A 19-year-old kid from a family of lawyers would end up becoming the most reputed face of experiential dining and entertainment in India.
A self-made entrepreneur, Priyank Sukhija started with fine dining, Lazeez Affaire, at Chanakyapuri in 1999, and subsequently introduced a range of iconic concepts, from old and classic to modern and avant-garde, across diverse F&B segments like fine dining, casual dining, pubs, and clubs. In a career spanning 23 years, Priyank has opened more than 30 different outlets and has successfully created some of the most talked-about brands in the industry – Misosexy, Bougie, Diablo, Plum by Bent Chair, Dragonfly, Lord of the Drinks, Lazeez Affaire, The Flying Saucer Cafe, and several more.
Today with us Priyank Sukhija, MD and CEO of First Fiddle Restaurants, shares a warm conversation about his hospitality journey, the challenges he faced, and his passion for décor. He also adds a glimpse of some upcoming expansion plans…
- You started your journey at the age of 19 and since then there has been no looking back. Tell us something about it.
My career options were quite slim as a 19-year-old kid who had just dropped out of college and was fighting dyslexia. I’ve always had a fondness for food, both eating and serving, and parties, which invariably pushed me toward the idea of starting my own restaurant. Lazeez Affaire came about after intensive research, trials, and errors, and learning the business end of the rope. Despite stepping into the unknown, I trusted my tongue and love for food, which gave me the confidence I needed back then. Once the restaurant opened with satisfied customers, I was convinced that this was exactly what I was meant to do.
- When and how did you realize your love for food?
To be honest, I can’t tell the exact moment, but I remember in school and through what little college I attended at first, I was best known as the person who always knew the best-hidden spots for all kinds of food, and I enjoyed being that person.
- From then to now, how has the industry changed?
Back then, every outlet was either fine-dine or an outright club. Lazeez Affaire, my first restaurant, also followed the fine-dine norm. However, since then, a lot has changed. The industry slowly made way for a middle-ground: casual dining. With outlets such as Lord of the Drinks, Tamasha, Flying Saucer, and more, our patrons could enjoy the best of both, dining and dancing. By the time 2019 rolled around, the industry was ready for another change; this time into experiential dining. The audiences wanted something more than a casual dining space, looking for outlets that offered more than just good food. Conceptual and experiential outlets such as Plum by Bent Chair, Dragonfly Experience, and Diablo, were able to take center stage.
- How do you ensure that you match the taste of people from across India? You have outlets in several cities.
Through all my travels and experiments, I’ve understood that though everyone craves something new, they feel most comfortable in the familiar. This is why most of my outlets and brands focus on fusion-style cuisines. This gives our audiences a chance to try something new, from an entirely new global cuisine, while still being able to indulge in their native tastes. I try to include popular tastes from around India in all my menus to ensure that we can offer something to everyone.
- What are the things you keep in mind while preparing your menu?
Definitely versatility. India is a vast country with varying tastes in every corner. Every time I set out to curate a menu with my head chef, I try and include at least one dish for every palate. The other thing I keep in mind is creating a healthy balance of new and undiscovered dishes for those seeking to add a little adventure to their plates.
- It’s not just food, you are also interested in décor, and Bent Chair is an example. Tell us about that.
I think decor and events became a part of my territory with the onset of experiential and concept dining. The rise of Instagram pushed the industry into a race to become the ‘most Instagrammable’ spot in town. I joined hands with Bent Chair back in 2018, launching Plum By Bent Chair, which was India’s first retail restaurant that allowed its patrons to purchase everything that saw inside the outlet. It brought about how the right designs only add to the experience of the patron. With my upcoming brand Noche, this partnership will only take a step forward.
- How do you deal with competition?
I simply work hard, for me, my only competition is the man in the mirror, and with every launch and new brand, I try and do better. Everyone else in the industry is a peer and an entrepreneur like myself, creating unique experiences that push the boundaries of all that India has to offer as a collective industry. I learn from them; from their successes as well as failures, but I only compete with myself.
- What are the hardships that you deal with as a restaurateur? I mean, it’s not always profit.
For a career spanning 23 years, there are a lot of curveballs! Of course, making sure that my brands are profitable is one of the bigger issues we focus on, but one of the biggest hardships has always been to correctly estimate when the audiences are ready for something new. For example, I had introduced sushi in an Asian-cuisine-based brand back in 2018 but had to quickly shut it down because I believe our audience was not open to experimenting back then. Today, sushi and pan-Asian dishes are some of the most popular dishes from all my brands. Likewise, I have faced hardships in understanding how to run a parent company that houses over 35 outlets around the country, and how to ensure that our brands don’t become just another forgettable outlet.
- How do you deal with creativity block? The food industry is evolving and each day there’s something new.
I travel. I have found that nothing cures a creative block better and faster than venturing out of your everyday routine and comfort zone into something entirely different. I love exploring new places and their hidden food gems, which often inspire the next ‘something new’ that I can bring to Indian audiences.
- What’s next? What are you treating us with now?
Looking into the immediate future, I’ve got Noche and Tickled Pink ready to open their doors to Delhites. They’re both poles, where Noche is a progressive Latin restaurant with heavy art influences, Tickled Pink is a feel-good comfort corner with fusion twists to favourite authentic dishes from every corner of India.
