Kamal Arora: The Man Behind It All

Posted in Restaurateur of the Month | 4 comments

It’s fitting that Kamal Arora heads up the Arora Hospitality Group because being a restaurant mogul seems to come so naturally to him. Driven, passionate, and adventurous, Kamal has a unique vision and recognizes that despite the diverse opportunities diners have today, there is a growing positive attitude towards Indian cuisine. His dream? That sometime soon, Indian cuisine is as popular as Chinese food and pizza are in America today. And he’s well on his way to making that dream a reality.

Kamal always wanted to be in the food business and got a big break in 2005 when he joined Moghul Express and Moghul Catering as a partner. In 2007, he took over both restaurants and shortly thereafter, added Mithaas in Edison and Urban Spice in Iselin to the portfolio. Today, he’s working on 2 new ventures – an Italian/Indian pizza place and a new Atlanta location of Urban Spice.

Papa Pancho is an Italian/Indian pizza place that will serve brick oven pizza with Indian ingredients and toppings. Intentionally venturing outside traditional Indian cuisine, Kamal is looking forward to the excitement and challenge of meeting the growing demand for Indian food in America in a new way. Interestingly, Papa Pancho will appeal to the Indian population and the masses, the young and the old, and those looking to dine in or be on-the-go. It’s a great example of the innovation that Kamal strives to bring to the Indian dining industry.

In addition to Papa Pancho, opening another location of Urban Spice in Atlanta is also in the works. This location will feature a truly unique menu that offers completely new styles and tastes of Indian cuisine. The Atlanta branch of Urban Spice will cater to a more mainstream audience and is expected to open by the end of 2013.

So what keeps Kamal motivated to explore new ventures and open new restaurants? He fully acknowledges that food is his passion and that’s what drives him. Being around delicious food and being to taste and provide feedback on it every day is a huge source of happiness. Ultimately though, Kamal believes that in the restaurant business, there are only two choices – evolve or die. Luckily, he’s been blessed with a very supportive family that deals with the sometimes long and erratic work hours, as well as an extremely competent team that allows him to pursue new ventures while still staying focused on the existing businesses.

Kamal encourages young and aspiring restaurateurs to get experience and training before striking out on their own. He also emphasizes the importance of passion, hard work, and a great team in making any restaurant venture successful. While he loves the restaurant business, Kamal personally enjoys eating Delhi’s Rajkachori Chaat and the more simple Indian dishes that he remembers from his childhood days (e.g., Kadi Chaawal, Baingan Bharta with Missi Roti, and Maal Pua with Rabri). Growing up in a big joint family in India where food was always the center of bonding, he views eating together as a language all on its own.

Most restaurateurs with so many big names under their belt would be content to call it a day. But when asked how he feels about all the success he’s experienced, Kamal humbly responds “Thank you for calling me successful, but in my opinion, success is a journey and not a destination. I’m happy to be moving in the right direction on this journey, but I still have a long way to go.” For the sake of food lovers everywhere, we’re glad his journey is just beginning.