You originally trialled Tamila at Hackney Bridge food hall. Was the plan to always take it permanent?
Hackney Bridge was the birth of the concept. Me and Prince [Durairaj, Leeson’s business partner and co-founder of Tamila, The Tamil Prince and The Tamil Crown] needed to prove it could work, but we had limited resources, and this was a cheap route to market. Obviously, because of the setup we were restricted with space and so we couldn’t do the full menu we wanted. The idea was always to open a restaurant as soon as we could.
How has the concept evolved?
There’s been a practical evolution and that’s come from the extra space. It means we’ve been able to buy new cooking equipment, which allows for more dish variety. The introduction of a tandoor, for example, means we can expand the menu and do classic curry house dishes like the naan breads and the tandoori chicken. A lot of the menu is the same, though. The curries are the ones we’ve been doing since day one.
You’ve said you want to ‘redefine the curry house’ with Tamila. What does that mean?
We want it to be a new iteration of the classic concept. We love those traditional curry houses and want to take all the best bits from that, but then put our own spin on it, which is guided by Prince’s South Indian heritage. So, we’ve got an expanded section of poori and dosas on the menu, which you’re less likely to find at a conventional curry house. It also extends to the look and feel of the restaurant too, which is more contemporary.
Why Clapham?
We’re very much based in north London at the moment. A lot of our customers travel across the city to visit us, so it felt natural and logical to look south of the river for this site. Prince used to live in Clapham, he’s familiar with the area and there’s a connection there. When we saw this site the stars aligned, and we went for it.
Is Tamila built for scale?
Tamila is something we wanted to do from the beginning. The pubs were a brilliant accident. It wasn’t what we set out to do and so now it’s about scratching that itch. We already have a second site lined up that we’re planning to open next month. These two have happened in quite quick succession, but not by design, it’s just the nature of the game. You bid on a load of sites and get turned down for almost all of them, but like buses these two came at the same time. The menu at the second restaurant will be the same, but the space will be individual. It will have more of a bar element as it has a basement. Our approach is letting the space define what the restaurant is.
You and Prince have enjoyed a lot of success with The Tamil Prince and The Tamil Crown. Why do you think they connected so well with diners?
It’s not a new concept by any stretch of the imagination. Desi pubs have been around since the 50s, at least. We’re tapping into something that is loosely familiar. Brits love a boozer and putting those bold Asian flavours into pubs works so well. People appreciate the authenticity of the journey with Prince’s Indian background and the food being authentic combined with my British pub background. Also, who doesn’t like curry and a pint?
What’s harder, running a pub or a restaurant?
There’s a bit more going on in a pub. Prince and I have both worked in hospitality all our lives, and both are familiar territory. Getting the kitchen operation right has been the biggest challenge with Tamila and we’re learning as we go. The additional equipment has meant we’ve needed to take time to retrain staff on the tandoor. That’s been the hardest part. And having a slightly varied menu means we’re broadening our skill set. I wouldn’t say it’s any more difficult than running a pub, though.
Are more pubs planned in the future?
I wouldn’t write anything off. We love the pubs, but right now we’re really enjoying establishing the Tamila concept and opening these two new sites. I’d love to see another pub at some point, but it will not be in the near future.