Dining With The Stars: How Bollywood Is Taking Over The Food Industry Whether opening their own restaurants or investing in the food business, the frequency with which members of the film fraternity are associating with the food business has gone up.

Food and famous people- two entities that we have forever been obsessed about. A good meal can help you forget about a train wreck of a day, and we're always intrigued by the latest celebrity scoop that gives us a peek into what the rich and famous have been upto. No wonder, when you take a deep dive into the film world's association with the restaurant business, you realize how closely the two are entwined, especially over the last few decades.

Whether opening their own restaurants or investing in the food business, the frequency with which members of the film fraternity are associating with the food business has gone up. Ofcourse, there are some renowned names, probably the most commonly known being Garam Dharam by Dharmendra in Noida and Connaught Place, with a dhaba style setting with the walls decorated with posters and dialogues of his hit movies and famous dialogues.

Lap, a lounge bar by Arjun Rampal was a popular hangout spot located in Hotel Samrat, in Delhi's upscale Chanakyapuri area, just like The Elbo Room, owned by Chunky Pandey in Bandra, Mumbai with its traditional British pub atmosphere. In recent times, ofcourse, the frequency has gone up. The year 2019 saw Shilpa Shetty Kundra open Bastian, an 8,000 square foot seafood restaurant in Mumbai. Priyanka Chopra Jonas launched Sona, in New York City in 2021. In June 2022, director Karan Johar launched Neuma, a modern European diner set up in a restored colonial-era Portuguese villa in Mumbai's posh Colaba are on his 50th birthday. In 2022, legendary singer Asha Bhonsle started a chain of restaurants in 2022 called Asha's, which currently has its presence in Dubai, Kuwait, London and Birmingham, with further future expansion plans in the Middle East. And they're doing quite well, considering Hollywood star Tom Cruise has visited the Birmingham outlet, and it's frequented by other famous actors regularly. But the name are endless- Gondola By Perizaad Zorabian, Someplace Else By Bobby Deol, Dragonfly Experience By Badshah are some of the others.

Investment wise too there is Vivek Oberoi, who made a strategic investment in 'food on move' company, IchakDana LLP. One of the recent entries in this space is actor Bhumi Pednekar, who invested in the Goa based boutique hotel KAIA, joining hands with Chrome Asia Hospitality.

KAIA

But what made Bhumi enter this industry?

"I have always sought to explore new avenues, even beyond the silver screen. I believe in investing in spaces and segments that create meaningful experiences, and I know that KAIA has the power to do just that. The food and hospitality sectors have always been a subject of interest to me, thus venturing into this domain was a natural course for me. My association with the partners spans a considerable time frame. They have done very well with their restaurants, their accomplishments in the Mumbai dining scene are indisputable. Thus, when this opportunity arose, I was very excited," Bhumi shared.

As far as opening her own restaurant is concerned, Bhumi says she is currently enjoying her journey as an investor and likes the process of discovering new brands, being a part of their journey and adding value in whatever way possible.

Bhumi at KAIA

TV actor Addite Malik, known for her roles in Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii is also someone passionate about the food industry, spurred on by a visit to Italy where she enjoyed the ambience of the charming cafes and the relaxed atmosphere they provided. "Upon returning, I felt an undeniable urge to curate a similar haven for myself, a place where I could savor a comforting cup of coffee alongside delectable food. This aspiration materialized as a cozy restaurant (Homemade Oshiwara), nestled conveniently in our own neighborhood. The intention behind it was simple: a haven for relishing comfort food, indulging in leisurely reading, and enjoying the simple pleasures of life. My involvement as an investor in the hospitality industry was driven by the fusion of this passion with the prospect of crafting a cozy retreat for fellow enthusiasts of comfort, cuisine, and relaxation," she says. Malik has also invested in Que Sera Sera, a European restaurant.

SEE VIDEO INTERVIEW: Sanjay Dutt Opens Up With Entrepreneur India

Actors aren't the only ones opening new places, producers and directors too are part of the club. Whether it is Karan Johar or Sanjay Shetty, producer of the Pankaj Tripathi starrer Nil Battey Sannata (2015). Sanjay is the owner of Demy Café & Bar and has been part of the film industry for the last 25 years, but the restaurant business isn't new to him as his father has a few restaurants. His first restaurant was London Taxi, a concept that he came up with when teaching in UK and a taxi driver in London took him to an Indian restaurant. Sanjay promised him that whenever he opens a restaurant he would name it London Taxi. It ran for six years post after which his Dhaval and Pawan decided to come up with a different concept, which led to creation of Demy. They switched from a black decor to a white palate, plants and greenery, having a more feminine look, compared to London Taxi which was more masculine in its look and feel.

When speaking with us, he had also mentioned that 'being a Shetty he can't be out of this business,' just like Shilpa Shetty and Suniel Shetty. Talking of Suniel, he is one of the oldest players in the game, having started working for his father's Udupi restaurant from the age of 16. Suniel was involved in all aspects of the business, right from the daily 5 am trips to the wholesale markets, to the kitchen preps before they started at 7 am, watching each table to guarantee that customers were satisfied, maintaining supplies and stock, helping out in the kitchen during rush hours and cleaning and waiting tables. Recently, he also became the brand ambassador of food delivery app Waayu, which takes on giants Zomato and Swiggy.

SEE VIDEO: Suniel Shetty On Working In A Restaurant At The Age of 16

Cricketers too are heavily involved in restaurants, such as Virat Kohli, Kapil Dev, Zaheer Khan and Ravindra Jadeja- with Suresh Raina being the newest entrant with a restaurant in Amsterdam. But being a famous name does not guarantee success in the industry always, whether you're from Bollywood or the Indian cricket team. Some of the most successful names in the game, like Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar had opened their own places, but they didn't work out in the long run. Sourav Ganguly had launched a multi-cuisine restaurant called Sourav's in 2004 in Kolkata, which packed up in 2011. Virender Sehwag had a restaurant called Sehwag's Favourites in Delhi in 2006, but after the initial few months it had to be shut down, with Sehwag also going to court against his partner's company. Ajay Jadeja too had started Senso, an Italian restaurant with the grandson of former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, but it didn't work.

However, surely, there always is the excitement of going to a famous personality's restaurant atleast once. There's always that silent hope that you might get to spot them, along with their starry friends. But the food business is a tricky one, and though the celeb factor can only initially draw in customers, the food and ambience is what shall ultimately be the reason why they keep coming back, along ofcourse, with generous amount of luck.

The author can be reached at bkabir@entrepreneurindia.com and Instagram.com/kabirsinghbhandari