CLOUD KITCHEN

...Is the new buzzword in dining today. But is it here to stay? Industry experts give their take.

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AIso referred to as ghost kitchens, virtual kitchens, or dark kitchens, cloud kitchens are a type of restaurant development that goes by many names, but all referencing a new model which is a restaurant with no storefront but operations solely through delivery.

With the millennials, Gen Z and Gen Y forming the bulk of our population, dine-out and online delivery are trending like never before. We ask industry experts to give us their take on the phenomenon that has become all the rage, thanks to COVID, and is growing only bigger.

Dhaval Udeshi, Co-Founder, Chrome Asia Hospitality, and Awadesh Jha, Director, Food & Beverage, Holiday Inn International Airport Mumbai, answer queries that pop up about the rise of cloud kitchens, the pitfalls to avoid if starting one and whether the trend is here to stay...

DO CLOUD KITCHENS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PROVIDE A GROWTH MODE TO THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY?

Dhaval Udeshi: "Technology has not just impacted but disrupted various aspects of our lives, including the relationship we have with food. India's food aggregators have changed the dynamics of the hospitality landscape impacting the standard and model of restaurants and food delivery space. Most of the credit for this change can be given to the pandemic that kept every individual indoors for almost two years. Along with it, demographic advantage has been a huge driving factor. Genz and millennials who are the young employable workforce dominating the smartphone era are leading to increased internet penetration which have expanded the market for cloud kitchen owners to establish themselves across cities and townships."