"A successful restaurant starts with a well-defined concept!"

Kula Naidu and Sid Mathur, Directors, Secret Ingredient, reveal the key components of a successful hospitality business

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In the cases of both Kula Naidu and Sid Mathur, immersion in international cultures and flavours began early in life. Born and raised in Malaysia, Naidu had been carefully expanding and building on his innate understanding of food and branding. In Mathur's case, well-travelled parents and being brought up in London had armed him with a world vision and an indigenous approach to hospitality.

Moving to New Delhi in 2007, Naidu delved into food, gaining experience and knowledge from a practical first-hand perspective. His holistic view of the industry allowed him to create the long-standing ventures he maintains today. FoodCraft, launched in May 2012 with Asian Haus, has since grown, operating seven units with five different brands - Sushi Haus, Dilli Haus, Amma's Haus and finally, FoodCraft Catering, which is credited with revolutionising packaging and is considered a pioneer in the food delivery space.

After spending nine years in private banking and equity trading, Mathur too returned to India, heeding the F&B calling. Reconnecting with Riyaaz Amlani, CEO & MD, Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality, he invested in the group and also became an active Director & Head of Food with a pan-India role. Sensing the gap in the market for honest and professional food consultancy, he founded Secret Ingredient in 2010. Starting slow, a loyal customer base was established, followed by the birth of the luxury mithai brand Khoya in 2016.

Together, Naidu and Mathur have built Secret Ingredient into India's leading food consultancy firm, conceptualising and providing end-to-end solutions for restaurants and hospitality businesses.