Chowman brings authentic Chinese flavours to Bengaluru

For the residents of Kolkata, Chowman seems like a household name. If one craves Chinese cuisine, then the name that comes to one's mind is Chowman. After spreading its charm in the lanes of Kolkata, the brand planted its foot in Bengaluru last year amid the pandemic by opening three cloud kitchens. To know what it takes to build a successful home-grown fine dining Chinese restaurant, BW HOTELIER interacts with Debaditya Chaudhury, Managing Director, Chowman Hospitality Pvt Ltd., Co-owner, Chapter -2 & Oudh 1590 and learns about his journey in the food and beverage (F&B) arena.

Realising a Dream

A foodie by heart, Chaudhary started his professional journey by performing in a band named 'Lakkhichhara.' By performing with his 22-year old band, he got the opportunity to travel all over the world. As Chaudhury recounts, his only motto when he used to travel was to try local food. Back then, he used to taste the food and review it for his friends and family. 

According to Paulo Coelho's words, "When you want something, the entire universe conspires in helping you achieve it." Chaudhury took another step towards his dream in 2006, when a popular FM channel started its operation in Kolkata. Chaudhury was offered to host a show called 'Khete Khete Suno', which translates to listen while you eat. He used to review all the unusual eateries every Sunday. "And then I had this intention of opening a Chinese restaurant or a restaurant," he said.

His ambition took him to China in 2007, and he began researching on Chinese cuisine to learn about its nuances. "There were already millions of Chinese restaurants in Kolkata. The Tangra, the new Chinatown, which is one of the most populated Chinese community in India. And you have n number of restaurants in Kolkata. I was wondering, what should I bring to the table, which will be different from others."

After completing his research, he opened Chowman in 2010. Enclosed within 300-sq-ft parameters at Golf Green, Kolkata's people received an authentic and affordable Chinese outlet near them.

Leaving a mark

In the pool of Chinese restaurants, as Chaudhury mentioned, various factors helped in differentiating Chowman from others. "The first key differentiator was middle-class members. They have this typical mindset; even if they have their money now, they will think twice before going to any fine dining or a five-star restaurant. Not because of the money, but because of the other parts like what do I do? How do I dress? How do I eat with a fork and a spoon? So, they had this hidden desire of dining in all fine dining restaurants, but they didn't have the courage of going there."

With his restaurant, he decided to democratise fine dining. "I opened small fine dining restaurants in every part of the city where I give the same ambience, the same quality of food and the same crockery. The ambience is at par with any five-star high end restaurant, but the pricing is affordable."

In 2010, when there was no aggregator like Swiggy or Zomato, especially in Kolkata, Chaudhary asserted, "Back then only one or two national restaurant chains were present in the market. And we had our own delivery fleet to deliver food. Now, in India, we have the highest number of fleets with around 150 bikers of our branded bikes only in Kolkata."

This made food delivery a lucid part of the business. He claimed that Chowman provides same quality of Chinese food in each of their outlets. Also, the standardised packaging and menu embolden their identity as a brand. After the success of this concept, he took it to Bengaluru. Speaking about future plans, he commented, "We'll be opening about 10 restaurants and cloud kitchens altogether in Bengaluru in 2021 and 2022. Then we will be going to Mumbai in 2023. We will go to Delhi in 2024. For 2025, we're still kind of debating whether Hyderabad or any other city."

Being the F&B company that opened two restaurants during the lockdown and hired over 100 employees, Chaudhury intends to create an impactful brand. "During the pandemic, people were being barred from working especially in the F&B industry whereas we did not lay off our staff, nor did we do a pay cut. At that time, we believed that we should build the team that would have confidence. So, in F&B, I have tried to create this culture where the employee can have a sense of pride for associating with the company," he expressed.

Chaudhury entered the F&B business without any prior training. It was his passion which he turned into his profession. With over 1200 employees, who he terms as his ‘only asset,’ he stated that he shares a personal connection with everyone.

This trust in staff and customers led to the introduction of another premium brand called Oudh 1590 that has around eight outlets. They also have another brand called 'Chapter two' which has two outlets in Kolkata. He elaborated, "Being a musician, I've always felt that in Calcutta there are hardly any places where you can perform. I wanted to promote the live music scenario. So, I opened this restaurant where we play pop, jazz, retro classics, western music, and so far, it has been good experience."

COVID-19 has transformed the F&B industry and cloud kitchen has appeared as a viable alternative to this time. Commenting on the introduction of cloud kitchens in Bengaluru during pandemic, Chaudhury said that during the pandemic, while restaurants had to shut as a consequence of lockdown, his cloud kitchens kept the momentum on. Chaudhury expressed that when the lockdown was relaxed, his cloud kitchen business grew by almost double. And post normalcy, his restaurant business also started growing.

As the next wave of the pandemic is slowly unfolding, the F&B businesses will be affected. When asked about the future of cloud kitchens, he asserted, "Cloud Kitchen is the future F&B business model, but again, the content is king. If your taste and the quality of the food is not good even if you open twenty Cloud Kitchens, it won't work."

Safe surroundings – key to success

Talking about the hygiene protocols observed in his workplace, he stated, "We were the first to start the restaurant hygiene protocol."

He also elaborated about the cleanliness regimen followed at his restaurants and cloud kitchens to provide a safe experience to the guests. When the customer comes to the restaurant to dine in, they are not allowed to take any of their belongings except things like a small purse, helmet, bag, etc. The prohibited belongings are required to be sanitised and kept with the security. They also have foot mats with sanitisers that are used to sanitise guests’ shoes. Then the customer is sanitised using a body sanitiser. After that, the guest's temperature is recorded. Then s/he is given a barcode using which menu can be accessed, thereby eliminating physical contact with the staff and using their mobile, one can place an order. 

"There is a number on the table. You dial that number. An executive will receive the call inside, and he will take the order. After that the food will be prepared and served at the table. Due to hygiene and pandemic considerations, no personalised service is encouraged. Crockery, cutlery, everything is disposable." And after the meal is over, for the billing, one should dial the same number to receive a bill, and one can pay by card, electronic payment, or cash. They do not encourage currency.

For delivery also, there is no physical contact involved. After getting the order, the delivery boy sanitises his hands and his temperature is recorded. It is ensured that he wears a mask and gloves. "When he's going to deliver the food, he will call you. He will keep the food in a separate place outside your house. And he will tell you that the food is there. You can come and pick it up," he added.

Message for entrepreneurs 

Being an entrepreneur himself, he suggested that the budding entrepreneurs must keep three things in mind. "First, if you're doing a business, you have to know the subject and have passion for it. And you have to have the passion for the business; otherwise, it doesn't work," he said.

He continued, "Second, eye for detailing. You have to test everything." He conducts regular surprise tests to ensure that the quality of his services is never compromised.

"And finally, there is no substitute for hard work. If you think that you will take a lift to climb up. No, you have to take the ladders. That's how you learn," he concluded.