Good Food Good Mood

BINDU GOPAL RAO SPEAKS TO ASHESH L SAJNANI, FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, OPA HOSPITALITY TO FIND OUT WHAT MAKES HIS BRAND TICK PVT. LTD.

- BINDU GOPAL RAO

With the food and beverage industry on an overdrive in India, there have been several players who have come and gone. However, OPA Hospitality that completes a decade this year has stood the test of time with a diversified set of offerings that has kept the taste buds of Mumbaikars satiated.

Serial restaurateur Ashesh L Sajnani, the force behind OPA Hospitality, started his journey with the brand in 2012 after he earned a Hospitality Diploma from ‘Hosta School of Hotel and Tourism’ in Leysin, Switzerland. He followed this with hospitality experience in various eateries in Switzerland, a brief internship at the Taj Dubai, and 16 months at Gallops, Mumbai. He then started his first café, restaurant, and lounge, Le Cafe in Chembur in 2004.

Sajnani admits that Hospitality has always been in his DNA. “My family business is in the real estate and hospitality space, and at a very young age I took to food and always wanted to be in the F&B industry. I took over my father’s hotels after my internship.”

After launching his first restaurant, he started Juhu’s hugely popular and multi-award winning Mediterranean restaurant OPA. “OPA means to celebrate in Greek. We received a Times food award for the best newcomer but unfortunately, we had to shut and move out of the location. The name meant a lot to me, so I changed it to my company’s name and had it trademarked and registered.”