Bastian is easily one of the most sought-after restaurants in India today, and scoring a table here is no easy feat. The hotspot has become one of not just Mumbai’s but India’s most talked-about dining destinations. However, its journey wasn’t always this glamorous. On the latest episode of Stories From Bharat, Shilpa Shetty and restaurateur Ranjit Bindra reflected on the four-year struggle the now-iconic restaurant endured before achieving massive success.
It Took Shilpa Shetty & Ranjit Bindra 4 Years To Make Bastian Profitable!
Kamiya Jani sat down with Shilpa Shetty and Ranjit Bindra at Mumbai’s Amma Kai. Over some delicious South Indian flavours, the trio discussed the economics of running a high-end restaurant, the impact of clickbait culture, and the pressures of being a public figure. During the conversation, Bastian Hospitality founder Ranjit Bindra revealed that it took Bastian nearly four years to turn profitable.
Ranjit Bindra shared that the first Bastian outlet was a 3,000 sq ft, 80-seater restaurant. “It took me four years to become profitable. I was burning, burning, burning…” he recalled. Shilpa Shetty playfully interjected, “Till I came!”
“I believed in the product, and at the right time, Shilpa came in. I had already seen that the product was being accepted, and I felt it was time to move into a bigger space,” he added.
Also Read: Curly Tales Gets 1st Look At Shilpa Shetty’s Bastian Beach Club In Mumbai; Get Your Swimwear!
How Did Bastian Expand In Mumbai?
For those unfamiliar with the restaurant’s early journey, here’s a quick look back. Bastian began as an 80-seater restaurant in Bandra in 2016. By 2019, it expanded into a 210-seater space in Worli, complete with rich interiors and panoramic views of the city.
Although the Worli outlet later shut down due to redevelopment, the team turned the setback into an opportunity. Within just three months, they launched a sprawling 500-seater restaurant in Dadar. Today, diners can enjoy stunning views of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, and anyone who’s visited knows just how grand and spectacular the space truly is.
Also Read: Shilpa Shetty’s Bastian Brings ‘Maa Ke Haath Ka Khana’ To Bandra With Ammakai
You can catch the entire episode on Curly Tales’ YouTube channel and check out the entire conversation that flowed over delicious food.
Cover Image Courtesy: Internal
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