Rachel Goenka is an eternal optimist. Even before Covid-19 struck the world, the Mumbai-based restaurateur, chef, author and founder of hospitality firm The Chocolate Spoon Company, had already started her independent cloud kitchens. During the pandemic, she was quick to seize the opportunity provided by these platforms—a concept that has now become a mainstay in the food and hospitality business.
“It’s no secret that the F&B industry was one of the worst impacted due to the pandemic. The past year has taught us how important it is to be flexible with our business model. Our staffing and operation policies have also changed from the pre-pandemic times,” explains Goenka, whose first restaurant The Sassy Spoon recently completed 10 years.
Apart from The Sassy Spoon, a multi-award-winning European restaurant in Mumbai and Pune, Goenka has several other successful brands under her belt—House of Mandarin, a chic authentic Chinese premium diner in Mumbai; Baraza, a unique Portuguese-themed shack inspired resto-bar in Pune; Wicked China, a contemporary Asian delivery kitchen in Pune and Mumbai; Sassy Teaspoon, a chain of premium patisseries and bakeries across Mumbai and Pune; Saffron by Sassy, an Indian delivery kitchen; and Sassy Cafe in BKC Mumbai.
The early years
Although she grew up in Dubai, Goenka moved to the United States for her undergraduate degree in journalism and English. Upon returning to Mumbai after graduating, her keen interest in baking, coupled with her love for science, particularly chemistry, led her to pursue a career in culinary arts. After studying at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, she received her diploma in patisserie from Cordon Bleu, London, in 2012, after which she finally decided to realise her dream of opening her restaurant, The Sassy Spoon, at Nariman Point in Mumbai.
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But success didn’t come easy for someone who, it is perceived, was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Goenka ensured that she worked doubly hard to make her place in the kitchen and the food and beverage world. Late nights, long hours, hands-on tasks—she did them all to earn the respect of her team and the industry.
Recalling her journey, she says, “The Sassy Spoon was my first restaurant and the decade-old journey has been quite a memorable one. The first few years after becoming a restaurateur were tough, since I was only 23 when I started and I was constantly trying to find my footing. It was a daunting task at first, but I stayed true to myself. I wanted to put my personality on a plate. Hence, the brand, Sassy. It’s the one brand that’s the closest reflection of my personality.”
Constantly reinventing
Just as she does not shy away from taking risks and being experimental, her customers are the pivot of her business. Based on their feedback, she is happy to introduce changes, catering to evolving customer palates. “We are constantly making adjustments to the menu based on customer feedback and experience. We also experiment with limited-edition ‘capsule menus’ every season. The Sassy Grilled menu from earlier this year, for instance, was a great hit amongst guests,” she says.
Goenka’s savoury menu with Ruby chocolate was again a fun experiment, as she enjoys playing around with intense flavours and diverse textures. She ensures there is something for the health-conscious, too. “While the cuisine at The Sassy Spoon is inclined towards comfort food, we also have plenty of healthy options with the sass of indulgence,” she adds.
Constantly reinventing, Goenka even wanted to elevate mithai in a fun way and that led to her book—Adventures with Mithai. The inspiration behind those 50 recipes in the book are her take on traditional favourite sweets and jazzing them up with a contemporary twist. Think imarti topped with a scoop of coconut ice cream or the iconic motichoor ladoo served with elaichi mousse or anjeer barfi treacle tart.
Her inventive streak is not confined to food alone. Her new cocktail menu is all about innovation. “Our reimagined cocktail menu features unique cocktails inspired by the pop colour palette and includes quirky concoctions like chocolate, with Baileys, vodka and espresso; Mandarin, with whisky, orange and cinnamon shrub; Eclipse, with whisky, activated charcoal and sour mix; Lilac, with lavender infused gin, and more,” she shares.
Future plans
Always keen to offer diners a great experience, she has ensured that the flagship Nariman Point outpost has an all-new look. “The revamp has transformed the space adding pops of colour and character with bold prints and quirky elements. Apart from the interiors, there is also a refreshing boozy beverage programme and a twist to the menu influenced from around the world with dishes like apple wood smoked beetroot & goat cheese croquettes with tomato chilli jam, chimichurri cottage cheese wrapped in kataifi with muhammara, seven textures hazelnut and chocolate. We have brought back the Sunday Brunch as well,” she adds.
Restless and always craving to do something new, how does she straddle so many worlds— restaurateur, entrepreneur, author, mother? Pat comes the reply: “Life is all about striking the right balance. There are days when my children need me more than what my work calls for, and I never shy away from being there for them. I am also blessed to have a big family which is my support system. All the support and help from them allows me to focus on work and when I am at home I switch off and dedicate that time to my children.”
Goenka gets ready for another day at work, as she continues to live her dream and follow her passion. The Sassy Spoon may have turned 10, but she still has miles to go. “After a tough two years, it is safe to say that the past couple of months have seen a rise in the hospitality industry. We have seen a surge in walk-ins and reservations. People are open to stepping out more often and keen on dining-out than ordering in. We are looking forward to serving our customers and hope this year’s festive season gives us a chance to recover the losses we have incurred during the pandemic,” she adds.
Mini Ribeiro is a food critic, columnist and consultant
