With Mother’s Day around the corner, it is time to highlight the many roles successfully played by mothers. They run homes, bring up children, care for their families, run successful businesses and excel in their chosen professions. This is certainly the case with a few mothers from India’s vibrant food retail and restaurant business. In today’s article, I will highlight some of these amazing women for the readers of The Daily Guardian.
KANU SHARMA, HOUSE OF CANDY
Kanu Priya Sharma is the Co-Founder and Director of House of Candy, which is known across the country for its delicious candies. Through this venture, she played a big role in modernising the conventional confectionery industry in India. Sharma is responsible for managing and overseeing corporate relations, marketing, and social media for the brand’s pan-India growth. She has also been instrumental in the execution of marketing plans, activities, and campaigns for the company’s continuous expansion and presence in the market.
She has over 11 years of experience in the luxury retailing and hospitality industry, which she gained after completing her Bachelor’s degree in Communication from Texas Christian University in the United States. Sharma has worked with Infinite Luxury Brands Pvt Ltd. as their Corporate Sales Manager for various brands like Roberto Cavalli, Cavalli Cafe, Versace, Emilio Pucci and Misumi to name a few. She says, “I realised that my core competency was in the luxury hospitality, retail, and marketing industry, so I decided to come back to my dream project and help my husband in managing and overseeing the marketing activities of House of Candy. Soon after, I started heading corporate relations. The brand saw remarkable success and in 2019, it won VM-RD Retail Design Awards for the Best Retail Store of the Year for its store in Elante Mall, Chandigarh.”
Sharma hopes to make House of Candy a national brand with a minimum of 1000 self-owned outlets spread across India. She proudly admits, “Through House of Candy, I’m aiming to revamp conventional candies and confectionery settings in India. My ultimate goal is to make this company the leading Indian confectionary brand that can create significant waves in the international market as well.”
USHA BATRA, CAFÉ DELHI HEIGHTS
Speaking about their own mother, Vikrant and Sharad Batra of Café Delhi Heights, say, “Our mother is the epitome of grace and dignity, known for spreading love and compassion and conquering the hearts of the world.” Having started her entrepreneurial journey in 1976 with a garment fabrication business, Usha Batra was the first woman in Delhi to open a banquet hall. Her interest in the food business from a young age enabled her to take this step and give birth to Batra Banquets.
“I had a clear vision for perfection, which allowed me to approach this venture well. I believed in serving simple food that was also delicious and made with love. It had to reflect my strong desire to take Indian cuisine to places near and far,” she smiles. In 2011, Batra, the culinary director and the lady behind the legendary recipes of Café Delhi Heights, supported her son Sharad’s decision of opening Café Delhi Heights and gifted him what would prove to be the essence of this popular restaurant chain – all her recipes. She is an instrumental part of the brand and its vision.
As explained by her sons, “She is the guiding force behind Café Delhi Heights, and is in our opinion, the real reason for its success.” As this iconic all-day global casual and neighbourhood diner chain continues to climb the ladder of success, it is Usha Batra’s recipes, Sharad’s vision and Vikrant’s operational skills that aid it on its journey.
CHRISTINE SAMANDARI, L’OPERA
Christine has a PhD in Social Psychology from Paris VII University, an MA in Anthropology, and another MA in Sociology from Paris X University. She served from 1988 until 2008 as the Head of the European and Francophone Branch of the Bahá’í International Community’s Office of Public Information in Paris, France where she coordinated a host of educational, social, and humanitarian programmes across the Continent.
Christine has travelled extensively across the planet, interacted with numerous individuals and organisations, given numerous talks and lectures, and participated in many radio, television, and press interviews. She closely collaborated with governments and institutions of Southeastern countries of Europe within the framework of a project sponsored by the European Union, for stability and good- neighbourly relations in the Balkans in the wake of the break-up of Yugoslavia and the ensuing conflicts.
In 2008, Christine and her family moved to New Delhi, India where she started a new career as an entrepreneur and social activist, in order to support her son Laurent’s dream. Christine is co-founder and Director of L’Opéra, the popular French Bakery and Pastry operation in India. Her contribution as Laurent’s mother to this iconic brand has been nothing short of exemplary, and to this day he credits her involvement with the chain’s tremendous success.
Noor Anand Chawla pens lifestyle articles for various publications and her blog www.nooranandchawla.com. She can be reached on nooranand@gmail.com.