Mast Kalandar which started its operation in Bengaluru serving North-Indian cuisine in the southern region has grown from a regional chain to a national brand over a period of time. Here are excerpts from the interview:
How did the idea of serving a north Indian delicacy in Bengaluru popp up?
My wife Pallavi and I were working with IT professionals here and we were not getting our kind of food in Bengaluru as we were working as a technology professional in the city. The food which was available here was not of good quality, and we could not get at cheap price point and according to our taste. And then we decided that why don’t we start delivering the food ourselves.
As you have now raised four round of funding, what is your next big investment plan?
We are not looking for any investment right now, but within next six months, we may look into raising another round of funding to grow our business in other regions.
Supply Chain and inventory management can make or break a restaurant? Who is your supply chain partner?
As far as the inventory is concerned, we do a just in time kind of inventory and maximise the inventory management to reach to best possible cost, making sure there is no food wastage.
We don’t have a supply chain partner as we do it ourselves. Though some of the vendors supply directly to our warehouse, but from there the supply chain is all ours.
You are presently operating in cities like Bengaluru, Pune, Chennai and Hyderabad. What is your expansion plan?
We are planning to enter Delhi-NCR and Mumbai by next year. We are also looking for some interesting cities in South India and other parts of India; Coimbatore, Kochi, Mysore, Vishakhapatnam in south, in central we are looking at Surat, Ahmedabad, Indore, and in North India we are looking at Lucknow, Dehradun, Chandigarh and Ludhiana and Nagpur in the West and Kolkata in the East.
You recently closed your website migrating to MK Dabbawala app. What was the need? What is the number of orders that you receive on a daily basis?
We noticed that it was more relevant from customer’s expectations and demands because when a customer comes to our website, the thing is that he wants to order food, but now we have two different models which are available. One is the MK Dabbawala which is a fresh menu everyday kind of a concept, where the menu is changed every day and the food delivered is very fast. Other is the Mast Kalandar menu from which when you order, the order goes to the respective outlet and from there it is delivered to you. Our motto is to give the customer what the customers want. After almost a month’s launch of Dabbawala app, the orders have increased to a large extent and we can say that we are already the market leader in food-app segment.
Through mobile channels we are giving around 2,000 meals a day and through outlets it is anywhere between 15,000-20,000 orders a day.
As you claim to serve fresh and authentic foods of North India. How do you maintain the authenticity and from where did you source the ingredients?
We source the ingredients from various cities across India. Some of the ingredients come from Pilibheet, Meerut, Modi Nagar, Hakrat, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, and Kolkata amongst other. We want to source products from places which are known for their cuisines. Meanwhile, our cooks are all from north India so they know the basic cooking and we also train them for our developed recipes. We also try to maintain the same consistency and taste across all our outlets for which we have an audit team which will go all around our outlet and they will check whether the cook has prepared the meal correct and its taste is good or not.
You have a daily changing menu at MK Dabbawala. So, how difficult or easy it is for you to balance the changing menu?
For the creative side, we have a brain storming session and we decide the dishes, but from a production side, we have the expertise in-house, the corporate chef and the team who takes care of the production, so it’s not a challenge. The bigger challenge is thinking about new dishes.
What is the most challenging role of a restaurateur that you think differentiates him from other segments?
I think the most challenging role of restaurateur is to keep up with the demands and expectations of the customers because over a period of time it keeps changing.
Who do you see as your competitor?
We have two types of competitors today. One is, irrespective of the cuisine, the restaurant offering in same price point, we consider KFC, McDonald’s, Domino’s as our competitors. So from price point wise, all the global chains, fast food chains, local chains even the local dhabas are all our competitors. And from cuisine point of view, there are various online channels that have come up with a variety of cuisines. And from retail perspective, there is no one who’s our direct competitor, but there are many small north Indian restaurants who have opened in various cities are our competitors.
Who do you see as your customer in the market?
Our customers are mainly the educated-middle class customers who are migrants or the locals. Almost 50 per cent of our customers are people who have come from other parts of India. A typical customer is a professional from a technology company or a banking and finance.
What is your expansion plan for next two years?
We want to become the largest Indian chain, in fact, in this category, we are already the largest chain. We want to be around 500 outlets in next five years and in next two years, I think we will reach about 200 outlets. We also want to build our technology business on pan-India basis and want to reach at least 20 cities in next two years.
Dining out meant eating good food few years back and that was the benchmark. Today, it's so much more layered. Diners are conscious. They ask questions. They read ingredient labels. The pandemic accelerated this shift, but the roots were growing long before. With the OMO Soul Food Community, Rajan Sethi, Director at Bright Hospitality, leaned into this evolution. “It’s not just about serving good food; it’s also about being transparent, ethical, and responsible. The industry has matured and honestly, it's been exciting to grow with it,” he shared. Excerpts:
Building Experience-driven Places
I’ve always believed a restaurant should do more than serve. You should walk out with a feeling, not just a full stomach. At some point, I realized people don’t just remember what they ate but they remember how it made them feel. This inspired us to build spaces that spark nostalgia, start conversations, and feel like an extension of someone’s memory. We wanted to create a space where people could slow down, reconnect with food, and feel grounded. Every brand under Bright Hospitality is experience-first and OMO is just the most emotionally and ideologically charged expression of it.
Creating Uniqueness
Our USP is soul. Every brand under Bright Hospitality has its own heartbeat. We don’t replicate, we reimagine. Whether it’s OMO’s deeply intentional sustainability or Ikk Panjab’s emotional connection to heritage, we build from the inside out. We’re not in the F&B business; we’re in the business of stirring emotions through food. And that’s what keeps us ahead, we don’t chase trends, we create spaces people feel connected to.
Running a Multi-brand Venture
It’s like managing a symphony. Each brand plays its own instrument. Some are loud and bold like AMPM Coffee and Cocktail bar, others are nostalgic and poetic like Ikk Panjab, and then there’s OMO Soul Food Community, which is introspective, slow, and meaningful. I’ve learned to respect each brand’s rhythm. I try to avoid imposing any single leadership style across the board. I learn to listen more than I dictate. And most importantly, I’ve built a team that truly owns the vision. Decentralization and strategic delegation have been game-changers.
Sustainability is the Way Forward
OMO’s biggest innovation is its philosophy. We didn’t launch a product but we launched a way of thinking. The fact that every element, from Ngarum coffee to our Wild & Raw green bar, is curated to be climate-smart, traceable, and nurturing, that’s the real win. We’ve shown that comfort food can coexist with sustainability, that luxury doesn't need excess. The goal was never to preach, but to quietly lead by example. I think we’re doing that, plate by plate.
High on Expansion
OMO was always meant to be a movement, not just a café. We’re exploring more cities, but with caution and conviction. Our core intent is to never compromise on sourcing, on philosophy, or on storytelling, so expansion will be slow, thoughtful, and collaborative. On the Bright Hospitality front, we’re also planning to scale AMPM and Anyday through tech-forward, scalable formats, while continuing to grow Ikk Panjab as a flagbearer of regional heritage and food nostalgia.
Preserving Heritage
To me, authenticity is when intention and action match. It’s when the story you tell is the story you live. At OMO, it means celebrating millets without necessarily making it a marketing spin. At Ikk Panjab, it’s about preserving heirloom recipes without unnecessary reinvention. Whether it’s the spices we source or the values we uphold, if it doesn’t feel true, we don’t do it. That’s our north star.
Tech-Infusion
We’ve always been quiet adopters of tech which is never flashy, but always future-facing. Whether it's using analytics to minimize food waste at OMO or optimizing delivery routes for Anyday, tech sits behind our operations, not in front of it. We let experience lead and technology support. But yes, digital dashboards, loyalty ecosystems, and intelligent sourcing are now non-negotiables across our ecosystem.
How can restaurant brands maximize success with an online ordering system?
At OMO, we’ve chosen not to enter the delivery space because the kind of connection we’re trying to build with our guests just doesn’t fit in a box. It’s about slowing down, being present, and engaging with food as an experience, not just consumption. But as someone running multiple brands, I absolutely see the value of online ordering for formats like Anyday, and sometimes, AMPM or Ikk Panjab. Guests should feel your brand even when they’re eating on their couch. Eco-conscious packaging and a clear, consistent brand voice can turn an online order into a memorable moment.
What three tips would you offer to home-grown restaurant chains?
- Don’t scale before you soul-search - Know who you are before you grow.
- Respect your roots - Your authenticity is your edge.
- Hire slow, empower fast - Your team is your first guest. Treat them with trust.
12. What five trends do you foresee that will change dining behavior in India?
- Regenerative menus - Going beyond organic to actually heal ecosystems.
- Functional dining - Food that serves taste, health as well as storytelling goals.
- Ingredient-led loyalty - Guests will follow brands based on where they source from.
- Multi-sensory spaces - Dining spaces that evoke emotion, not just fill bellies.
- Brands with a voice - Silent service is out. People want opinionated brands with heart.
Dessert Therapy is one of Mumbai’s luxury dessert dining restaurant chains founded in 2016 by brothers Nisarg and Harsh Shah who started their journey from home baking, venturing into first outlet in 2020. The brand grew entirely through word-of-mouth and organic growth on social media, offering high-quality vegetarian desserts without using palm oil, gelatine, or artificial colors.
In an exclusive interview with Restaurant India, Harsh Shah, Co-Founder, Dessert Therapy talks about their brand journey, innovations and much more.
Riding on Uniqueness
Dessert Therapy has redefined indulgence in Mumbai with 20+ varieties of cheesecakes, specialty desserts, sundaes, and a curated selection of rich chocolates, craft coffees, and iced teas. With outlets in Malad, Juhu, Bandra, Fort and Ghatkopar, the brand continues to expand, bringing luxury dessert dining to more locations. Each outlet is designed with a unique ambiance, offering a fresh experience at every visit.
What’s in a Name?
We feel desserts are therapeutic and it can calm your mind and soul that’s why we named it as ‘Dessert Therapy’ as it resonates with the audiences.
USP of the Brand
We add 30% less sugar in our desserts and make our base with less sugar as dry fruits and fruits have sugar content which we use for plating and filling or for presentations. The shelf life of our desserts is 4-5 days, and we don’t use preservatives. One thing is that we don’t sell the desserts from the display shelf.
Innovation is Key
We have our central kitchen in Borivali from where we make the desserts, and then we supply to our outlets where plating is done as per the requirement. Every sauce is prepared in-house.
For us, every recipe is a result of experimentation, precision, and passion for dessert innovation—whether it’s developing over 20 unique cheesecake varieties or crafting seasonal collections that resonate with Indian palates. We have monthly specials, other than that we keep changing the menu once in 6 months.
The Challenges
The main challenge was staffing and educating the customers. Choosing a right location was one of the major issues knowing that every location has its own set of challenges.
Top 3 dessert trends
• Quick desserts are gaining popularity. Eg: Strawberries with Chocolate sauce
• Innovations in French patisseries, Kunafa, Baklava is seen
• Healthier dessert options are on rise
Expansion plans
We are a boot-strapped company. We have plans to open our outlets outside Mumbai. It can be in Thane, Navi Mumbai, Bangalore or in Pune.
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