What Works And What Does Not…

Three top design professionals in the industry–Bobby Mukherji, Sumessh Menon and Esha Chaudhry– provide an uncensored take on the latest restaurant design trends, challenges and faux pas.

- Rashmi Naicker

What kind of role does design play in driving profits for restaurants within hotels?

Bobby Mukherji (BM): While working with tonnes of hotels and restaurants over the past 25 years, one of the most profound things I’ve learned is that there are very few absolutes in this business. By that I mean there always seem to be exceptions to the conventional wisdom of what it takes to create and then sustain a successful restaurant business.

You have to study the market to see what sort of restaurant and design will work with it. In a restaurant within a hotel, the quality of food is most important. But if the food is good and the atmosphere isn’t complimenting, one is sure to lose the game as hotels are perceived as fantasy spaces and if there isn’t an experience to offer, there’s not much to look forward to as guests of today are well travelled and demand concept driven spaces.

Esha Chaudhry (EC): Any restaurant design is closely aligned with its profit model. Creating customer journey with immersive and diverse experiences attracts in-house guests as well as visitors and offers reason to return for something new, thereby contributing to revenue. Optimum space planning that allows uninterrupted movement of services and flow of events is the ultimate contributor to staff efficiency and profits. Flexible layouts that allow for space optimisation and operations allow areas to be converted into event spaces or cater to larger group gatherings, helps increasing revenue.

Given that the millennial generation is the foremost target audience for any restaurant owner today—how are designers addressing this group?