There is no age limit to follow your passion. That’s what Amit Nagpal and Sanjay Sahni, the franchise owners of BBQ Company, teach us. After being in the IT sector for nearly two decades, the best buddies ventured into the field of entrepreneurship and sprang exploring what they cherish the most. They opened the BBQ Company franchise in Noida, which has got an excellent response in the first two months of its opening.
Interview Times had a great opportunity to converse with both of them and know more about them and their franchise outlet of BBQ Company at Noida. Here is how the interview went-
Can you brief about yourself to our readers?
This venture was started by Amit Nagpal & me, who are college buddies, like brothers and now partners in The Barbeque Company, Noida. Both of us have spent almost 20 years in the software industry working for large multinational brands. We were poised to rise further in our careers but continuously felt something was missing from our professional lives. We both are a die-hard foodie and had a passion for being an entrepreneur. A chance meeting with the Brand and Branches fructified into the reality of making our dream come true of opening a restaurant and bringing happiness and contentment in the lives of people through it.
Was the passion for food in both of you been there since childhood or was it developed into your later life stages?
Since childhood, Amit loved to cook. There were quite a few occasions when his mother had to work a little late, and he made paranthas of different types, without any supervision, for his younger brother. Even from that young age, Amit felt deeply satisfied to see his younger brother’s delight and contentment. As time passed, he became engrossed in his higher education and then his profession. However, the satisfaction he got when his family and others enjoyed his food never went away.
I always loved cooking food for my friends & family. My passion for cooking food began when I moved to Bangalore for a job and stayed with a couple of my friends. I started cooking food as a necessity but soon realized my passion for cooking and started experimenting with cooking different cuisines, again as a hobby. I am an ardent admirer of Indian and Mughlai food, so love to cook them whenever I get a chance.
When the idea of becoming the franchise owner of The Barbeque Company came into being?
It was an excellent chance to meet with the Brands & Branches, the master franchisee of the brand, in August last year when we decided to plunge into this industry. We met the brand owner, Mr. Harmandeep Singh Khurana Ji, who visited the Gurgaon and Jail Road outlets and were very much impressed with the food quality and service standards.
We then zeroed onto the location, Gardens Galleria Mall, Noida’s social hub, and the fit-out work started in November 2019. The restaurant was initially planned to open in the last week of March 2020 but got delayed because of lockdown & covid situation. Nevertheless, we started our operations on October 5, 2020, with a full set of precautions that needed to be taken to protect from covid.
We have a hefty focus on quality, operational excellence, and customer service, as well as hygienic food and a sanitized environment.
What is the USP of The BBQ in Noida, which makes it best from the rest?
Our mantra is simple – Atithi Devo Bhava.
We will make sure to put this into practice every time a guest walks-in. The Barbecue Company is known for its delectable food and especially its live grilled veg and nonveg food. It has a widespread of veg, non-veg starters, dishes, and desserts. An exceptional pastry chef prepares our deserts. At Noida, we believe in investing in people. Therefore our staff is trained well, to ensure that customers are given a warm, personalized and satisfying dining experience.
Is your restaurant affordable to the middle-class section of society, or are they only for the elite class?
Coming from a typical Indian middle-class family, we are also cost-conscious and want to make sure that the dining experience is wholesome and value for money.
How was your business affected during the CO-VID Times?
It was heartbreaking initially as we were planning to start operations in the last week of March 2020 and delay it because of lockdown. But we believe in positivity and started our operations in October this year. Since then, the covid cases are also on the decline, and customers are regaining confidence, as we focus on hygienic food and a sanitized environment.
We have set onto a wonderful journey of fulfilling our dreams and bringing happiness and contentment in the lives of people who are most welcome in The Barbeque Company, Noida.
Since the unlocking period, what are the precautions BBQ is taking for the safety of customers and workers?
We periodically sanitize all the areas in our restaurant. We make sure to sanitize tables and chairs before seating guests. We take staff temperature every morning before starting our operations. Our staff wears masks and hand gloves to minimize coming in direct contact with what they are serving. We also make sure to take guests’ temperature and sanitize their hands before entering our restaurant.
What is the biggest lesson you both learned personally and professionally during this pandemic?
Both on personal & professional fronts, we have come out stronger and better. On the personal front, we could takeout time from our hectic lives and spent more time with the family. We surely have learned to prioritize our relationships with family and friends. We all have also known the importance of health and wellness. On the professional front, we have learned various ways to mold ourselves, innovate, and take advantage of the technology to better our service and standards.
Any set-off plans for your professional career in future
No, as of now Amit and I have not thought of any plans for future. We just want to see the happy and delighted faces of the patrons after they have eaten a sumptuous meal at our restaurant. This is what satisfies us. Quite frankly, this is what differentiates us from the rest!!
