Ankush Arora’s journey within the culinary landscape is one defined by instinctive ambition and an unrelenting pursuit of evolution, beginning modestly with a street food kiosk in Chandigarh and gradually unfolding into a formidable hospitality portfolio that now includes the widely recognised Uncle Jack’s, alongside distinctive ventures such as Colaba Canteen, Malleshwaram and Lodhi Bhawan, each conceived with a sharply defined identity and an immersive narrative sensibility, reflecting not only his enduring fascination with American street food culture but also his ability to translate diverse culinary influences into experiences that resonate with a discerning and ever evolving audience, ultimately positioning him as one of the more compelling voices shaping North India’s contemporary dining discourse.
You preside over a diverse culinary portfolio spanning Colaba Canteen, Uncle Jack’s, and Malleshwar. How do you negotiate coherence in vision whilst preserving the distinct gastronomic identities of each venture?
At the core, an unwavering commitment to quality, integrity of ingredients, and guest experience. While Colaba Canteen, Uncle Jack’s, and Malleshwaram operate within distinct culinary and cultural frameworks, they are unified by this ethos. Each brand is then allowed to evolve independently, informed by its context, audience, and narrative, ensuring that individuality is not compromised in pursuit of uniformity.
Equally integral to this coherence is a shared foundation in storytelling. Each concept is conceived as a narrative rooted in a specific location, memory, or cultural lens and translated into a dining experience. In a city like Chandigarh, where the F&B landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace, this approach allows us to introduce not just new menus, but new ways of experiencing food.
Entrepreneurship within the culinary sphere often oscillates between instinct and strategy. Would you describe your decision making as intuitive, or is it underpinned by rigorous market analytics and structured foresight?
The process is a balance of intuition and structured analysis. While instinct shaped by years within the industry often initiates direction, it is substantiated through data, evolving consumer behaviour insights, and financial prudence. In today’s rapidly shifting F&B landscape, marked by the constant emergence of new players and formats, it is imperative to remain responsive to change. One cannot just rely solely on past success; instead, experience must be leveraged as a strategic advantage while remaining receptive to newer perspectives and evolving market dynamics.
It is this mindset that enables us to continuously conceptualise and launch new ventures, each aligned with current cultural and consumer shifts, while still anchored in a foundation of informed decision-making.
Each of your establishments evokes a markedly different sensibility. How do you conceptualise a brand narrative that transcends mere cuisine and evolves into an immersive experiential construct?
A brand, in my view, must extend beyond cuisine into a multi-sensory narrative. This involves curating not only the menu, but also spatial design, service philosophy, music, and even the pacing of the dining experience. The objective is to create an emotional imprint wh
ere guests do not merely dine, but inhabit a carefully constructed atmosphere that resonates with the brand’s identity.
This philosophy finds distinct expression across our ventures. Colaba Canteen, for instance, was conceived as one of the first spaces in the region to meaningfully introduce Parsi-Bombay cuisine, translating the nostalgia and layered cultural history of Mumbai into a format that feels both authentic and accessible. Malleshwaram, on the other hand, derives its identity as much from its interiors and spatial storytelling as from its culinary direction Similarly, Lodhi Bhawan- “mini Delhi” narrative brings forth a slice of the capital’s eclectic food and cultural ethos into Chandigarh. Each of these concepts is anchored in a unique standpoint, ensuring that no two experiences feel derivative. This approach continues to inform our forthcoming ventures as well.
In an era where dining is increasingly performative, how do you ensure that substance prevails over spectacle within your culinary philosophy?
While visual appeal and experiential elements are increasingly significant, they must remain subordinate to culinary substance. The foundation of any establishment is the integrity of its food. Performance within the F&B space, it is worth noting, is not a contemporary phenomenon, it has always existed in varying forms, from open kitchens to tableside service rituals. However, what ultimately endures with the guest is not the spectacle, but the quality, consistency, and depth of the food they have experienced.
Equally critical to this is service. We view service not as a supplementary function, but as the primary interface through which the brand is experienced. It is the nuance of hospitality, the attentiveness, warmth, and precision that transforms a meal into a lasting impression.
Our approach, therefore, is to deliver an experience that is both elevated and enduring where every element, from the first interaction to the final course, contributes to a sense of completeness and satisfaction.
The Indian palate is undergoing a quiet yet definitive evolution. How do you interpret this shift, and in what ways has it influenced your menu curation and innovation?
The Indian palate is becoming more discerning, globally aware, yet simultaneously rooted. There is a growing appreciation for nuanced flavours, conscious eating, and authenticity. In many ways, the Indian F&B ecosystem is experiencing a moment of renewed vitality, arguably its most dynamic phase where diners are actively seeking out niche cuisines, hyper-local narratives, and thoughtfully curated experiences that allow for both exploration and experimentation.
We see ourselves as part of this larger movement. Our approach aligns with this shift towards specificity and depth, which is reflected in our intent to develop multiple ventures with tightly focused menus and clearly defined culinary identities. This includes not only celebrating regional Indian cuisines, but also thoughtfully crossing borders to introduce experiences that remain relatively unexplored within our market thereby making exclusive, globally inspired dining formats more accessible and contextual. At the same time, there is a conscious effort to honour local culinary traditions, particularly those rooted in Punjab, by reinterpreting them with sensitivity and relevance.
There is a significant pipeline of concepts currently in development, each shaped by this balance of innovation and authenticity. In essence, we do not view ourselves as observers of this evolution, but as active participants.
Scaling a hospitality enterprise often risks diluting its essence. How do you safeguard authenticity whilst expanding your footprint?
Growth, for us, is rooted in a strong belief in our working methodology and foundational systems. We have invested in building a structure that is robust, consistent, and reliable one that ensures quality and experience remain intact as we expand.
At the same time, we recognise the importance of context, allowing each space the flexibility to retain its individuality. Expansion, therefore, is not about duplicating a format, but about carrying forward a proven foundation while adapting it thoughtfully to new environments.
The intersection of tradition and modernity can be both fertile and fraught. How do you reinterpret classic flavours without eroding their cultural integrity?
Reinterpretation demands restraint and respect. Our approach is to understand the cultural and historical essence of a dish before attempting to evolve it. Innovation is introduced through technique, presentation, or ingredient pairings, but never at the cost of its inherent identity. The aim is progression, not reinvention for its own sake.
Leadership within the kitchen and beyond demands a nuanced equilibrium of discipline and empathy. What is your approach to cultivating teams that are both creatively liberated and operationally precise?
Leadership within hospitality is an exercise in balance. Discipline ensures consistency, while empathy fosters creativity and loyalty. We cultivate an environment where teams feel a sense of ownership, encouraging dialogue and innovation, yet operate within clearly defined standards. The objective is to build teams that are both inspired and accountable.
Beyond training, we strongly believe that teams must be continually nourished- professionally and personally. To that end, we place emphasis on actively engaging with our teams, understanding their perspectives, incorporating their feedback, and creating channels where their ideas can influence outcomes. This not only strengthens the system operationally, but also fosters a culture of mutual respect and shared purpose, where the team evolves alongside the brand rather than simply working within it.
The hospitality industry is notoriously unforgiving. Could you reflect on a moment of adversity that compelled you to recalibrate your approach, and perhaps, your definition of success?
Adversity has often brought much-needed clarity. One of the most defining moments for us was during COVID, which disrupted the business significantly. Several expansion projects were mid-way, credit lines were pulled back, and we witnessed a cascading, domino-like impact across operations.
It forced us to pause and reassess our priorities. Instead of continuing to stretch ourselves, we recalibrated by focusing on reclaiming our core markets, strengthening our base stores, reconnecting with our audience, and rebuilding from a position of stability.
That phase made it clear that in hospitality, it is not about getting everything perfect, but about staying resilient, adapting to circumstances, and having the clarity to return to your fundamentals when needed.
As you look ahead, do you envision your legacy as one of scale, innovation, or influence, or is it an amalgamation of all three articulated through a distinctly personal lens?
I perceive legacy as an amalgamation of scale, innovation, and influence each reinforcing the other. However, beyond metrics, it is ultimately about creating enduring spaces and experiences that resonate with people.
On a more personal level, the aspiration is to contribute meaningfully to reshaping the dining landscape of Chandigarh- to be among those who push its boundaries and introduce experiences that are entirely new to the market. This involves going beyond established formats and bringing in concepts that feel unfamiliar yet compelling, encouraging diners to engage with food and hospitality in more immersive and evolved ways.
The idea is to build from that foundation creating ventures that not only stand out individually but collectively elevate the city’s F&B narrative. If, in doing so, the work helps redefine expectations while retaining a distinctly personal voice, it would be a legacy well realised.