Rise of young foodpreneurs

I never knew that I was capable of starting a business on my own. It was one of my friends who noticed the spark of an entrepreneur in me and I decided to give it a try. A big-time foodie, I channelised my interest in food to start a travel-themed vegetarian cafe in Nanganallur. The place is a conservative locality in Chennai and it was like a double-edged sword to open a cafe in that part of the city. But luckily, it worked out. Initially, my parents and close friends were doubtful if I could pull off the venture. But I was confident and fully prepared to knock the scare out of me. The cafe became an instant hit among the Nanganallur residents and there has been no looking back since then. Being a beginner in the food business, I’m looking for innovative ideas to attract people to the cafe. Before, there was this notion that people, who are members of the family in the same industry, can run the business. But, things are changing now — young entrepreneurs are recognised and appreciated by the society. One important lesson I’ve learned is to take criticisms as a challenge.

A classroom is a holy place and it was my big dream to start a classroom-themed restaurant in the heart of the city. When I finished my graduation, I informed my parents about my dream. Like any other parent, they were reluctant in the beginning. But I was sure of what I want to do with my life. I opened Mass Bunk a couple of months back. The place serves authentic Italian vegetarian food. Coming from an engineering background, I have zero idea about business. I took this as an opportunity to learn new things and unleash my creativity. If you ask me two critical points to succeed in your workplace, it would be perspective and better vision. Try not to cloud your mind and take criticisms in your stride. Adapt to changes if you want to establish yourself as a restaurateur. And yeah, the table tennis academy near the cafe is a big stress-buster.

I am a hard-core foodie and I love cooking for my parents and friends. While I was doing my second-year MBBS, I started a small venture with my friend from school in 2016. We were the first one to launch the Thai ice cream rolls in the city. But, we had to close it due to certain circumstances. One year later, I opened a new cafe in Nungambakkam with a great ambience. Since our motto is to give our customers a great dining experience, we have got a separate lounge with a big home theatre — diners can watch movies and even catch live tennis matches. Currently, I am in my third-year at Sri Ramachandra University and my class timings are from 8 am to 4 pm. But I find time to manage my business and studies, thanks to the well-advanced technology. I’ve found a way to get updates from the restaurant every now and then. I get alerts on billing, menu, scheduling, etc. The important lesson I’ve learned is to explore and do extensive research to be at the top of the game. Build your band and go that extra mile by thinking out of the box.