Indian food of my brand. So the format that works for my ventures in India will work there too. Only that I will have to give them better back up and support as the distances are a hindrance. In India, my team is constantly supporting the restaurants and it is not so difficult to travel often to the outlets.

The areas to be addressed fundamentally while taking a business abroad

The only advice I could give is that think big and plan well. Be ready for hurdles but treat them as stepping stones on your path to success. The areas to be addressed will essentially mean having a strong infrastructure and this includes strong financial backing too.

What do actually hit the business?

Restaurants are hit badly by recently imposed service tax on top of VAT, and each state in India is having differential rates for sales tax or VAT and liquor licence. And adding to woes, we are burdened with performance licence and music licence. With the rising cost of inputs for everything, these are some issues where the government could be helpful.

Ensuring the brand quality and training provided to the staff

It is very important that I have to be strong and lead by example. Bench marking of my expected standards in each arena of work has been set and keep raising the bar every now and then. Training is the key and I ensure that all my staff get proper and enough training followed by regular audits.

Preferable location

If you ask me my personal interest, I’ll go for a high street. But from the business point of view, it has to be site specific and in some places malls will do well whereas in others they may not, so you cannot generalise.

Franchise criteria

Franchise criteria are defined as far as the physical and financial aspects are concerned. More important is looking for the right partner. I look for partners who have the same passion for food and who understand that this business has to be done with right balance of heart and mind, understand the customers’ needs and address them proactively, and take care of employees in such a manner that they are contented and in return they make every customer happy with everything.