Culinary success with Sameer Seth, the force behind Bombay Canteen, Bombay Sweet Shop and Papa's.

Hospitality, like design is seamless when done well.” Sameer Seth, Co-founder of Hunger Inc, talks about the ingredients needed to run a restaurant well. He would know. The Bombay Canteen has become an iconic venue in the city, O Pedro is a huge success and Veronica's has serpentine queues for a sandwich. Impossible to even think of getting a reservation at Papa's Bombay .

Sameer and his partner, Yash, met in Cornell in the U.S, returned to India and started Bombay Canteen ten years ago, a place that offers the comfort of Bombay delights like eggs Kejriwal, but with a modern twist. Back then, they thought Bombay Canteen may not do well and provisioned for only one section of the restaurant to function when needed. Clearly that never happened. This team has created culinary magic in Mumbai, a city they stay loyal to for many reasons.

Hunger Inc is now a 500 people company with over 100 crores in revenues. Sameer talks about how from running with intuition, now the team has to proceed with intention. The culture, processes, retaining people and fund raising. All need clear strategy . It’s also where his banking history comes in good use. The name Chef Floyd, a name that comes up often in the interview wa aan integral part of their team, tragically passed away during Covid.


What is the barometer for success these days? News of fund raising definitely makes an impact . Sameer says that’s a misnomer. Money actually wants to make more money and accountability takes on a different meaning once you have investors onboard. Hunger Inc,t he umbrella company of these eateries and of Bombay Sweet Shop, has managed to secure money from outside investors, however, this is a part of the overall strategy and culture of a successful business, says Sameer, as they steer carefully in the sea of valuation.

Papa's is the restaurant we’ve all been trying to get a reservation at. With Chef Hussain Shahzad at the helm of the this amazing theatrical food experience at @papasbombay, Sameer says it’s like a performance for its audience, a tiny audience of 12 people. Just like in Japan, where there are even 2-3 seater little holes in the wall. The idea wasn’t to create scarcity which seems to be the new buzz word. It was to create a small community experience with experiential gastronomy.

Hunger Inc is now a 500 people company with over 100 crores in revenues. Sameer talks about how from running with intuition, now the team has to proceed with intention. The culture, processes, retaining people and fund raising. All need clear strategy . It’s also where his banking history comes in good use. The name Chef Floyd, a name that comes up often in the interview wa aan integral part of their team, tragically passed away during Covid.

Hunger Inc has grown exponentially and at the heart of it, Sameer says, is consistency of course but also hospitality that is felt and not seen . He says it’s taken a while to bring in the ethos that service is not servitude in modern India .Smart, savvy and a total foodie, Sameer was a delight to interview . I think we’ll be great friends going forward . #sameerseth #hungerinc #bombaycanteen #opedro #veronicas #bombaysweetshop #papasbombay #bombayfood #indianfoodwithatwist #eggskejriwal #barleysalad #10yearsofbombaycanteen #goanfood #sandwiches #gastronomy #foodentrepreneurship #hospitality #restaurants #restaurantbusiness #service #successinfood #serviceindustry #mithai #letstalk

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