You dream of culinary glory, don't you? The sizzle of a perfect dish, the clinking of glasses, the rave reviews. You picture yourself as the next great restaurateur, your passion transforming into profit. Stop. Just stop right there. Because the reality of the Indian food industry is a visceral, brutal punch to the gut, and unless you understand its unforgiving nature, your dream will almost certainly Curry Up and Go Broke.
In my book of the same name, Curry Up and Go Broke: A Satirical Guide to the Indian Restaurant Business, from Startup to Pauperdom, I tear down the romantic illusions with a vengeance. This isn't some fluffy motivational guide. This is a battle plan for survival in an arena designed to crush you.
I’ve been in the trenches. I’ve felt the grease, tasted the sweat, and seen the despair in the eyes of countless entrepreneurs whose passion was devoured by a system rigged against them. From crippling lease agreements that are financial bear traps to municipal fees that bleed you dry, every step is fraught with peril. And then, the ultimate predator: the food delivery aggregators.
They promise you customers, they promise you reach. What they deliver is a slow, agonizing death by a thousand cuts. Their "pathological hatred of margins" traps you in a cycle of insane discounts and crippling commissions, turning your culinary art into a commodity. Your unique flavors become irrelevant; all that matters is the next promo code. Loyalty? It’s a myth sold by Silicon Valley, evaporating with the next cheaper option.
This book is a scream of frustration, a stark warning, and ultimately, a lifeline. It’s for anyone audacious enough to consider opening a restaurant in India, or for those already caught in its merciless grip. If you’re not ready to face the raw, unvarnished truth, if you prefer comforting lies to brutal facts, then don't read this book. But if you're prepared to strip away the illusions, to confront the economic impossible, and perhaps, just perhaps, find a way to defy the odds, then Curry Up and Go Broke is your essential, unromanticized guide to not just surviving, but understanding the fight of your life.
You can find the book on Amazon here:
Buy it on Pothi.com for Indian Readers here: Curry Up and Go Broke