Manu Chandra, Chetan Rampal bid adieu to Olive

Manu Chandra is a name synonymous with the F&B scene in the country. He brought the term gastro-pubs to Indians' dining tables with the popularity of Monkey Bar - India's first gastro-pub. And now, after almost two decades running Olive Group of Restaurants with partners AD Singh and Chetan Rampal, chef Chandra is hanging up his apron.In a statement on social media, Singh - the managing director of Olive Group of Restaurants, shared the news of Chandra and Rampal moving on."It is with sadness that we announce the moving on from the Olive Family, its two partners Chetan Rampal and Manu Chandra."Chetan and Manu have been part of the Olive story for nearly its entire journey, from our humble beginnings in a largely overlooked suburb of Bombay, to one of the most admired restaurant companies in the country today. A story that hasn’t been without its ups and downs, expansions and closures, tears and celebrations – but through it all, we’ve always pulled through, together!." Singh wrote, sharing a picture of the three partners together."As we part ways amicably, we know that some relationships transcend mere employment, and remain grounded in the goodwill and camaraderie built over these past many years," the restaurateur added.

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Chandra, too, took to social media to pen a note, along with a picture of an apron hung up on the wall.‘So long, and thanks for all the Baos’, he captioned the picture, writing about his "journey, nay, a love affair, that has lasted 17 years."“To be a part of the most cherished and important moments of our lives is a privilege! And one that has been mine for 17 years as a chef at Olive Beach, and subsequently as a partner with the company. It is wrenching to walk away from the many spaces that I have built, and which have been home for these precious milestones in your life. And this departure is no less of a milestone in my journey as a chef,” he wrote.He recalled having landed in Delhi in 2004, armed with the experience of being a fine-dining chef in New York, and eventually joining Olive, which he describes as "then a relatively new restaurant with a presence in Mumbai and Delhi, and planning a third outpost in distant and still unknown Bangalore.” Chandra went on to add that he's “jumping out that plane again, but secured this time by the greater ballast of proven success and hard-won experiences, a wry sense of humour untempered with time, and still no greys.”He signed off with a quote by T.S. Elliot, “What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from. Until we meet again…”

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The tri have been a defining force in the Indian food space with brands such as Olive Bar & Kitchen, Monkey Bar, The Fatty Bao and Toast & Tonic.Reacting to the news Impresario founder Riyaaz Amlaani wrote, "This is seismic! What a team! All the best to you all!"

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/3zeGYLR