Akhil Iyer is the founder of Benne, one of India's fastest-growing regional South Indian dining brands, known for bringing authentic Bengaluru-style benne dosa to Mumbai and beyond. Alongside his wife and co-founder Shriya Narayan, Akhil transformed a personal craving for the dosas of his hometown Bengaluru into a hospitality venture that has become a cultural phenomenon. Originally from Bengaluru, Akhil spent over a decade in Mumbai building a career as a producer and founder of The Artist Collective before entering the restaurant industry. Despite having no formal hospitality background, he immersed himself in learning the craft of dosa-making, training with traditional dosa masters in Bengaluru to ensure Benne's offerings remained true to their roots. Launched in 2024 as a compact neighbourhood café in Bandra, Benne quickly gained a cult following for its focused menu, authentic flavours, and storytelling-led brand identity. Under Shriya and Akhil’s leadership, the brand has expanded across Mumbai and Delhi while maintaining its commitment to quality, heritage, and simplicity. To bring a little piece of Bangalore.
RI PASS