Founders Pawan Shahri, Nikita Harsinghani and Dhaval Udeshi are certainly on the right track
The most potent cocktail at Gigi, Bandra’s sexiest new bar, is made up of three crucial ingredients: Pawan Shahri, Nikita Harsinghani and Dhaval Udeshi. The three founders behind the mothership Chrome Asia Hospitality (that Gigi falls under) came into Mumbai’s most competitive F&B address with the perfect recipe for a good high: an unbeatable space; a clever blend of Japanese and European fare; moreish drinks and luxe décor that makes you feel like you could be anywhere from Paris to Peru.
In fact, they’ve employed this heady formula to many of their establishments, including Donna Delhi in Bandra, Demy in Lower Parel, Shy in Chembur, Eve in Powai and the most ambitious of them all, Kaiā in Goa—a classy boutique hotel in Ashwem created in collaboration with actor Bhumi Pednekar—offering patrons a taste of slow-living, sprinkled with luxury.
Still, this isn’t why the trio have fast become premier players in the F&B space and a collective cyclonic force to reckon with. Unlike many groups in the country who sit on one big-ticket establishment and work on scaling it, Chrome is bullish and ambitious about webbing out across different hotspots, tapping into what’s lacking in that area and fulfilling it with an experience you’d want to keep revisiting. Take Powai, for instance. When the triumvirate hit up one of Mumbai’s most underrated localities—bursting with high-end residence buildings, corporate offices and an exclusive community of CEOs and expats—they were hard-pressed to find a dinning space that was both premium and accessible. Out came Eve, spanning 7,000 sq ft, that now sees a packed house on a Monday afternoon of regulars dropping in for a coffee, as well as jovial tables of ladies-who-lunch over unlimited cocktails. Eve, as Shahri and Udeshi tell me, gives them twice the returns than their outlet in the more popular locale of Bandra Kurla Complex.
Of course, you could call them out as being just another hospitality group with fuller coffers, expanding their footprint. But in Chrome’s case, every move is strategic, carefully calibrated, and, most importantly, proven to be successful. Shahri and Udeshi tell me how they’ve cracked the code.
Founder Pawan Shahri
Taking Chrome from 0 to 100 in a minute
Pawan Shahri: We’re all extremely aggressive. The idea of expanding was always there, even during the pandemic, and we were waiting for the market to open up. During the lockdown, we found great spaces where we realised that rentals being offered were at an all-time low. A lot of restaurants were shutting down and at that time we stepped in and closed about 20,000 sq. ft. of space pan India. When things cleared, we started building. From there it just snowballed to what we’re doing now, and this year we’re going to open three more outlets, with bigger plans for next year.
Dhaval Udeshi: We did our homework and analysed that post the pandemic there’ll be revenge eating. We also understood that people would go out more in the day around that time rather than at night and started doing all-day cafés and bars. That helped us cement our position in the industry because nobody was doing it at that time. So, we started breakfast at all our outlets, and we learned how to do sales during the day, which is the most difficult part for any restaurant. All our outlets started doing heavy lunch sales. We were packed from 10 to 4 so that gave us a lot of confidence to take up more spaces at prime locations because we knew we could justify the rent with our day sales.
Founder Dhaval Udeshi
Thinking on their feet
DU: We were India’s first home delivery incubator during the pandemic where we approached anyone who wanted to do delivery using our kitchen—we supported and funded them, and offered our consultancy. We got over 300 applications.
PS: We converted London Taxi [in Lower Parel] into an incubation centre and the kitchen was utilised by eight entrepreneurs. Working with them put us out of our comfort zone and made us venture into tier 2 cities, including Udaipur where we launched Koi; three projects in Pune; and cloud kitchens in Surat.
The Chrome formula
DU: India is soaring in the F&B space. People want to go out a lot. And with travel having become very expensive; everyone still wants a quick experience, so they do it by dining out, and experimenting more with food and cocktails. We try to give them everything in one place. Construct a pretty place where you can click pictures; eat great food; sit over cocktails and make sure that there’s no loud music so you can have a conversation.
Who does what?
PS: Dhaval looks at the entire F&B and PR aspect; I look at the unit economics, finance and investor management side; and Nikita does the creativity; interiors; building the brand; and the entire language and tonality and putting it out there.
Eve, Powai
How did it first start?
PS: Back in the day Chrome was a communication and marketing agency, and London Taxi was a client. We [Dhaval] got along well and found a great opportunity in us being together and starting something. So, Chrome Communications became Chrome Hospitality. Shortly after Niki joined.
DU: London Taxi was my first proper bar, and I was bowled over by Pawan’s intelligence and market knowledge, so we said let’s collaborate. Amongst the three of us, we have had a strong unit.
2023 in a nutshell
PS: We opened Shy in Chembur, then Kaiā in Goa, which is our first hospitality and boutique hotel space along with a three-story restaurant. After that came Demy in Lower Parel, where we rebranded London Taxi, which was a night place and made it a day place.
Kaiā, Goa
Kaiā, the big hit
DU: We went to Goa and saw this property in Ashwem, which was already popular at the time, but the owners were moving out. So, we thought let’s build something interesting that still has our USP of having a chilled out, experience-driven all-day café and bar. Personally, it was also my dream to always have a hotel. Meanwhile, we’ve known Bhumi [Pednekar] for a while and always thought of doing something together. The concept of Kaiā fit in with her idea of a project. We’re confident that when Talula By The Sea launches—our all-day dining space within the hotel—it’ll become one of the best restaurants in the area.
PS: There were no boutique hotel experience where likeminded individuals could meet and socialise under one brand name. Couple of players are doing it in the villa space but the boutique hotel concept didn’t exist. Our idea with Kaiā was not to bastardise Goa with a Bombay brand but establish a new one. Goa is the first outlet, and we want to take this brand to other cities like Mussoorie, Gir, Ranthambore, Coorg—all experience-driven places.
What really sets it apart?
PS: Right from the check-in procedure, there’s a WhatsApp group made with every guest who’s staying with us so for anything they need, they can post it on there. That whole concept of calling someone at the reception desk is too formal. This makes it more intimate.
Shy, Chembur
Each property and the plan for it
DU: One common thing for each property is the location. When we opened Shy, there was no premium place in Chembur. Same with Powai. Everyone was doing nightlife, with loud Bollywood music. There were only 1 or 2 like Beirut so we wanted to carve a niche for all-day dining. While the revenue comes at Powai; people also keep coming back and that is very comforting and encouraging. The learning for us with this property was immense.
PS: Chembur is an area trying to be ultra-modern, but we went extremely vintage with the vibe to make it feel like the property has always been there. With Powai, the idea was not to be too nightlife-focused and let it be premium dining. The outcome of it surprised us the most. We realised what a big gap there is in the market. In Powai we cater to 120 people on a Monday afternoon.
Gigi on a roll
DU: If you have to establish something premium, then it has to be in Bandra where the spending power is higher. It’s the hub of culture. The best part was how Nikita conceptualised the space, especially for someone who’s not an architect. I’ve not seen something like this in Bombay, in my 10 years in the industry. You can have the best location but if the place isn’t good looking, then it’s a liability.
Donna Deli, Bandra
Demy, Shy, Eve…. The meaning behind a name
DU: We brainstorm on our names internally and keep it short and sweet. We have a lot of
women coming to our spaces, who tend to be our target audience.
PS: We build places for women and feel that they are the decision-makers when it comes to going out.
DU: They’re the decision-makers of everything. Our chef [at Gigi] is a woman; it’s a female-led kitchen.
What’s next?
PS: We want to expand Kaiā as a boutique hotel. You’ll see two more Eve’s opening; one in Worli and one in Bandra.
DU: We’re also opening a Mexican joint in BKC. I feel Mexican’s not been explored but you have to do it properly and make it more experiential. Make it more fine dining, and it’ll do well, especially in a corporate area like BKC.
Gigi, Bandra
Personal preferences
DU: I’m in love with Japanese food. I want to go to Japan and stay for two weeks and learn about the food, beverages and desserts. I think vegetarian Japanese is going to be the next big thing. It’s become what Thai food was three years ago.
PS: I also think Bali is going to be the food capital of the world. Talented people who are not commercially oriented have moved to Bali and they’re doing amazing stuff. Locally, Americano as a restaurant surprised me the most. I thought that Kala Ghoda as an area would’ve been a big challenge, but they’ve become huge. Even the way Slink & Bardot is going right now; Vicky [Singh] and Riyaaz [Amlani] are killing it. The location is hardly for premium customers, but they are pulling them in. It’s a good learning.
The five-year plan
PS: To establish ourselves in India really well and scale a few concepts that we’re building. We continue not to lose skin in the game by building more boutique brands, trying to introduce new things to the city or the country. Also, to build Kaiā where we can take it globally and market it as an Indian-born, slow-living brand.
DU: For me, Chrome has to become the best hospitality company in the world. If we don’t believe we’re the best, then no one else will.
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