Neeti Goel, passionate restaurateur, spills the beans to Andrea CostaBir on melding varied ingredients in the right portions to create exotic dining spaces.
How would you describe the unique vision behind each of your ventures (Keiba, Ostad Madras Diaries, Imlee, House of Ko, Amore Villas, and Takumi)?
All the restaurants serve different cuisines. So the whole vision was to create authentic cuisines which use organic and local ingredients instead of imported ingredients. For instance, the vision behind Imlee was to provide the entire gamut of India’s street food under one roof. So we have karigars from Agra, Varanasi, Kolkata and all the corners of the country who prepare the food. India is a diverse country with various cuisines in every state. The idea was to showcase unity in diversity with regard to food.
What inspired you to venture into hospitality and diversify into such varied domains?
I have an accounting background but wanted to do something more peopleoriented, which involved dealing directly with customers. So, almost 14 years ago, I researched a lot for two years, and I met many restaurateurs, chefs, and consultants. I saw a lot of places, and studied the hospitality industry, the culinary sector, and that’s when I decided that this is where my heart is – that’s how my first restaurant Nom Nom came about in Bandra, Mumbai.
What’s your favourite dish on the menu at each of your restaurants?
Honestly, it’s very difficult to pick out a favourite dish because every single dish is made with a lot of care and attention. The entire menu is very good, but at Keiba, I definitely gorge on the Pan Fried Noodles. It’s our signature dish which we make with a homemade sauce which is really, really nice.
At Imlee, I like the Chatpata Singhara which is a hot-selling favourite with our guests. And at Takumi, my favourite is the Ramen and the Pot Rice because both are highly authentic. At House of Ko, my favourite is the Kali Dal with an Afghani Taftan and Khamiri. It’s a musttry when anyone goes to the House of Ko. And at Madras Diaries, my favourite is the Rassam Vada.
If you could describe your entrepreneurial journey in three words, what would they be?
Determination. Patience. Destiny.
Any memorable feedback you’ve received from your customers?
We host a lot of parties at Keiba, Takumi and House of Ko; and have repeat customers. Once a customer has a party with us to celebrate their special occasion, they become like family to us. And we never let them down.
What’s a typical day in your life as a multi-venture entrepreneur?
My day starts at 11 a.m, that’s when I am off to my office and then I visit most of the restaurants. Sometimes two in a day, sometimes three, and sometimes all of them. Twice a week, I dedicate myself to my charitable activities which are my social initiatives. Ghar Bhejo was one of them. I run an NGO called Khana Chahiye where we give free meals to the needy. So far, we have done 80 lakh free meals and now I am doing an initiative on cyber crime and cyber harassment called What Now.
What’s one skill or trait every aspiring entrepreneur should develop?
Patience. Only when we have patience, can we make the right decision at the right time and implement the right action. And only then will we be successful.
What challenges have you faced in establishing these ventures, and how have you overcome them?
Each venture has its complications while setting up. The first main challenge is obtaining the licenses because it’s very time consuming and expensive. Another big challenge is to find the right space for your project. Only if you have the right space, can you cater to the right audience. While you are constructing the restaurants, there are labour issues and people trying to extort money from you. Then comes finding the right staff, training them, retaining them… The gestation period of starting a restaurant is much smaller than setting up an industry, but definitely the challenges are comparable to setting up an industry.
Which are the key ingredients that set your restaurants apart?
What sets my restaurants apart is that they are pure, organic food places where we offer comfort food to our customers. That’s something they look forward to and keep coming back for more. And that helps us maintain a regular customer base.
