At just 34, Pallavii Gupta has carved a niche in Bangalore’s F&B scene with The Kind—a chain of brew rooms known for their warmth, thoughtful menus, and inclusive approach to food. A NIFT graduate who transitioned from fashion to hospitality, she opened the first outlet in 2023 under Aanuma Hospitality. With three thriving locations and a fourth on the way, Gupta’s vision is only getting bolder.
Excerpts from the interview…
Growing up in a family of food lovers, what are some of your most vivid food memories from childhood?
At just 34, I’ve already spent nearly a decade in the hospitality business. My journey was inspired by a childhood that revolved around food and culinary exploration. I took my first steps into the industry by successfully starting a restaurant in 2015.
My family is full of foodies! My parents always encouraged me to diversify my palate by nudging me to try new things. Many of our travels also involved food, and I would often join classes each time we went abroad—learning everything from making pizza dough and gelato to piping cupcakes and understanding Italian ice creams.
I remember watching my parents engage with chefs at hotels, discussing food and ingredients—it made me incredibly curious. My mom would often come back and try to recreate those recipes at home.
I was born in Dehradun, and we would often visit my grandparents there during the summers. I especially loved the chocolate cake and cream rolls at Elloras. That early love for buttercream eventually inspired our Simple Chocolate Cakeat The Kind—it’s our very own version of the classic.
How did your time at NIFT and your initial career in fashion shape the way you approach hospitality today?
My education at NIFT, Mumbai, and my early career in the fashion industry have significantly influenced the way I approach the hospitality sector. Fashion instilled in me a strong understanding of design thinking, attention to detail, and the importance of creating experiences that are not only aesthetically refined but also emotionally resonant. Studying design taught me how to add value and make things truly unique.
The discipline and creativity I honed in fashion have played a big role in helping me build a hospitality brand that values thoughtful storytelling, consistency, and a strong visual and sensory identity—whether it’s designing the ambience, the uniforms, the experience of the BOH or FOH, or the way we plate and present food, right down to the menu, crockery, and cutlery.
Beyond visual appeal, what I’ve carried forward most meaningfully is a strong sense of ergonomics and functional design—something that’s critical in both fashion and hospitality. In hospitality, just like in fashion, people may forget the specifics of a menu or a garment—but they’ll always remember how it made them feel.
What was the turning point that convinced you to leave fashion and take the leap into F&B?
I call myself an accidental restaurateur. While fashion gave me a strong foundation in aesthetics, branding, and storytelling, I found myself increasingly drawn to spaces where design could be lived in, tasted, and felt every day. When I moved to Bangalore in 2015, I felt there was a gap in the city for experiential vegetarian food that went beyond Indian cuisine.
The idea of creating a place that brought people together over something as universal as coffee, paired with thoughtfully curated food, felt both exciting and meaningful to me. I saw a clear gap in the market: spaces that offered great coffee often lacked warmth or thoughtful design, and the ones that had the right vibe didn’t always deliver on quality.
Today, we’re the only space at this scale offering a completely vegetarian and eggless bakery, a global cuisine menu that celebrates Indian produce and ingredients, and fair trade coffee. For me, it wasn’t so much about leaving fashion as it was about expanding the canvas. Food and beverage became the medium through which I could express the same creativity, but with even more layers: flavour, space, community, and kindness.
What inspired the name The Kind and the concept behind it?
The name ‘The Kind’ was inspired by my vision to create a space that radiates warmth, connection, and care. I wanted to build something that bridged a real gap in the dining scene, a place that offered great coffee and is built with intention, a completely vegetarian bakery, and thoughtful vegetarian dining all under one roof.
The Kind also reflects the feeling I hope every guest leaves with: a sense of being cared for and valued. From the carefully curated menu to the ambiance, every detail is designed to create a calm, positive environment—one where people can come together, share stories, and simply enjoy each other’s company.
How did you approach launching the first outlet in JP Nagar? What were some early challenges you faced?
The pressure to make every penny count was constant, especially in the early days when we had to build everything from scratch. When I set up my first space in 2016, I had painted the doors and furniture myself. We put our energy into creating an authentic brand that resonated with people, relying on word-of-mouth and community engagement rather than hefty marketing spends. The mindset shift is extremely important. I had to learn to adapt.
You’ve scaled to three outlets in a short span – how do you ensure each one maintains its uniqueness and essence?
At The Kind, we’ve always strived to be more than just a restaurant. We aim to create connections where people feel supported, not just by the food but by the atmosphere we’ve cultivated. My goal is to set a standard for what a successful, women-led business can achieve in the dining industry—combining financial success with positive cultural change.
In less than a year, The Kind had expanded to two new prime spaces in Indira Nagar and Bellandur—not a small feat by any measure. Each outlet is distinct and pulls in a wide range of customers. This sense of variety also applies to all three of The Kind’s spaces. While cohesive overall, each resto-cafe has something unique that adds to its distinctiveness. Most notably, the JP Nagar outlet boasts a large Zen table that helps customers find a moment of tranquility in the hustle and bustle of their daily lives. The Indira Nagar and Bellandur spaces being pet-friendly is a huge bonus for pet parents in Bangalore. The Kind is India’s first all-vegetarian casual dining resto-cafe, coffee roastery and eggless craft bakery!
What made you decide to focus on vegetarian offerings and specialty coffee?
In 2023, under the umbrella of my company, Aanuma Hospitality, I opened the first outlet of The Kind in JP Nagar. The goal was clear—to offer specialty coffee alongside exceptional vegetarian dishes and bakes, filling a noticeable gap in Bangalore’s food and beverage scene. With The Kind, I’m on a mission to redefine vegetarian dining.
What are the hardest parts of being a young founder in a competitive F&B space?
While the journey was challenging in many ways, it taught me how to cut out the noise and stay ahead of the curve. One of my biggest challenges was entering the industry without any formal training—and doing so as a woman founder in what is still a largely male-dominated space. As a first-generation restaurateur, I had to navigate a steep learning curve to truly understand the intricacies of running a restaurant. There are not many women restaurateurs; there are chefs, however!
What helped me push through was my deep passion for exceptional food and my commitment to continuous learning. I invested time in understanding industry best practices, learning from experts, and staying updated with the latest trends and technology in F&B. That commitment to self-improvement and knowledge-building helped bridge the gap for me.
With The Kind, I focused on offering unique, curated experiences—with specialty coffee and thoughtfully crafted cuisine at the centre. By emphasising originality and quality, we were able to carve out a niche in the market. Consistent branding, exceptional service, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere helped us build a loyal community of customers.
I’ve always been deeply invested in training and development—fostering a culture of teamwork and continuous improvement. In the early days, attracting and retaining customers was a challenge due to limited brand recognition. But effective marketing strategies—especially through social media and word-of-mouth—played a key role in building awareness. By staying committed to delivering an exceptional customer experience, we earned positive reviews and repeat visits, which gradually strengthened engagement and loyalty.
Are there any upcoming projects, collaborations, or menu experiments you’re excited about?
Looking ahead, I have my eyes set on launching a fourth outlet in Bangalore in 2025, with prospective blueprints for pan-India expansion. There’s a growing demand for high-quality coffee and unique culinary experiences, and expanding allows us to reach more customers and tap into exciting new markets. The success and profitability of our first outlet in JP Nagar provided a strong financial foundation, making this the right time to invest in growth. We’re also gearing up to launch The Kind’s very own retail line soon—a natural next step as we continue to evolve and meet customer demand. Collaborating with like-minded brands has always been part of our DNA. We love curating cross-promotions and experiences that feel authentic and community-driven, helping us grow through shared values and common goals.
Innovation is at the heart of what we do. We’re constantly experimenting—whether it’s with new cooking techniques, flavours, or seasonal ingredients. Right now, we’ve introduced a Jackfruit Latte and a Mango Kaffe Tonic to our summer seasonal menu—both of which have been super fun and well-received!
How do you decide when it’s the right time to expand to a new location, and what do you look for in a new space?
The success of our first outlet in JP Nagar not only gave us the means but also the proof of concept was established. We knew in a few months that we were doing things right. We consider expansion only when we feel confident that our core team, systems, and brand values are strong enough to replicate without compromise. For us, growth must feel organic, not forced. The timing is right when we know we can uphold The Kind experience—our quality, culture, and sense of connection—across locations. We also consider the neighbourhood—its rhythm, demographics, and whether it has room for a concept that offers warmth, intention, and detail. Ultimately, the space must allow us to grow The Kind.
How important is community-building and customer feedback in the way you evolve your brand?
I believe great service starts with how you treat your own team. We lead with kindness — not just to customers but to each other. When the team feels seen, valued, and supported, they naturally pass that energy on to guests. We don’t train our team with scripts. We train them to listen, observe, and care. Service at The Kind is not only transactional — it’s personal. Our onboarding is less about process and more about building emotional intelligence. We follow a sports culture where everyone understands their role, is accountable and performs as a team.
