His tale blends two simple ingredients: innovation and efficiency into a flavoursome dish called success.
At 22, Chiranjeev Singh is a graphic designer, photographer, an avid blogger and has now turned restaurateur with his latest venture, The Bamboo, a multi-cuisine restaurant located at Thiruvanmiyur.
Changing tracks
“After a stint at Chamiers Road for three months, where we served snacks and home-made desserts, we wanted to move into a larger space,” says Chiranjeev. “We found an appropriate spot at Thiruvanmiyur and opened shop four months ago.”
After a degree in Visual Communication from Guru Nanak College, we ask him why he chose to switch over to the food stream. He laughs. “I love food,” he says, “So does my dad. So here we are.” Just then, a plate carrying six thick slices of Paneer Tikka arrives.
Chiranjeev looks at the plate and suddenly rushes into the kitchen. He’s back with a bowl of mint chutney. “You must try it with this,” he says, serving us a piece of the Tikka and chutney.
He spends most of his time at the restaurant. “I’m here between noon and midnight,” he specifies. “When you are at the restaurant, your staff will automatically work more efficiently. Besides, you get to know your customers well and build a strong client base.”
The Paneer Tikka has just the right amount of spice and is so soft that it melts in our mouth. The chutney blends well with the Tikka. “That’s the idea, you know,” he says, “We don’t want to be like any other place. We really want to create our own taste and identity through our food. Not many people serve authentic North Indian food here. We want to offer just that: authenticity in taste. We are very particular about the ingredient quality and strictly avoid the overuse of oil.”
Multi-tasking
What shouldn’t people miss at The Bamboo, we ask him. “The Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Punjabi and the Veg Sheekh Kebab,” he says. “I still pursue graphic designing,” he continues, “and am a full-fledged freelancer.
On the other hand, I love photography. In spite of running the restaurant, I ensure I take time off for my creative pursuits. It helps me stay connected with what I have learnt.”
Seven months, a successful restaurant and several lessons learnt has been his journey so far. He says, “Youngsters who want to be entrepreneurs should keep in mind that quality is of utmost importance. When you sustain quality, your consumer base will grow ten-fold, effortlessly.”
The Bamboo is at South Mada Street, Opposite Punjab National Bank, Thiruvanmayur. Contact: 9962611479
