From being in the business of poultry farming to creating a distinctive culinary experience loved by one and all, Saurabh Khanijo, Director of Kylin restaurants, has come a long way.
From being a poultry farmer’s son, to running a travel agency, Saurabh Khanijo found his way to his real passion – of being a restaurateur. With 17 restaurants spread across three verticals, Kylin Concept successfully continues to serve a remarkable experience.
Q- How did your journey in the food business begin?
I was born in a family that is into the business of poultry farming, and then got into the travel industry. That gave me the chance to travel and discover new destinations, and gave me the exposure of the food business too. Every time I used to return to India, I could feel the gap in terms of the options for dining out and the experience was missing here. That is when I came up with the idea to open something which is more experiential, and Kylin was born. My journey with Kylin started 15 years ago, and the only reason to start it was to give people an experience that was missing.
Q- What exactly do you mean by experience?
Earlier, dining was all about just going out, eating, and coming back. What I mean from experience is that the first step when you enter the restaurant should make you feel that you have come to an Oriental restaurant. The fragrance of lemon grass grasping the ambience, the oriental interior décor – every element should come together in harmony, to tell you that you’ve entered an authentic Oriental place. And then the way the food is served, and the whole taste of it should befit and enhance the experience further.
Q-What are your other ventures you are in to?
When I opened the first restaurant, Kylin, in 2005, it gave me a lot of exposure to the food world. Then I opened a pizzeria, Sartoria; and then Ivy, the longest bar in town, which was a very high energy bar. I started doing different concepts because I was getting a hang of the food industry. It was being nice to me as if I was destined to be in the food industry, and all these concepts were going well which was quite promising for me to expand further.
Q-What is the USPs of Kylin as a restaurant?
Kylin is an Oriental place where when we call it an experience, we are there to serve you an experience. Our menu ranges from specialties of Thailand to Japan. In terms of the whole journey, we have opened 15 restaurants already in multiple cities which serve a proof that we have managed well across India.
Q-How is India adapting to the evolving trends in the gourmet industry?
India is quickly adapting to different trends because the exposure is too high now. With people frequently traveling across the globe, the Indian food market is also readily adapting to deliver international cuisines. Beyond the Italian and Chinese cuisine, now people are ready to explore any kind of tastes and any kind of cuisine. But, at the same time, being in Asia, Indians are more bent towards Asian flavours. So, Japan is very big, and sushi has become a must on every menu; so are Thai flavours or Vietnamese cuisine.
Q-Your favourite food trend?
Anything to do with Asian cuisine – I love the bowl meal concept. Because, bowl meal is very comforting, you can give a wholesome meal in a bowl which is personalized.
Q-Any suggestion for people who are willing to get in to this industry?
Get in to this industry only when you are serious, because it is a lot of hard work. It is a serious business where you have to give your 100%. It cannot be a side business because it needs a lot of personalized attention and involvement.
Q-What are your plans for the future?
My vision in terms of Kylin is very ambitious. I want to take it to every possible city. But I make sure that each and every Kylin does well in terms of business. It is a 15-year-old legacy now and I can’t afford to just ramp up the speed so quick. It is time for us to scale up things given the years of experience, but depending on the economy and requirement, we are ready for the future.
