Mumbai-based
Girish Salian - restaurateur, social worker and a Hyundai owner - on keeping up
with the times, spreading cheer and his drive
The Fort
district, in Mumbai, is famed for its wide variety of restaurants. The
claustrophobically narrow lanes are home to many of Mumbai's iconic
restaurants, and, especially Manglorean eateries, which were set up by
Kannadigas in the late 1960s and '70s.
Among them
is a no-frills restaurant called Harish Lunch Home. Every day, at lunch hour,
office goers sit shoulder to shoulder on its benches and foodies swear by its
Lady Fish and Lape fry, Kori Roti, and, among others, Bangda Curry. Watching
the steady stream of customers - and there are as many who come in the evening
for beer and dinner - you'd think it has always been smooth sailing for the
restaurant, and that its owner can simply sit back and rake in the money
forever and ever. But Girish Salian, who owns the eatery as well as nearby
Harish Refreshment and a much larger establishment called Tanish Residency,
near Taloja, on the outskirts of Mumbai, hardly the person to do that. In fact,
he knows very well he can't afford to. Salian, 54, is a practical man, and is
familiar with the pitfalls of complacency. About a decade after Salian took
charge of the restaurants from father, who set them up, he realised that the
restaurant business was changing very rapidly.
"Fort
was no longer the hub of business in Mumbai, or the only place for offices.
People were moving elsewhere. Plus, tastes were changing rapidly;
health-consciousness was gaining ground. Thalis, which drove our business, were
losing traction. In the early 80s, we used to sell as many as 300 thalis during
lunch every day, that number was more than halved in the 1990s," says
Salian, who owns a Hyundai i20. "Even if you have been around for decades,
it's never easy in the restaurant business."
Salian,
who has been associated with the India Hotels and Restaurant Association as
joint secretary and treasurer, could have simply capitulated to changing times,
and reflected on the glories of his restaurants in his old age. But, he swung
into action after studying the changing dynamics of the market, and applied the
lessons he learnt to his decades-old business quickly. "I didn't
completely do away with the thali. But, I realised that you have to focus on a
la carte more. Offer options, and that I learnt from McDonald's, as well as
streamlining operations. And, we learnt to cater to each individual's
preferences and dislikes, rather than do a sort of one size fits all thing
which had worked earlier." For his vegetarian restaurant, Salian also
procured a beer license. The strategy worked, and Harish Lunch Home is full at
lunch hour and dinner most days, even though Fort is a shadow of what it once
was. And, to attract newer, younger customers, Salian also organizes food
festivals every couple of months. "When I first entered the business, we
had never heard of food festivals. But one has to move with the times."
When
Salian set out to buy a biggish premium hatchback over five years ago, he
applied the same logic to his car-buying decision as he has to professional
matters. "It had to look premium, have enough space, features, and, most
importantly, deliver good fuel efficiency. I think it fit the bill for me and
my son, who uses it more than I do, and who it was intended for." What
does he think of the new i20 Elite? Salian likes it. He is surprised that the
premium hatchback comes with a Start button, and thinks that it's a very
feel-good thing to have in the car. He bought the previous generation i20,
because he wanted to have a car for the city. "I drive to Navi Mumbai
often, and I happen to stop at various places along the way, so I needed a car
that could be parked anywhere without any problem, and yet was big and stable
enough on the highway." The new i20 Elite, he thinks, is a tempting
prospect. "It's smoother, more refined and there's a lot more space
inside," he says, as he drives it around town. Salian says that the new
i20s interiors are loaded with features, but, as importantly, he is happy that
the interior design is tasteful. "I find a lot of cars too flashy from the
inside, but this one is subtle, and, yet, offers you nearly everything you'd
want." Salian likes his cars to look sharp, and the new, edgy design of
the i20 Elite finds favour with him. "It looks young, my son would love
it. He's the one who drives our i20 more than I do."
The other
things Salian notices is the sprightly nature of the Elite i20, the smooth
power delivery of its 1200cc, 82bhp engine, and the soft, cushioned seats. Does
he feel like replacing his old i20 with the Elite? Salian thinks for a while.
"It is a very interesting car. If I buy this one, I'll stop driving my
sedan. But who knows? Maybe" he says.
Salian is
not just a successful restaurateur, he is also a driving force behind his
community's efforts to help the less privileged among them. "I always
think that your community is important for you to succeed. They are your
people, it's like a large family. Connections are made, help is rendered and
accepted, one things leads to another. In today's fast-paced world, where
people don't even know who their neighbours are, it only makes sense to stick
together. Together, we can help ourselves and many others." Salian's
leadership has seen the Kulalas, who hail mostly from the Tulu-speaking part of
Karnataka, set up community centres, donated funds to help with education of
children, encouraged and facilitated adoption of orphans and is now working to
set up a Kulala Bhavan, in Mangalore.
Published By: Top Gear
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