Last week we caught up with Albin Sunny, one of Code Hospitality’s 30 under 30 to watch in the hospitality industry. We wanted to hear how and why he got into the industry and to discover a bit more about his path to setting up the Little Kochi restaurant in Cardiff.
Back in 2021, Albin was happily building his career in compliance, working from home and following a straightforward 9 – 5 life. Unfortunately, though, as the world started to emerge from lock-down, his employers made noises about him coming back to the office. This was definitely not attractive, because his office was in London and he was by then very happily ensconced in Cardiff. One day, on his regular lunchtime stroll, his eye was caught by a for-sale sign in the window of a local restaurant. On a pure whim, he opened the restaurant door and went in. The rest is his story (as they don’t quite say.)
Within a week Albin had handed in his notice, repurposed his house deposit savings, and signed the papers to buy the restaurant. In case it’s not abundantly clear, Albin had zero prior experience in the hospitality industry, something he shared with his dad, who helped fund the project, and his friend and soon-to-be business partner. I’m pretty sure most hospitality industry veterans wouldn’t recommend doing it this way, but two years on and with a whole lot of learnings under his belt, Albin seems in pretty fine fettle. We caught up with him to hear more about his journey.
“Initially the type of cuisine was a real issue for us. We reckoned a kitchen is a kitchen, but how wrong we were. We wanted to change the cuisine from our predecessor’s Chinese to Southern Indian, without clocking that this would require a completely different set-up and range of appliances. For example, we serve a dish called Dosa, made from lentils and rice, which is traditionally cooked in a 2m cast iron griddle. Good luck finding one in the Argos catalogue: we had to hunt for ours all over the UK. Next we needed a Dosa grinder - we had to import one from India. So even getting the basics of the kitchen right was super-difficult. We also now know that people use proper catering crockery and glassware for a reason - it’s less likely to break in the dishwasher. Whereas we just went to IKEA for everything. At least the tables and chairs we bought there are still going strong - perhaps because they won’t fit in the dishwasher!
The next big challenge was to get the layout of the tables right. At first we thought we should pack in as many people as would physically fit. But the customers felt cramped and waiters carrying plates could barely squeeze past them. So we removed 10 tables and it worked much better.
We also had to learn how to communicate with customers. I remember I was literally watching videos on You Tube at the beginning. You know, typing in “how to talk to a customer in a restaurant”. I’d never written a menu before either and didn’t realise that, like a book title, what you call a dish has a big influence on whether it sells. So we asked customers what they thought worked and made changes accordingly. Didn’t always work immediately - despite rumours to the contrary, the customer isn’t always right! - but we kept repeating the process until we got there.
The hygiene side of things was another HUGE learning experience. We were actively looking forward to our first visit from the hygiene officer, confident were we that everything was spick and span and we would easily get the top score of 5. Turned out we didn’t know about pesky regulations, like the need to keep a record of things like fridge temperatures and recording dates of food and so forth, and we were more than a little knocked back to score a cool 1. So my business partner and I went on a course, got our systems and procedures in place and invited the officer back again and this time scored the coveted 5. Hi-fives all round.”
We asked Albin about his leadership style and philosophy – how does he make sure he gets the most out of his team?
“I wouldn’t tell anyone to do something I wouldn’t do myself. I will be the first to clean the toilets, which is obviously the worst job, just to show people I’m not above them. If I’m not willing to do something then I shouldn’t be asking anyone else to do it”.
What does he wish he had known before he got into the industry?
“I’m 27 and my social life has taken quite a hit! I wouldn’t want to swap back to the 9 – 5 life, but last year I think I went out for an evening about three times.”
What are the best aspects of running a restaurant?
“You control your own destiny. You can generate your own success. If something isn’t working, it’s in your power to improve or change it. If issues arise, it’s down to you. There are always solutions and I love the fact you are constantly moving forward. I know I will never be able to sit back and say everything is done; there is always something that we can do better.”
What are the best personality traits for people working in the hospitality sector?
“Number 1 is being personable, especially in a small restaurant. Talking to customers is so important. I haven’t really had any bad experiences with customers, but that’s probably because we’re always open and honest with them. We apologise when we need to. Same goes with dealing with your staff.”
Why should people work in the hospitality industry?
“If you enjoy meeting new people, like a challenge and can think on your feet, then it’s the industry for you. No two days are the same and I love that you meet such different people. I was speaking to a millionaire one day and then the next a homeless guy came in and we gave him a free meal. You meet so many different people.”
So what makes Little Kochi stand out from the rest?“Location – although it’s not on the High Street, it’s in a high footfall area of Cardiff. It’s also near the South Indian community and there are no other southern Indian restaurants in the area.
Environment – when we refurbed the space we decided to design it like a house boat. It’s unusual and grabs attention.
USP – service and being personable is one of our main USPs. My business partner and I are at the restaurant most days and we take the time to chat to the customers, make them feel welcome. So much so that 80% are now returning customers.”
So what’s in store for Albin and the team in 2024?
“I’m going to focus on the take-away side of things. We can see massive potential there. Although we haven’t pushed it yet, it’s already generating over 30% of our takings. I’ve also hired someone to help with the marketing and social media side of things, so I want to grow our followers (note to readers – they can be found at littlekochicardiff). And I’m looking at opening another restaurant. A totally different offering, but I’ve spotted an interesting possibility near the pier. Either that, or we might invest in a bar in town.”
Albin’s is an inspirational tale of reinvention, drive, passion and commitment and we’re sure we will be hearing a lot more about him and his team in the years to come. No wonder he was picked as one to watch by the industry.
If Albin’s story has piqued your interest in working in the hospitality industry, why not consider joining the Jupiter Restaurant Scholarship programme? Open to all aged 18+, the fully paid programme provides fast-track training in all elements of the restaurant business.