Man Quits Google to Sell Samosas; Starts The Bohri Kitchen

Growing up, Munaf Kapadia noticed that the food he ate at home — smoked keema samosa, kaju chicken, and nalli nihari — weren’t widely available.

He decided to host a dining experience at home called ‘The Bohri Kitchen’ (TBK) for people to taste the delicious food.

It amassed a lot of love. Its success compelled Munaf to host such experiences at home every week for eight people at a time.

Soon, they had a waiting list. Munaf realised the potential and officially founded TBK in August 2015.

Prior to that, he had been working at Google as an Account Strategist. Recalling how his parents weren’t thrilled when he quit, he says, “My father asked me if I quit Google to sell samosas, and I started thinking if I had made a mistake.”

Throughout the journey, he says he had constant breakdowns. In December 2016, he was declared bankrupt.  Munaf had almost given up on TBK and started looking for jobs when he got an unexpected call.

“Forbes India wanted to put me on the cover along with others for their ‘30-under-30’ issue. That was a wake-up call and made me decide that I had to keep TBK alive and going,” says Munaf.

In time, things began to pick up. In the years that followed, TBK gained popularity among Mumbaikars with over 100+ dishes in a menu that showcases the Dawoodi Bohra cuisine.

They set up two kitchens to deliver food along with offering catering services and found admirers in film stars like Rani Mukherjee, Rishi Kapoor, and Hrithik Roshan.

Some of the favourites on the menu are the dum biryani, chicken cutlets, seekh kebabs and the shabnam chicken tandoori.

They also have the travelling thal concept where TBK sends their trained staff along with the special thals to cater to weddings.

Munaf says, “The idea is to create something that cannot be replicated. I want to make Bohri food more relevant to everyone.”