Pot Pourri Restaurant launched in Chembur by engineer turned Restaurateur Apurva Padgaonkar

Padgaonkar owns three restaurants in Mumbai. The Tight Pub is a popular hangout place for the people in Vashi, while the Pan-Asian Restaurant ‘Soy Street’ in Vashi and ‘Lemon Leaf’ in Bandra are quite frequented by the food-lovers.

“Some people desire to be restaurateurs as young adults, while others have their sights set on opening a beachfront shack or food truck upon retirement. That’s exactly how I felt. By sheer good fortune, I was able to make the transition from engineering to the hospitality industry,” said Apurva.

An engineer-turned-businessman characterises himself as a calm, enthusiastic person who takes great pride in making his customers happy. “I always keep in mind, and stress to my staff, that our primary objective is to satisfy the customer rather than maximise profits through upselling or other means. What drives me the most is the satisfaction I get from putting a smile on our customers’ faces, “Apurva puts it.

His intimate knowledge of the Mumbai clientele is enhanced by the fact that his family has been there for over 50 years. People of Mumbai have held everything from baby showers to 85th birthday parties at his restaurant. A friend of Apurva’s from Pot Pourri claimed Apurva is too imaginative and energetic. He’s a positive presence,” the visitor said.

Apart from the hospitality industry, Padgaonkar hosts master classes for women to follow their passion for cooking, painting, pottery, the night flea market for women, and other activities. As a part of the Chembur Festival, he organises a ‘Dog Walk’ where over 150 dogs participate in this amazing event.