EP. 160: SHAMIL THAKRAR, DISHOOM

In this episode, Mark McC hosts Shamil Thakrar, co-founder of Dishoom and Permit Room, to delve into the vibrant journey of Permit Room and its homage to Bombay's drinking culture. Shamil discusses the expansion into cities like Oxford, Brighton, and Cambridge, alongside Dishoom's new menu launch and a strategic focus on community-driven marketing, cultural inclusion, and charitable responses to hate speech. The episode explores innovative decor, a committed cocktail menu, and operational challenges within the hospitality industry. Listeners gain insights into Shamil's perspective on education, community importance, and the significance of providing breakfast to children, along with his personal travel favourites.

About Guest

Shamil Thakrar is the co-founder of Dishoom, a ground-breaking restaurant group that pays homage to the Irani cafés of Bombay. Since opening its first location in 2010, Dishoom has grown into a beloved UK brand known for its vibrant atmosphere, rich storytelling, and high-quality Indian cuisine. Shamil’s vision for Dishoom was not only to serve delicious food but to evoke the spirit of Bombay’s cultural melting pot, creating a unique dining experience that blends history, community, and hospitality.

Under Shamil’s leadership, Dishoom has won numerous awards and accolades, including a Michelin Bib Gourmand, and has expanded to multiple locations across the UK. In addition to Dishoom, Shamil co-founded Permit Room, a bar concept inspired by India’s Prohibition era. Known for his innovative approach to hospitality, Shamil is passionate about fostering inclusivity and using food as a way to bring people together, while also maintaining a deep commitment to philanthropy and social impact.

This podcast is sponsored by NFS Hospitality.

About NFS Hospitality:

With over 20 years of experience solving problems for restaurateurs, NFS Hospitality truly understands your challenges as a hospitality operator.

Whether you’re looking for top-notch POS & CRM systems, effective loyalty programs, the tools to execute powerful marketing campaigns, or a reliable Point of Sale system, NFS Hospitality has you covered with an end-to-end technology solution.

At NFS, we know every hospitality business is unique, and that’s why we’ve walked in your shoes time and again to deliver effortless, tailored technology solutions designed for your specific needs.

Our world-class technology puts the user at the heart of every transaction, ensuring a seamless and efficient experience for you, your teams, and your guests.

Leading hospitality operators like BrewDog, Gaucho, and Archie’s trust NFS to provide the technology that makes their operations run smoothly across all verticals. NFS knows what it takes to help both your team and your guests have a world-class experience with our solutions.

And with 24/7 support from actual humans, you can always rely on NFS day or night.

Visit http://nfs-hospitality.com/supersonic to speak to the experts at NFS today. You can also download insights and guides on how to leverage technology to grow your business.

Our Silver Sponsors are:

Airship and Toggle:

Airship is a data-driven CRM for the hospitality industry. Restaurants, bars, hotels, and pubs can use Airship to email marketing and create personal relationships with their customers.

Check out https://airship.co.uk/ for more information.

Saved by Robots:

Saved by Robots are passionate about creating compelling brands and memorable experiences through great design, engaging storytelling and genuine authenticity.

Visit Savedbyrobots.com to get in touch

About Mark Mcc:

Mark McCulloch is one of the leading food, drink and hospitality brand and marketing minds in the world.