Scaling an Italian Restaurant in an Indian City

For those with a keen sense of smell, Chianti, a red wine hailing from Tuscany, evokes a distinct aroma in Bangalore. Smells are said to be more intimately connected to memories than other sensory experiences; for many in the Indian city, a sip of Chianti might elicit images of a family-friendly Italian restaurant. Much like the friendly neighbourhood Spider-man whose webs captivated viewers across the globe, Chianti has ensnared Bangalore locals with its flavourful risottos and jiggly panna cottas, tugging them into its chandelier-lit, wooden interiors.

Fanning out across the city into six distinct locations, the brand has broadened its reach beyond its origins in Koramangala. A conversation with one of its founders and current CEO Sudhir Sastry imparted a sense of what it takes to build a restaurant business, especially one that can withstand the caprices of markets and customers.

Spawning the Idea

The enterprise was sparked off over a conversation with friends, inside a smoky bar with beer and starters. On an evening that might have been like any other evening, a casual get-together where pasts were dissected and futures spun into fanciful what-ifs. That’s all it took for Sudhir Sastry to embark on a venture that would eventually reshape his career. Till then, Sudhir had been climbing reliable ladders to success: after an Engineering degree from the R.V. College of Engineering, and a Master’s in Computer Engineering from the U.S., he had stacked up experiences with impressive technology brands. A stint at Bosch, followed by one at Siemens, then at IBM in late 1998, where he had forged, till then, a 14-year trajectory at the American multinational.

That evening in 2012, he wasn’t seeking an alternate career or even a job change. Rather the trio of friends were discussing foods and restaurants. Sudhir himself had always been passionate about cooking, dabbling with various ingredients and flavors for his family and friends. When the discussion veered into Italian foods, they started sensing that there was a gap in the Indian market. By then, Bangalore was a magnet for the cosmopolitans – for well-traveled, adventure seekers who cared less about new products, but more about distinct encounters. With new places, people, foods and wines.

Among international cuisines, Italian foods had already forged a large following. Probably ranking third in the nation, after Indian and Chinese. Yet, the city lacked a visible spread of high-quality Italian restaurants, comparable to outlets like Fiorano and Toscano. Places that served authentic and tasty Italian food in a striking ambience. Koramangala, the nerve center of startups and technology companies, did not have one yet. Instead of glossing over the perceived gap, and returning to their already-busy lives – which included family commitments and full-time jobs at IBM – the group decided to take action. “We have to do this, we’re going to address this market.”

Moreover, they had a sense that they could do it better than others. They had been exposed to various foods during trips abroad, and to the manner in which experiences were elevated by artful restaurateurs. While all three would be co-owners, Sudhir was picked to play an operational role. The team had an advantage: they were steeped in corporate and management processes, so they could ferry such know-how into the new domain.

Kicking Off The Enterprise

When Chianti was kickstarted, Sudhir hadn’t quit his job at IBM. Since he knew he couldn’t be completely hands-on, he set up the restaurant’s organizational structure to ensure that the unit could operate with a fair degree of autonomy. The first outlet, set up as planned in Koramangala, soon gathered an appreciative clientele.

Over many years, Sastry and his friends had been making frequent trips to Italy, exploring its pastas and sauces, its sharp cheeses and tart vinegars. As co-founders of the new restaurant, in 2015, they embarked on a dedicated food-tasting journey, traveling to various cities like Naples, Florence, Milan, Rome, and Modena. Through their journey, they sought to uncover subtle variations in taste. At Modena, they dined at Osteria Francescana, an outlet that was awarded three Michelin stars, and was ranked among the best in the world. Its renowned owner-chef, Massimo Bottura had made a significant dent in New York before setting up his Italian venture.

But back in India, Sudhir was keen on imbuing Chianti with its own character. On modulating the cuisine to cater to Indian tongues. While recipes were to retain a discernible authenticity, innovating and localizing would keep customers returning. For instance, the sauces were made slightly tangier, also reflecting the type of produce available in proximal farms. Moreover, with contemporary city-dwellers having been raised in diverse cultures, Sastry wanted to retain an informal and relaxed service, with no one being made to feel out of place.

Designing the Interiors

The interiors for all the Chianti outlets have been designed by Kavita Sastry, Principal Architect at Ksdesigns, who also happens to be Sudhir’s wife.

Given that the brief from Sudhir was rather succinct – he said he wanted an Italian restaurant with a rustic look – Kavita sought inspiration from the geography that had birthed the food. Besides, Italy, with its renaissance art and monuments, had always been a mecca for architects and designers. She had personally been inspired by a Swiss architect, Mario Botta, who had built a couple of churches in Italy.

One church, in particular, located on a hill, played cleverly with levels, surprising visitors with sudden dips and stunning views. Elements of Botta’s style that appealed to Kavita included the deliberate use of local materials, a spare design that incorporated natural gradients, and handmade furniture. “It was literally like you took some logs from the forest and then somebody nailed it into place.” Kavita tried to evoke the same feel in Chianti. Infusing the place with natural finishes for the flooring – like granite in a light-yellow color – she also incorporated pine ply, upcycled from shipping wastes.

To infuse a sense of romance, she added chandeliers, though she ensured the eatery was awash with natural light. To keep the spaces interesting, she has added changes to each outlet. For instance, the Indiranagar outlet has a swank, semicircular wine bar, whereas the original space in Koramangala was built with a utilitarian drink dispenser. The M.G. Road outlet incorporates island seating; at Bellandur, the A/c ducts are covered with a gold-painted woven wire mesh. At all locales, exposed brick walls and unadorned cement ceilings reinforce the brand’s rustic character.

Scaling Across the City

So far, they have created six restaurants, and plan on expanding further in Bangalore.

Sastry says the environment has been challenging for restaurant operators. For one thing, the finance policies are not very friendly towards such businesses. Then there is the cost of importing ingredients. On top of that, rentals for commercial locations are steep. Then there is the cost of labor. They hadn’t foreseen severe cost control challenges when they started the business. “It’s not at all easy,” Sudhir says. “But if you are successful, it’s not impossible.” His advice to new restaurateurs is: “Just focus on the product, and how you present it.”

At Chianti, almost all dishes are made from scratch, which adds complexity. Moreover, every menu item has elements that are touched by hand. They make some of their own cheeses, including mascarpone and ricotta. While their Executive Chef, Manivel R, supervises Chefs at various outlets, they are considering streamlining certain aspects.

Spreading the Word

While Chianti does market itself on social media, they rely on word-of-mouth as a more powerful medium.

They have also realized, over time, that it might be wiser to increase their presence locally before expanding to other cities. Tentative forays into Chennai and Pune did not prove as successful. Of course some of those attempts were also hampered by the pandemic.

One powerful takeaway from past outlets is that “location” matters more than anything else. Being located on streets alongside other restaurants draws casual foot traffic and curious first-timers.

Building Narratives

In Eat Pray Love, Elizabeth Gilbert dwelt on her love affair with Italian food during her time in Rome. She reveled in the simplicity of ingredients and the care that goes into each dish. Pastas and risottos can do that to all of us: evoke memories of home kitchens and grandmas, while showcasing complex culinary skills.

Having been in the city for more than a decade now, Chianti has witnessed significant moments in the lives of its patrons. Some couples report that they had their initial encounter at the eatery, eventually tying the knot, starting a family and bringing their kids back to Chianti. Tales like these prod Sudhir to augment those memories – with coffee-licked tiramisu or garlicky spaghetti aglio e olio, under the mellow brights of a chandelier.