In 2015, Munaf Kapadia, then a marketing professional at Google, made an unconventional career pivot. Trading spreadsheets for spice blends, he left the tech giant to build The Bohri Kitchen (TBK) — a venture born from his mother’s traditional Bohri recipes and his entrepreneurial instincts.
A decade later, The Bohri Kitchen has evolved into one of Mumbai’s most beloved homegrown food brands, serving gourmet Bohri cuisine to thousands of customers every week through dine-ins, delivery, and catering. What began as a small home-based pop-up has grown into a multi-crore culinary enterprise blending authenticity, storytelling, and community.
From a Family Dining Table to Mumbai’s Dining Map
The Bohra community — a small Muslim sect known for its rich culinary heritage — inspired Kapadia’s vision to make Bohri food mainstream. What started as intimate weekend feasts hosted by his mother, Nazneen Kapadia, in their Colaba home soon gained popularity through word of mouth and social media buzz.
Munaf’s marketing acumen and digital storytelling turned TBK into a viral brand. Photos of the silver thaal, slow-cooked mutton biryanis, and traditional kharas-sweet courses attracted not just food lovers, but also media attention and celebrity guests.
By 2016, TBK was hosting fully booked pop-up experiences every weekend, drawing diners from across Mumbai eager to experience the warmth of a home-cooked Bohri meal.
The Business of Authenticity
Unlike typical restaurants, The Bohri Kitchen’s success lay in its storytelling and community-driven model. Each dining experience was designed to make guests feel part of the family — complete with cultural anecdotes and shared thaal dining traditions.
Kapadia soon diversified the business into delivery kitchens, catering, and packaged foods, adapting to changing urban dining habits. During the pandemic, TBK’s pivot to delivery and cloud kitchens kept the brand alive, serving comfort food when dining out wasn’t possible.
By 2025, TBK operates multiple cloud kitchens across Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru, with a growing line of ready-to-eat biryanis, kebabs, and condiments. The brand also partners with premium aggregators like Zomato Gold and Swiggy Gourmet, serving over 1 lakh monthly orders.
Balancing Tradition with Scale
Kapadia’s biggest challenge was scaling authenticity. Maintaining traditional cooking techniques while serving larger audiences required innovation without compromise.
TBK introduced standardized recipes and quality-controlled kitchens while continuing to source key ingredients — like saffron, dry fruits, and homemade masalas — from family vendors.
As Kapadia explains, “Scaling Indian food isn’t about cutting corners; it’s about preserving soul through systems.”
Recognition and Growth
The Bohri Kitchen’s success has earned recognition from both industry and media. Kapadia was featured in Forbes 30 Under 30, and the brand won The Economic Times F&B Innovation Award for its storytelling-led dining model.
TBK’s success also inspired Kapadia’s memoir, “How I Quit Google to Sell Samosas”, chronicling his journey from corporate life to culinary entrepreneurship — a story that resonated with a new generation of risk-taking founders.
As of 2025, TBK clocks annual revenues exceeding ₹25 crore, expanding beyond Mumbai into Dubai and Singapore through curated pop-up experiences and brand collaborations.
The Recipe for Future Growth
Looking ahead, The Bohri Kitchen plans to enter international markets with its signature thaal dining format and packaged gourmet foods. With growing global demand for Indian regional cuisines, TBK aims to position Bohri food as a premium cultural export.
Last Updated on: Thursday, October 30, 2025 5:20 pm by Business Byte Team | Published by: Business Byte Team on Thursday, October 30, 2025 5:20 pm | News Categories: Uncategorised
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