Food is something very close to the heart of Telugu actor Naga Chaitanya. So when it came to turning entrepreneur, food is what he chose. Chaitanya launched Shoyu a pan Asian delivery kitchen in Hyderabad along with entrepreneur Varun Tripuraneni, and F&B experts Akshay Quenin and Tanveer Kwatra in 2022. Recently, he launched his second venture Scuzi, a comfort food delivery kitchen with Tripuraneni, Arjun and Saniya Jaiswal. And if you are wondering about the peculiar names, Shoyu is a Japanese-style soy sauce while Scuzi translates to ‘excuse me’ in Italian.
In a candid chat Chaitanya talks all about his connection to food, his foray into the food business and a strange obsession with butter naan and butter chicken.
Edited excerpts:
1. Congratulations on the launch of Scuzi. What made you enter the food business?
I have always been passionate about food. It was a dream that started in childhood. Growing up, I have seen my dad being associated with F&B in some way or the other. So I grew up around that environment.
2. But why the delivery model?
This idea came to me during Covid. At that time I didn’t know the feasibility of a restaurant. We were going through lockdown and things were very vulnerable. I also found a gap in the food delivery market, especially the way food was delivered to homes. The travel sort of changed the presentation and the dish itself. It’s all jumbled up when it reaches you and you have to rearrange it all over again. I wanted to bring restaurant quality food, presentation and packaging to customers at home.
3. And it had to be pan Asian and you love the cuisine.
Yes, I am obsessed with pan Asian food, especially Japanese. Anywhere I travel, the first restaurant I look out for is Japanese. I can sit in front of a sushi chef at a Japanese restaurant and watch him work for hours. It’s an art. I find the food very complex, yet simple. I wanted to bring that experience here. At the same time I wanted to make it relatable. Authentic Japanese food might not suit the Indian palate. So, we have commercialised it to fit the Indian palate.
4. Are you a better actor or an entrepreneur?
Definitely an actor (laughs). Acting is my first love. It’s what motivates me. But I always felt that it’s important to have a parallel line of something that drives. Both professions work hand in hand. At the end of the day it’s all about creativity and innovation. There are hundreds of pizza and burger delivery brands but what we are doing at Scuzi is our interpretation. Similarly, you may have seen a thousand love stories. But I would like to bring a different take to it.
5. You were born in Hyderabad, grew up in Chennai and now back to Hyderabad. Which cuisine is closer to your heart?
I would say South Indian cuisine in general but Hyderabadi food has always been very close to my heart. Growing up, even though I was in Chennai the preparations at home were always Andhra style. But strangely as a kid I was obsessed with butter naan and butter chicken!
6. Seriously?
Yes. Every time my parents took me to a restaurant, that’s all I would order. I used to order it so much that at one point they thought there was something wrong with me! I think that phase in some way got me to the F&B space. I would always want to go to the next restaurant and see how their butter chicken was. Growing up in Chennai I think I did a PhD in butter chicken.
7. Most people think Andhra food is really spicy? Is that true or a misconception?
It is spicy but also flavourful. In Andhra they use a lot of red chillies, whereas, in Telangana it’s pepper. Of course, spice plays a dominant role but it’s blended very well. So even when your eyes are watering and you are guzzling down water, you still go back for another bite. I would say it’s addictively spicy.
8. Do you cook? What are your favourite things to make?
I can’t cook at all. But I love coffee and I can make you a great cup of coffee, whatever the style.
9. I’d love that. Is there something you can never be tired of eating?
Sushi and sashimi! I can eat it anytime, anywhere.
10. What are you most likely to say ‘let’s eat at home’ or ‘let’s order out?’
I am the ‘let’s eat at home’ guy. I eat home food through the week. I may do some tastings on the weekends to check what’s happening in the kitchens. I eat out only when I am travelling. In Hyderabad it’s always home-cooked food.
11. When you pick a destination to travel, is food something you look into? Would you travel for good food?
It’s interesting because every time I pick a place, I don’t pick it for the food. But then before I book my hotel or plan my itinerary I research where the best restaurants are. It could be a popular local joint, a Michelin-star restaurant or a hawker down the street. And from there I start mapping my trip out. The food search helps me explore the place more. I would walk down to a great restaurant I saw online and on the way I would drop in to a museum or an art store.
12. Any memorable meals?
I am a huge fan of the restaurant chain Nobu and whenever I travel I look out for a Nobu. I also admire chef Nobu Matsuhisa. I feel he’s an amazing visionary in the F&B space. I have always had the best meal at his restaurants. I also love eating at Danny Garcia’s restaurant anywhere in the world.
13. And in India?
The biryani, paya and kababs are the best in the old part of Hyderabad. I love the mutton kheema with sheermal bread at Nayaab in Charminar and biryani at Telangana Spice Kitchen. I like the Telangana style of dum biryani which is very peppery and spicy.
14. How do you manage being fit and also do all the tasting for your food business?
I love food and I wish I could eat more. But my profession doesn’t allow me to. So I reserve the tastings for the Sunday cheat day. And I am always calling friends home to eat. Then there’s my wife too. They are pretty frank with me.
15. What are you future plans? Is there a restaurant in the pipeline?
The business model for both brands has always been cloud kitchen and QSR (Quick Service Restaurant), which we have done at the Hyderabad airport and is running very successfully. We have three outlets of Shoyu currently and the plan is to expand to Chennai, Bangalore and Delhi soon. Scuzi is just two months old but a few QSRs are in the pipeline.
16. Lastly, if we were to come home, what are you most likely to feed us?
It will be my favourites – really hot rice with some dal, poriyal and kababs. I think you will love it!