The founders of this project sat at a table in December 2016 to create something special. Sameer Seth, Yash Bhanage, and Floyd Cardoz had found success through The Bombay Canteen, their initial restaurant from Hunger Inc. It was time for them to do it again, but to bring people closer to their happy place. Exactly one year later, in October 2017, the restaurant O Pedro opened its doors in Mumbai’s Bandra-Kurla Complex, offering the largest Goan experience ever.
O Pedro is located behind the frangipani trees of the Jet Airways-Godrej BKC Building as a life-sized version of a Goan restaurant
O Pedro is an amazing concept that came to the founders’ minds through a simple insight. Life in the business part of Mumbai is fast-paced and exhausting. On the contrary, Goa is just an hour away as a getaway.
The Founders’ Vision
Seth and Bhanage, who had met as undergraduates at Cornell University in 2010, would go on to work with Daniel Boulud, opening three restaurants in New York. For Bhanage, his culinary journey took him across cities like Chicago, Mumbai, and Singapore. However, their initial passion remained unchanged – the need to establish restaurants that would celebrate authentic Indian cuisine, its local produce, and its people’s culture.
With Seth reaching out to Chef Floyd Cardoz, an Indian chef based in New York who had helped bring the essence of India to American tables by opening Tabla in the ’90s, the project gained new impetus. Having spent 17 years with Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, Cardoz was looking to venture out with his love for Indian flavors.
As Bhanage later explained, Cardoz turned out to be much more than just a business partner – he became their mentor, guide, and even a father figure. It came at a crucial juncture in their lives, leading to the establishment of Hunger Inc in 2014.
Through discussions and experimental cooking sessions, the trio discovered that their shared goal was to bring happiness through food. Their philosophy, according to Seth, is simple: “Food is about people, relationships, and memories.”
Beyond Tourist Goa
Whereas O Pedro eschews the commercialized taste of Goa for an exploration of the state’s intricate culinary heritage, which combines elements of both Goa and Portugal, including elements from the markets of Mapusa to the households of Margao, the bakeries of Belem to the hills of Algarve, along with the knowledge obtained from the Saraswat Brahmins and Goan Catholics.
According to the restaurant’s introduction, “While many perceive the cuisine of Goa as that which comes to light, our journey has revealed something else entirely: Goa is more than that. It encompasses the cuisine not just of the Goan Catholics, but of the Gaud Saraswats who have such rich cuisine themselves.”
The menu at O Pedro is based on the food prepared by the Goan Catholics, but the Portuguese influences go back hundreds of years. The menu comprises typical dishes from Goa, such as chicken cafreal, poee, fish curry, and Bebinca, as well as highly spiced vegetable dishes typical of home cooking.
At the helm of the kitchen, Chef Hussain Shahzad, who was previously trained at Eleven Madison Park in New York City, has spent months researching the cuisine of Goa.
The Vibe: Lazy Days to Buzzing Evenings
O Pedro emanates the vigor of Goan languid days and vivacious, noisy nights, as seamlessly as Goa itself. The rustic-chic look of cane furniture and lace curtains gives off genuine vacation vibes, even amid the sleek corporate glass buildings of BKC.
O Pedro opens every day from midday to 1 o’clock, serving food for all hours of the day and all kinds of hunger, from the fast-food lunch during the work break to the luxurious dining experience at midnight. O Pedro captures all the luxury and refinement of Goa, while also keeping up with the pace of Mumbai.
The cocktail menu reflects the team’s extensive research into the history of Goan bars that sprang up in towns such as Panjim, Margao, and Benaulim. This leads to vibrant, bold cocktails made with Goan-infused beers and home-brewed spirits, featuring fresh ingredients and Goan spices. There is a wide variety of cocktails, such as Pedro’s G&T with blue pea flower syrup, Vasco Sour with Goan toddy vinegar, and Kokum Stings made with infused Goan rum with curry leaves.
The Floyd Cardoz Legacy
Sadly, Floyd Cardoz succumbed to the virus in March 2020 when he was just 59 years old. At the time, he was in Mumbai, celebrating the five-year anniversary of The Bombay Canteen and launching the Bombay Sweet Shop. His loss left a great void in the Hunger Inc family.
Floyd’s words have been painted in gold on the old door, which remained even after the renovations were done, at all Hunger Inc establishments. This serves not only as a reminder but also as a beacon for the team members.
In one of the last interviews with Forbes India in early 2020, Cardoz mentioned authenticity and passion. His gentle wisdom on how to determine whether someone is really passionate and how authenticity will always win over trends still holds the team together today.
A State of Mind
Goa is not simply a destination for getting away from urban settings. Instead, it becomes more of a state of mind and way of life. O Pedro represents a realization of people wanting to provide themselves and the bustling city of Mumbai a break from their fast-paced lives and enjoy great food and drinks, as well as lively conversations.
One reviewer describes the restaurant as follows: “O Pedro is one restaurant that I will continue to revisit because I would love to try some old dishes again, discover new dishes on the extensive menu, and experience the festive atmosphere of the Goan experience.”
In a span of 10 years, Hunger Inc has opened 5 successful restaurants, including Bombay Canteen, Papa’s, O Pedro, Bombay Sweet Shop, and Veronica’s, offering both delicious food and good humor. In 2015, when The Bombay Canteen launched, the Mumbai restaurant scene was ruled by oily buffets with unlimited pan-Asian food and fusion Indian dishes, with an unhealthy amount of creativity and imagination.
The idea behind Hunger Inc was rather straightforward: we return to those flavors that we grew up with. Around 2012, locally grown and comfort foods became very popular internationally. However, Indian cuisine was still being served either at home or at restaurants offering generic North Indian and South Indian dishes, with nothing celebrating the regions in between.
The Impact
The use of staff from the floor manager to the mixologist at O Pedro is commendable. Its philosophy goes beyond the plate to build an environment of happiness and warmth. According to Bhanage, “Cardoz kept us grounded and humble when the times were glorious and lifted our spirits when we were feeling low.”
Positioned amid the corporate skyscrapers of BKC, the guests at O Pedro include those who may not be able to travel around Goa but seek its essence. It turns the concrete madness into a tropical paradise, one place and one cocktail at a time.
As Goa offers food at different hours of the day, catering to a variety of hunger, so does O Pedro, offering something for everyone, depending on the time of day.
