Hunger Inc: The Brutal Reality Of Building Restaurants In India | Table 1 with Vir Sanghvi
The founders of Hunger Inc., Yash Bhanage, Sameer Seth, and Chef Hussain Shahzad, join Vir Sanghvi for one of the most unfiltered, gritty, and eye-opening conversations on the brutal reality of the Indian restaurant business. From surviving soul-crushing public backlash and entitled guests to taking the massive gambles that redefined modern Indian dining, this is the uncompromising story behind building one of India's most loved hospitality empires.
In this episode of Table 1 with Vir Sanghvi, the team behind brands such as The Bombay Canteen, O Pedro, Bombay Sweet Shop, Veronica’s, and Papa’s reflects on their rollercoaster journey. They open up about early failures, the intense pressure that leads to chefs crying in walk-in coolers, and what it is really like dealing with entitled guests. They also speak candidly about the devastating loss of their mentor, Chef Floyd Cardoz, and the completely unexpected, hurtful social media backlash that followed.
Today, Hunger Inc. is fiercely celebrated for breaking the rules of Indian hospitality, but as they reveal in this sit-down, the glamorous side of restaurants is a lie. They break down the surreal extremes of the industry, from cooking bacon and eggs for Roger Federer to surviving the toxic nature of classic hotel kitchens, and explain why true hospitality means taking risks that nobody else is willing to take.
Table 1 with Vir Sanghvi, produced by Culinary Culture Studios, brings together influential chefs, restaurateurs, hoteliers, and hospitality leaders for honest conversations about ambition, failure, risk, and the realities behind building successful empires.
Watch the full episode and subscribe for more conversations from Table 1.
00:00 - "I Used to Cry in the Walk-Ins": The Brutal Reality of Kitchens
01:46 - The Blueprint: Reimagining Indian Food from Scratch
04:41 - Rejecting Liquid Nitrogen & The Birth of Bombay Canteen
06:09 - "In 6 Months You'll Shut Down": Surviving Entitled Diners
09:30 - From an 8,500 Rupee Waiter to Hospitality Empire
21:10 - The Dark Side of Luxury Hotels
25:34 - Flying to New York for Eleven Madison Park
35:43 - "Got My Ass Kicked": The Trauma of 3-Star Michelin Kitchens
44:16 - The "PX" VIP System & Why Front of House is Broken
50:31 - Kicking Out Abusive Guests & Indian Entitlement
55:04 - The Dream Gig: Cooking for Roger Federer
1:05:21 - The "Eggs Kejriwal" Phenomenon
1:07:25 - Rejecting "Authentic" Food: The Massive Gamble of O Pedro
1:16:04 - The Istanbul Epiphany: Reinventing Indian Mithai
1:22:23 - The Tragic Loss of Chef Floyd Cardoz & The Backlash
1:28:44 - 1.5 Lakh Clicks in One Minute: The Story Behind Papa's
1:35:51 - Serving Red Weaver Ants & Pushing Culinary Boundaries
1:37:49 - Late Night Chinese & Where Top Chefs Actually Eat
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