Brand Practice

Bars and restaurants had plenty to cheer about in 2016, as they mushroomed across cities and countries

down and see how people reacted to it. Once we were confident about the brand, we began expanding to other markets,” says AD Singh, Founder and Managing Director of the Olive Group. SBOW has mushroomed in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Noida and most interestingly, Mumbai, where the restaurant’s concept originated from. While most would have said this was a risky move (consider the comments when Domino’s opened its first outlet in Italy in 2015), it proved successful to the extent that another branch opened in Thane and another expected to open in Powai very soon.

“I think it made a connection with people and struck a familiar chord. Also, the fact that they are air-conditioned compared to the old cafes and their rickety fans might have helped,” says Singh.

Another frequent flier between Delhi and Mumbai is Riyaaz Amlani whose brand Social also marked its territory, dotting the foodie maps of Delhi-ncr, Mumbai and Bengaluru, with multiple outlets. Even if the flavours of food do change every 20 km one travels, as alleged, the presence of consecutive Socials ensures that you can have a uniform dining experience. Amlani’s concept of merging work and party in to one space has been mimicked by other lesser-known entities as well.

Meanwhile, chef Manish Mehrotra of the formidable Indian Accent set up the venture’s second restaurant in New York City to great acclaim from the Big Apple and has great potential for a Michelin star, or three.

Other power players in Delhi such as Kazem Samandari (who operates boutique patisserie L’opéra, which has more than a dozen outlets in the Capital) and Priyank Sukhija (who has as many brand outlets as a multi-cuisine restaurant has dishes) are moving beyond their borders.

Samandhari has his sights set on Mumbai, while Sukhija has larger ambitions after having already planted flags in Pune and Mumbai with his Flying Saucer and Tamasha brands. He hopes to establish a global presence within the next five years. A pop culture enthusiast, with his restaurants sporting all manner of superhero and movie memorabilia, Sukhija, like his peers in the industry, clearly believes the world is not enough.