Italiano prefers to upgrade with time

Sanjiv Puri, MD of Himanshu Resorts Pvt. Ltd., which runs the Italiano chain of restaurants in Delhi-NCR, speaks to FoodService India about his outlets’ speciality in offering authentic Italian cuisine and how the business has grown over the years
Tell us about Italiano and what is special about it.
Restaurant chain Italiano, as the name suggests, is all about the most authentic Italian food. We were one of the pioneers of Italian standalone restaurants in Gurgaon when we started in 2001. Since then Italian Cuisine has caught on tremendously and is one of the favored cuisines of all age groups.
How has the chain grown over the years?
We started operations in 2001 and after consolidating our position as the Best Italian Casual Dining Restaurant – HT City Eating Out Guide in Delhi and NCR – Italiano is now also open at the Cyber Hub, Cyber City, DT Mega Mall, Raheja Mall, Sohna Road, Gurgaon and in the beautiful surroundings of the hills in Nainital. Italiano has a been awarded as the Best Authentic Italian Casual Dining Restaurant by the Indian Achievers Podium. Our outlets are a rendezvous for inimitable Italian flavours and our offerings are every food
connoisseur’s delight.
Which are your signature offerings and which creative trends are you observing in food preparation, cuisine, presentation etc?
At Italiano, you’ll find only the most scrumptious Italian delights. Italian food goes well beyond the ubiquitous pizzas and pastas, and Italiano’s menu strives to highlight this fact. Noted chefs from various parts of Italy have helped create Italiano’s impeccable menu. Prepared with fresh and flavourful ingredients, every rich preparation comes with a unique twist. Our must try dishes include the thin crust, wood-fired oven pizza such as Pollo Pollo Pollo, The Works, and the Picante. Guests can also sample the home-made pastas like the ravioli, lasagna and the cannelloni as well. Italiano complement a meal with a refreshing drink – the pomegranate and basil dream or sangria are the winning picks.
How would you describe your approach to the food service business?
We are determined to pursue our quest to constantly keep on improving our product and services and to exceed the expectations of our valued patrons.
Give us some examples of new concepts and innovations in food service at Italiano?
Our chef constantly upgrades the menu with new dishes and recipes. One can check out our chef’s recommendations besides the various ongoing promotions at our outlets by visiting our Facebook page, which gives out all the latest updates on the ongoing promos.
Tell us about your kitchen operations and how far it has been rigged and customised to offer Italian cuisine.
Ours is a specialised modern kitchen with special wood-fired ovens, latest bakery and kitchen equipment.
How have your been able to ensure that the kitchen maintains food quality and consistency?
We have a team of qualified and experienced chefs headed by a Corporate chef who ensure that standards are maintained by following SOP and conducting periodic training.
Technology is becoming the new buzz word in the restaurant business. How are you leveraging technology to streamline and expand your infrastructure bandwidth?
We have been upgrading with time and keep adding any new technology related to our business. We have presence on all the prominent food portals, have an online ordering app on our website and we use the latest POS and CRM software.
What are your growth and expansion plans for Italiano?
Italiano is looking to expand operations by opening more outlets in Delhi-NCR