Longtime restaurateur sells his Amaya empire
Hemant Bhagwani steps back from the restaurant business after 15 years of success
After a decade running restaurants such as Indian Street Food Co. and the Amaya Express chain in the GTA, owner Hemant Bhagwani is taking a break from the restaurant business and has sold his ownership on all properties.
“I needed a break,” Bhagwani told the Star. “I’ve opened 34 restaurants since 2002 and didn’t stop. I probably sponsored 40 cooks from Dubai and India, so there’s probably a guy who previously worked at an Amaya in most of the Indian restaurants in the city. But I stopped enjoying it, so it’s time to step back.”
Bhagwani has handed the reins of the restaurants, including the 11 Amaya Express franchise locations in the GTA and Ottawa, to Vahid Hoseyni and his family, who Bhagwani said have experience in the hospitality industry in Iran.
“The kitchen and the front of house are the same, it’s just me signing off,” Bhagwani said. “I’m sure with the new blood going in, things will get better. They probably have more energy than me and want to prove to themselves that they can do a better job. I think it will be amazing.”
After cooking at 360, the CN Tower’s restaurant, in 2002, Bhagwani opened Kamasutra restaurant and wine bar in midtown in 2003. In 2007, he opened Amaya the Indian Room followed by Bread Bar in 2008, both of which showcased a more refined side to regional Indian cuisine that Torontonians accustomed to takeout butter chicken and buffets had never seen. Around that time, the Amaya Express outlets started to pop up in office and mall food courts.
Two years ago, Bhagwani transformed the Indian Room into Indian Street Food Co., focusing on regional small plates like those sold by Indian street vendors.
“I probably sponsored 40 cooks from Dubai and India, so there’s probably a guy who previously worked at an Amaya in most of the Indian restaurants in the city.” HEMANT BHAGWANI
The restaurant also gained attention for doing away with tipping, instead adding a 12-per-cent administration fee — the proceeds to be shared among employees as a way to address wage discrepancy between front- and back-of-house staff.
Bhagwani isn’t completely out of the restaurant industry. He’ll be travelling to London and then India for the next few months, working at various Indian restaurants in other cities to explore new ideas.
“There’s so much going on in Indian cuisine that’s not being done in restaurants,” he says. karonliu@thestar.ca