Dishoom seeks investment partner as it plots US expansion
The Indian restaurant group, led by co-founders Shamil and Kavi Thakrar and CEO Brian Trollip, has identified the US as an area for expansion and is starting to look for locations across the pond, with New York the front runner.
The group says it is seeking an investor or partner to fund the move but to also provide expertise and advice as it looks to enter the US market.
“We’re taking the opportunity to talk to people to help us think it through and we’re beginning to take some advice,” says Shamil. “We’re now talking to an advisor and we’re probably going to be raising some money to help us fund the endeavour.”
In August Dishoom ran a successful 10-day pop-up in partnership with New York restaurant Pastis, which served around 7,000 people for breakfast at the Meatpacking District-based restaurant and which had a waiting list of a further 20,000 people.
The pop-up sold out in just four-and-a-half minutes.
“We could continue what we are doing here; we’ve built a good business and we could do it ourselves, but we’re beginning to think post Pastis pop up, which was pretty successful, and are now actively looking for a specific site,” adds Shamil.
The search for an investment partner will start early next year, according to the founders.
“We’re going into it very carefully,” says Shamil. “We’re very determined to make sure we maintain all the stuff that has made [Dishoom] work so far. We are quite thoughtful about what we think has really worked in this business and our values and with any partnership or investor we get on board we don’t want to change that.
“Equally, we acknowledge that someone will bring value to that and help us with the journey. We’re confident that we can make it work but know we’ve got to be humble and learn things so for that reason we think it's pretty helpful to have some good expertise on board.
“We’re ambitious, but we’re going to do what we did in Covent Garden, which is get it right and then build more.”
While New York is not 100% confirmed to be the group's first Stateside location, the city is the most likely option.
"Our Pastis pop-up got a really warm reception, it felt like a lot of the people there know Dishoom and enjoy spending time eating in Dishoom," says Kavi. "Culturally [New York] is an easier step than some places."
