Six years ago, Rajdeep Chakraborty and Anshuman Singh opened What’s In d Name on Camac Street, which soon became a popular party spot and has also hosted many a star performer over the years. The WIDN men now have a special treat for the city, that’s not just the reopening of their venture, but also a partnership with VRO Hospitality Pvt. Ltd, a Bangalore-based F&B organisation that has triumphed in the market with its tremendous attempts at captivating its relevant audience with ground-breaking events, exceptional food, and curation of wonderful experiences in Bangalore, Goa and Mumbai since 2018. They currently own some of the most upscale bars and restaurants across the country. They now operate 30 outlets and have 30 upcoming projects lined up! Some of their brands include Badmaash Lounge, Hangover, Plan B, Nevermind, Cafe Noir, and Tycoons. The Telegraph sat down for a chat with Rajdeep and Anshuman and here’s getting you the details.
So, it’s a big partnership with VRO Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. How did that come about?
We have been running WIDN successfully for six years and were thinking of expanding in the F&B industry, and at that time Taki Taki Mumbai had just been launched and was making a lot of noise in the F&B scene across the country. That’s when we got connected to VRO and found out about the other brands they have. We visited Bangalore and just loved their concepts. That’s when VRO proposed to us regarding partnership for all their brands for West Bengal since they were expanding on a pan-India basis. After few trips back and forth we both liked their way of working, and that’s how everything started. That’s why we decided to work on a 50:50 partnership model over franchise model.
What can we expect in the phase 1 of the launch?
The brands that will launch in phase one are Badmaash, Plan B, Hangover, and Taki Taki.
Please tell us a little about each of the four brands that’s coming to town?
Badmaash is a luxury fine-dine Indian restaurant.
Plan B (House of Wings) is a fun all-day pub catering to the young dynamic party-goers, specialising in chicken wings and American diner concept.
Hangover is a rooftop open-air and closed fun cocktail bar.
Taki Taki is one of the finest Japanese and Pan-Asian cuisine high-energy bar.
What are the possible locations for them?
Badmaash is on 1/1 Camac Street, 1st floor (Old WIDN space).
Plan B is Celica Park, Park Street.
Hangover space we are yet to decide.
Taki Taki is in FMC Fortuna Building (French Motors).
In the recent past, Kolkata has really evolved when it comes to bringing in good brands. What’s your take on it?
Currently the market in Kolkata is booming. People are very well travelled and have great knowledge about food and brands and that is the reason why the market has evolved so much. Therefore, we decided to bring in some of the best oulets to Kolkata which have great food options to offer to the people of the city.
What are the brands that will come in during the second phase?
Cafe Noir, Mirage, Plan B (Salt Lake), and One Night in Bangkok.
Since you guys have already been in the club/event/F&B space, how was it like to prep for something like this?
It was really a fun process. We have never worked with partners before, therefore it was really interesting to learn in detail about the pan-India market. We had to hire near about 125 people for these four outlets from all over India, so it was really interesting to understand how people are working across the country.
What’s the best part about bringing new brands to the city?
We are excited to bring something new and different for the people. It also helps us to get a greater exposure to the market since all the brands offer different cuisines and concepts.
What are some of the challenges that you faced in the process?
Overall it was a smooth process since both parties were more or less on the same page. Only challenge was to find the right location for the right brand, which we believe to have done successfully.
Also, WIDN is coming back soon. What can we expect from it this time?
We have changed the format, it is an out-and-out nightclub operating only two days a week other than special events and private parties. We are defining ourselves as a super club, providing indoor mini concert club feel to our patrons. It is going to be located on the second floor of 1/1 Camac Street, which previously used to be WIDN open-air space. We are changing the concept of live music in a much bigger and grander format. People can expect the top acts from around the world to perform here. We are planning to provide the best experience to the people.
What’s the cuisine and decor going to be like?
Club finger food with an extensive private party menu. In terms of decor, top line sound from the UK, out-of-the-box visual experience, which has so far been experienced only outside India, extensive club lights with laser shows. Luxury VIP mezzanine floor overlooking the club.
What about more events and celebs coming in the future?
As of now, we have Steve Aoki, Armaan Malik, Salman Khan the Da-Bangg Tour featuring Salman Khan, Sonakshi Sinha, Jacqueline Fernandez, Pooja Hegde, Guru Randhawa, Prabhudeva etc. and Arijit Singh, Badshaah as well. Celebrity interaction for opening of each of our outlet, and much more.
(L-R) Safdar Adoor, Sharath Rice and Dawn Thomas of VRO Hospitality Pvt. Ltd, the Bangalore-based company that has partnered with What’s in d Name to get four new brands to the city
Comming Up
Badmaash: Luxury Indian fine-dine
Hangover: Rooftop open-air and closed fun cocktail bar
Plan B: American diner-inspired wings, and chill spot
Taki Taki: High-energy Asian bar
Pictures: Courtesy the brands