I recently visited “Namaste India” at Yoyogi Park (Note: A free event where you can experience Indian food and culture. Held on September 23-24, 2023), and I noticed Mumbai-san had a stall there too. I was there too.

I was at the stall as well, but unfortunately, we didn’t get to meet. This year’s event was after a gap of four years, and it was incredibly crowded.

The weather was great too.

It was indeed busy, but both my staff and I love festivals like these, so we all enjoyed the vibrant atmosphere together.

It was lively and enjoyable, wasn’t it? By the way, our first encounter, Popi-san, was more than 20 years ago, wasn’t it?

That’s right. Initially, we were introduced by a mutual friend who owned an Indian restaurant in Aoyama. I became a big fan of President Komaki almost immediately. At that time, I hadn’t started Mumbai yet, so our relationship was just that of friends.

Wasn’t it around 2005 when we opened the first Mumbai restaurant in Kudan?

Yes, it was. Despite my father being a diplomat, I hadn’t lived much in India. I came to Japan as a student, got married, and raised my children here. I had a deep longing for Indian culture occasionally and wanted to promote Indian cuisine in Japan. That’s why I started Mumbai. At the beginning, I was clueless – I didn’t know whom to approach, where to seek help. In those moments, having President Komaki, who I could consult about anything, was incredibly reassuring. You had such profound knowledge about Indian cuisine.

But you know, back then, I knew nothing about Indian cuisine. There were only about 20 Indian restaurants in Tokyo several decades ago. To put it into perspective, there was hardly one restaurant in each district of Tokyo. Our company is based in Ota Ward, and there were no Indian restaurants in our local area. So, naturally, I was unaware.

It was quite rare at that time.

That’s right. It all started with my encounter with Tandoor in Meguro, and then referrals from person to person increased our network of Indian restaurant clients. We’ve never proactively approached a new restaurant. All our clients have come through word of mouth or referrals. We’ve been following this approach, and now we have around 1,500 to 1,600 clients, including Indian restaurants.

That’s amazing. The confidence in doing business with Komaki-san is because we can trust you. The best part is that when we request something, it’s always there. There are no shortages. If something is about to run out, you inform us in advance. That’s incredibly reassuring.

Our customers have told us these things. I knew nothing about Indian cuisine back then. I learned about the necessary ingredients by visiting Indian restaurants and seeing their storerooms. It was through these interactions that I built up our inventory. I didn’t know from the start what items we needed; it was a learning process.

Even now, running a restaurant involves continuous learning through trial and error. I can’t do it alone; I rely on my staff and seek advice from people I know. President Komaki has helped me a lot. For example, when I was figuring out how to handle the flour for naan, or when I introduced new dishes, President Komaki tasted them with me and provided feedback. In Mumbai, delivering authentic Indian cuisine, the real taste of India, is paramount to me. At the same time, 90% of our customers are Japanese, so I need to offer dishes and hospitality that make Japanese customers happy. In such situations, President Komaki’s opinions have been incredibly helpful.

I don’t consciously offer such valuable insights; the reason I visit new restaurants is that you invite me, hahaha.

Also, one of the things I’m grateful for is when you introduced me to the merits of lamb. In India, lamb isn’t commonly used; it’s mostly mutton. Our chef had little experience with lamb. However, President Komaki enlightened us about the goodness of lamb and even introduced us to excellent suppliers. Now, our Mumbai Ginza branch serves various lamb dishes, and they are quite popular. This wouldn’t have been possible without President Komaki’s introduction.

On the flip side, I learn a lot from Popi-san too. I once asked Popi-san, “How do you decide the taste of a dish?” She replied, “It varies from restaurant to restaurant.”

Yes!

I asked, “But they’re all from Mumbai, shouldn’t they have the same taste?” And she said, “Each chef has their unique flavor. If it tastes good when I eat it, then it’s fine.” So, there are ten restaurants, there are ten different tastes. I found that concept intriguing. There are chain restaurants with 20 or 30 outlets, but they all taste the same. However, Popi-san’s restaurants are different. Each place has its distinct taste that becomes a part of that restaurant’s identity, and that’s wonderful.

The reason is that Indian spices are alive; they change every day. Depending on when and where you bought them, they differ. That’s why recipes are almost non-existent, and Indian chefs don’t measure the ingredients.

Right, they don’t.

As chefs become more experienced, they adjust the taste while cooking, adding a bit more turmeric or black pepper. So, although there is a basic taste for Mumbai, I think it’s good to have differences in taste due to different chefs. It’s a kind of charm. Customers become fans of specific tastes, like “I love this from the Yotsuya branch” or “I love this from the Odaiba branch,” and that’s because of the different flavors.

I find Poppy-san’s perspective on this very intriguing. It’s unique and likable. Recently, when our longtime sales manager, who worked with us for years, left, he said, “I’ve handled various restaurants over the years, but it was challenging with Mumbai because each restaurant is unique in its costing” lol.

I might have caused some inconvenience back then due to poor management of material costs (guilty smile). We have significantly improved since those days! Well, I’m still learning.

But the advantage with Mumbai-san is that we never have to worry about the other party while dealing with you. Although there were some concerning restaurants among our various clients, Mumbai-san has been solid from the start, so there was no need for worry.

Thank you very much.

Anyway, Popi-san and I just clicked from the beginning, even though I can’t quite put my finger on why.

We really did, didn’t we? Looking back, I always feel like President Komaki has been by our side, helping us in every aspect of the business. It’s not just about sourcing materials and making payments; it’s a relationship where we can consult you about anything, anytime. Your son is the same way. He’s a wonderful person too. I often ask him about things via LINE, like, “What’s this?” or “How should I handle this?” Having both of you around is incredibly reassuring.

In the future, I’ll gradually entrust more of the company’s affairs to my son, so I want to support him and keep an eye on Mumbai-san’s business.

We’ve had a close relationship with your son’s family for a long time, so I hope we can continue this relationship for a very long time. And President Komaki, please stay healthy and continue to advise us. We always value your guidance.

Well, we’re just suppliers, so instead of actively taking the forefront, we want to support the restaurant owners by ensuring they never run out of supplies and things like that. That’s where we find our satisfaction – supporting the businesses from behind the scenes.

That’s what makes us the happiest. Please feel free to visit Mumbai anytime for a meal.