JKS Restaurants co-founder Karam Sethi reveals recipe for success

by LAUREN CODLING

WORKING together as a family and using their combined skill sets to their advantage are the secrets to success, the co-founder of a London restaurant group has revealed.

Karam Sethi and his two siblings set up JKS Restaurants, the family-run group that has an number of popular eateries across London.

Sethi, his older brother Jyotin and younger sister Sunaina are the names behind popular restaurants Gymkhana in Mayfair and Hoppers in central London.

“Three siblings working together is a relatively unusual situation, but actually it works well [for us] because of the different sets of skills we bring to the table,” Sethi told Eastern Eye.

“Sunaina is a fantastic front of house and sommelier. She leads operations across the group for us, as well as our wine buying.

“Jyotin has always had a way with numbers, and leads on the groups finances, while I focus on the food, creative menu development, and scout new talent.”

The group’s latest venture Motu Indian Kitchen, is a reinvention of the classic Indian takeaway.

“Motu came about because we felt there is a lack of quality in what is already on the market,” Sethi explained. “A Friday night Indian takeaway is part of British culture, but

really, most curry houses are one sauce and different proteins, and for us that just wasn’t right and we wanted to improve it.”

Motu, which is an affectionate Hindi nickname meaning “fat person”, opened a new branch in Swiss Cottage, north London, a few weeks ago.

The Sethis believe eating out is an “overarching” experience that marries together food, service and atmosphere, so their mantra includes a “relentless” attention to detail.

For instance, Gymkhana is influenced by the British-Indian “gymkhana” clubs from the days of the Raj.

“Before we opened [Gymkhana], every summer or winter I would visit the Delhi Gymkhana club, or the Bombay Gymkhana club to try and soak in as much inspiration as possible,” Sethi revealed. "The idea was to offer amazing food and drinks in a sophisticated yet relaxed, casual environment – just like a Delhi Gymkhana on a Thursday night.

“It’s also partly inspired by my grandmother’s house in Delhi in terms of material and interior look and feel.”

It was a decade ago that Sethi, then 24, launched his first eatery in London. It was called Trishna and offers south west Indian coastal cuisine.

Today the group’s restaurants include Sri Lankan-inspired Hoppers in central London

and there are plans for another eatery, also in the capital.

Since 2012, JKS began to invest in several restaurants in the city, including Bao, which specialises in east Asian snacks and steamed milk buns.

Despite the competitive nature of the restaurant business in London, the group continues to expand and develop innovative eateries to critical acclaim.

A new restaurant, Brigadiers, is due to open this spring and is designed as an Indian barbecue and drinks tavern.

“In all our restaurants we have a balanced combination of thoughtfully prepared, great food using quality ingredients, good atmosphere and attentive service,” Sethi said.

“All of them each offer their own little niche.” He added that the group always ensure they research their product thoroughly.

“Acting on impulse is not what we do,” Sethi said.

When hiring for the business, Sethi said he looks for candidates who are “driven” and “as passionate and ambitious about food and service as we are”.

“It means that ultimately we all work together towards the same goals,” he said.

Although there are no immediate plans to expand beyond London, Motu has delivery options in Battersea, Camberwell, Canary Wharf and Islington.

Although the menu across the branches are the same, Sethi acknowledged how important it was for the team to go into a certain area to understand the demographic.

“Then we can look to adapt the menu slightly from there to suit demands,” he said. “We have strong kitchen teams, which also ensure quality is consistent across the board.”

Talking about the Motu menu, the businessman admitted he struggled to pick a favourite dish of his own.

“It’s hard for me to choose,” he joked. “Tandoori chicken wings or mixed grill, chicken biryani, chilli garlic naan, lamb roganjosh and a side of kachumber raita – those are

probably some of my favourites.”