Authentic Asian delicacies are no more the elite thing, as two buddies Joseph Cherian and Nabhojit Ghosh have bridged the gap with their food start-up. Bengaluru-based ‘48 East’ is bringing together the real taste of Asian cuisines—in terms of originality and pricing—on a platter.
48 East represents different countries of Asia panning across China, Uzbekistan, Lebanon, Turkey, India, Thailand, Laos, Indonesia, Cambodia and Japan.
Both the Bengaluru-based founders have been in the food business for a long time, but it all began in August 2016. While Nabhojit is a seasoned culinary chef and has worked at Taj Coromandel as executive chef, Joseph, an alumnus of Harvard Business School, was associated with McDonald’s and Papa John’s.
He was the CEO of Papa John’s India and was also instrumental in the first ever merger in the Indian QSR industry. His work was mostly confined to Asia and Middle East and that’s when he realised the dearth of authentic Asian dishes in our country.
He says, “When we talk of Asian foods, all we get is Chinese or some Thai curry or an Indo-Chinese bowl of noodles. And if one wants to try out true Asian cuisine, he or she has to go to a five-star hotel or a boutique restaurant that is too expensive. I wanted to make these beautiful dishes available and affordable to people.” That’s when he shared the idea with Nabhojit Ghosh and got him on board.
They started their first kitchen in Indiranagar, the second at Marathahalli and they have recently opened another one at Koramangala. At present, they take 130 orders per day. Early this year they got $500,000 (`3.4 crore) in pre-Series, a funding from the Al Dhaheri family of the UAE, which was used for expansion and marketing.
Their menu has a lot of variety. Chef Nabhojit says, “Whether it’s a quiet dinner for two or an impromptu party, we have an array of electable choices that’s hard to resist.
The Bok Choy and Mushroom Dimsum with its translucent casing is a treat. The delicate flavour of the ginger and the sesame with fragrant dipping sauce is a perfect starter for your meal. If you are craving for something crunchy, try the Peking Chicken Ravioli. The little yellow dumpling with its soft yet crispy texture will leave you asking for more.”
And if you are in a mood to eat light, then try the Randang Chicken Bao to explore the complex mix of delicious flavours. If you want to explore a bowl of happiness, try the Burmese Vegetable Khow Suey. And if you are craving for something offbeat, try the Doner Kebab. They have a plate for every palate and they are also planning to expand to more areas across Bengaluru in the months to come.