He Started Cafes in India: Social, Mocha & Future Opportunities | Riyaaz Amlani | FO424 Raj Shamani

In today’s episode, we have Riyaaz Amlani, Founder & MD of Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt Ltd, the man behind some of India’s most iconic restaurant brands Mocha and Social. From selling shoes at 13 to building an ₹800 crore food empire, Riyaaz has played a defining role in shaping India’s café and restaurant culture. In this episode, he opens up about the truth of the restaurant business, how India’s dining habits are evolving, and what it really takes to build a brand that stays relevant for decades. He shares insights on why CCD and Barista failed, the hookah culture phenomenon, and how Social became a cultural landmark for the youth. In the last segment, Riyaaz reveals the biggest mistakes new restaurateurs make, how to decide on the perfect menu, and the untapped opportunities in India’s food business that could create the next big restaurant chain. If you’ve ever dreamed of starting a café or restaurant, this conversation will change how you look at the business forever. Timestamps - 00:00 – Intro 02:22 – How Mocha really started 03:59 – Why CCD & Barista couldn’t crack it 05:17 – The story of Mocha Indore 07:23 – Why hookah became such a craze 08:59 – How ‘Social’ was born 13:12 – The rise & success of Social 20:11 – India’s most-selling alcohol 23:41 – Tamasha’s iconic scene shot at Social 25:02 – The big opportunity in Indian cuisines 33:09 – Competition in the food game 37:40 – How to build a successful food business 39:56 – Korean food & coffee shop culture 42:54 – Thumb rule before investing in restaurants 49:33 – Untapped opportunities in new cuisines 57:05 – Breaking down expenses and revenue in F&B 58:33 – Which city drinks the most? 59:07 – Common mistakes restaurant owners still make 1:01:56 – The art behind menu design 1:08:07 – Tipping culture in India 1:11:33 – Gen Z vs Millennials in restaurants 1:15:07 – Selling shoes at 13 1:18:35 – Why menus have complicated names 1:20:45 – What Michelin stars really mean 1:23:25 – Food aggregators & their commissions 1:27:07 – BTS 1:27:51 – Outro