Organic Road Map From the Kitchen to What it Takes to Run a Restaurant by Chef Rohan D'souza

New Delhi: Chef Rohan D'Souza talks about the competitive restaurant industry and the various challenges he has to face as a chef who has organically come up the ranks honing his skill while simultaneously understanding what it takes to set up concept restaurants in various cities & target audiences. 

My journey as a chef 
From working on luxury cruise ships & gaining great experience from quality chefs from international stints, it’s been a journey from working in luxury fine dining experiences to moving back to India when the country was in its food boom in 2010 is what has made me understand the industry closely from a food business point of view to the customer palate and the constant adaptation styles has given me the confidence to open unique concepts from a steak kitchen in Nairobi Kenya to 3 popular concept diners in Goa, a contemporary mountain cafe in Leh & with newer destinations like Kochi & Hyderabad & loads of restaurant set-ups across Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Dubai. 

The Post-Covid Journey 
With rich experience under my belt before the Covid era. During covid that it was self-realization to take my career to a more stable ground in terms of not getting to cozy with just the kitchen but with the full experience & beyond I knew business-wise I was mature enough and I did have loads of sound ideas and strategies to put into play, this enabled me to work on the business aspect of what it takes the making of successful concept premium restaurants. In 2022 started two signature restaurants, the popular Pisco by the Beach in Goa and moved on to further challenge my skill at it to the Cafe Montagne in Leh which moved into 2023 with a few more concept restaurants in Goa, Kochi & Hyderabad. 

What it Takes 
Along with my culinary skill set, finding the right understanding partners is key in terms of brand goals, identity, vision & business viability. I definitely look at people who are focused and contribute their skin in their game as it takes a lot to run a restaurant in different cities with industry experience is the key In a volatile competitive restaurant business. 

As a Chef & Restaurateur, I’m associated with the Twiroh business which has growth expansions to various cities with my valuable partner Twinkle Keswani whose values in terms of concepts & financial strategy are a stronghold and enable us to take on competitive concepts in other cities across India with niche restaurants and Jellyfish hospitality which is a Goa hospitality based company with partners Praveena Dsouza & Hitesh Keswani besides holding my role as a culinary Director for Silver Beach hospitality which is Mumbai business-centric. 

2023 Road Map 
Lovely new concept restaurants more in the premium category are part of an exciting year ahead with an exciting new beach diner called Blue Turtle with a February launch followed by a backwater dining experience in Kerala to an upbeat freestyle concept in Hyderabad.