He shares his incredible journey from leaving a corporate job at Citibank to launching Oye Kake 14 years ago, revealing what it takes to sustain and grow a restaurant business in a highly competitive industry.
Pankaj talks about the inspiration behind his restaurants and his efforts to challenge industry stereotypes. He shares how Taftoon was born and the vision that led to its creation. He also dives into the stories of Kerala Quarters and Cirqa 1960, and how Chef Milan Gupta played a crucial role in shaping his culinary journey.
Beyond the restaurants, he opens up about the financial strategies that have helped him build a thriving business, as well as key insights on managing money in an industry that many consider risky.
If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, a food enthusiast, or someone looking for business and financial insights, this conversation is filled with valuable lessons.
Join us for an engaging conversation with a visionary restaurateur who traded his corporate career for the kitchen.
0:00 - Sneak Peek –
1:44 - Intro – Meet the man behind Mumbai’s beloved restaurants!
2:35 - From Citibank to Butter Chicken – Ditching finance for food
5:40 - A Blind Leap into F&B —how he built Oye Kake!
8:15 - The rookie mistakes, the blunders, and the lessons learned.
12:05 - Staying Power in F&B – How do his restaurants survive in this cutthroat industry?
13:42 - Birth of Taftoon —here’s how he brought North India to Mumbai.
18:00 - Food vs. Business – The fine line between passion and commercialization.
19:55 - Reinventing Regional Food with Chef Milan Gupta
29:45 - Kerala Quarters – North done. Time to bring Kerala to Mumbai!
36:40 - Mumbai’s Restaurant Real Estate Crisis
37:20 - CIRQA: London Meets Mumbai – A cocktail bar with a global inspiration
41:20 - No Rest for the Restaurateur
44:45 - The Harsh Reality of F&B Money – Profits?
46:08 - F&B’s Big Shift – What’s changed in the industry over the past few years?
47:55 - When Do You Call It Quits? – The signs that it’s time to exit the restaurant game.
50:00 - India’s F&B Boom – Why it’s never too late to start a restaurant in India.
50:37 - Consumer Evolution – How diners have changed
54:26 - The Funding Game
57:11 - Outro
Listen To #HappyHourWithFinCocktail On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3RgIddLsD7mAgyKrlkOsXN
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Credits:
Shoot:
Sourabh Avate
Edit:
https://www.instagram.com/intriguingfilms/
https://www.instagram.com/anuragkawatra/
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Disclaimer
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About FinCocktail:
FinCocktail by Sayali Rai & Niyati Thaker is a one-stop shop for all your questions about personal finance. It was created to help young Indians understand and embrace their personal finances. It aims to become a source of inspiration to all who want to take charge of their financial futures.
This season on the Happy Hour with FinCocktail Sayali & Niyati are on a mission to find out more about the journey of money. See how money flows through the system and in and out of our lives! Handling money is not easy, but it can be made simple if you get to know your money and its workings.
Building wealth is something everyone should be capable of. It's more of an art than a science and a skill that everyone can master.
Let them bring you real stories from real people who have been managing their own money for a while, so you can see how different avenues exist to generate wealth and reach your dream goals! So listen on and let's build some wealth together!