‘Opening a restaurant can be easy, sustaining it is difficult’

Q. Tell us about your journey.

A. My journey started in 2006. Back in the day, we had food kiosks in many malls as there were not too many stand-alone restaurants as such. So, malls were a big thing in India and especially in Delhi, as it is a metropolitan city. We build many kiosks in malls in Rajouri and NCR as well. So, I started working there. After that, we sold the company and started Massive Restaurants. I took active participation in in the company, that’s where my real journey started and I am still learning many things.

Q. You started from the scratch to establish yourself in this segment. Tell us about the challenges you have faced.

A. Of course, when you are young, working in your twenties, people think that the woman doesn’t know anything. So you need to earn the respect of people. So, that took time. I was not paid for a year and a half. My husband wanted to make sure that I learn everything and then only I was to get paid. It was difficult. But still you are the boss and it was easy in that way. Personally, for me, earning the respect and love was difficult.

Q. What according to you are the elements that make a restaurant stand out from the rest?

A. Firstly, it depends on the location where your restaurant is. If it is a good location, people will come. Your food and your service should be something that people appreciate. Even if your food is good, but your service is not, then people will never ever want to come back. It is a blend of good service, good food, innovations—all of these things make a good restaurant.

Q. What advice would you like to give to young entrepreneurs, who want to make their name in the F&B segment?

A. You need to be very sure about what you want to be. Because in this business, there is a very good success rate, but people here fail too. It’s not that you only need to have money to open a restaurant, but you need to make sure it survives for many years. People think it is very easy to open a restaurant, but you need a working capital to sustain. You need to put verything you have to take a chance in life. Believe in yourself.