Burma Burma stands out as India’s only specialty Burmese restaurant and tea room offering a culinary experience inspired by the streets and homes of Burma (now Myanmar). Established by Ankit Gupta and Chirag Chhajer in 2014, the award-winning brand now owns 13 restaurants and delivery kitchens across Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata, with more set to launch in the coming months.

The ever-evolving menu at Burma Burma comprises dishes and beverages rooted in the rich culture of Burma. It consists of heirloom recipes of co-founder Ankit Gupta’s mother as well as dishes inspired by the extensive research trips conducted by Chef Ansab Khan and the research team of the brand over the years.

Creating a one-of-a-kind Burmese Culinary Experience in India

The brand is a result of two defining forces in Ankit’s life – his father’s lineage and the treasured family recipes from his mother’s heritage. His father and grandfather had long been in the restaurant business, shaping his understanding of food and hospitality. On the other hand, his mother’s Burmese roots filled their home with captivating flavours while Ankit was growing up.

He fondly recounts, “When guests visited our home, my mother would often prepare Burmese dishes like Khowsuey and Tea Leaf Salad. All my friends absolutely loved them and would be sure to request ma to make them everytime they came over!”

Recognising the uniqueness of the Burmese palate and the absence of any restaurant in India solely dedicated to this cuisine, he was inspired to create a space that showcases the rich culinary heritage of the region.

Equipped with the concept and design, he reached out to his childhood friend Chirag Chhajer, a food enthusiast and an avid traveler, to bring Burmese food to Indian tables.

Ankit says, “In 2014-15 when we had just started off, we noticed a visible shift towards single cuisine offerings across restaurants in India.” They leveraged this, to build a specialty dining experience that would ensure guests keep returning for the food.

Ankit and his team maintain a strong connection with the culinary landscape of Burma. Guided by their commitment to perfecting food concepts before introducing them to a wider audience, they ensure to visit Burma frequently. These visits enable them to capture the essence of the cuisine and curate an experience in India that blends the finest rural and urban flavours.

During their initial visit, the team came across a wide range of vegetarian dishes. Recognising their significance in Burmese cuisine, they felt it crucial to showcase that at their restaurant.

Today, Burma Burma offers the widest repertoire of Burmese dishes in any restaurant in India and perhaps in the world. The menu captures the restaurant’s 10-year journey, with each dish reflecting the cities, regions, and tribes the founders have encountered along the way.

It comprises bestsellers like Spicy Tea Leaf & Avocado Salad, Oh No Khowsuey, Lotus Stem Crisps, Samosa Soup, Mekong Curry, and Rangoon Baked Milk, amalgamating diverse flavours that would appeal to the Indian palate.

Ankit says, “We innovate extensively in terms of the desserts and beverages that we offer, while maintaining consistency in the quality of food on our menu.”

Uncovering the hurdles

However, bringing Burmese cuisine to India comes with its own set of challenges. One major hurdle that Ankit and his team faced was in sourcing specialised local Burmese ingredients. The unique flavours of the dishes rely heavily on these specific ingredients, requiring a constant search for reliable suppliers or suitable alternatives available in India.

Additionally, finding the right talent across different states is an ongoing challenge for the restaurant, especially because customers expect high levels of consistency and quality from the brand. Locating skilled chefs and staff with the expertise needed to prepare signature Burmese dishes can be difficult, but Ankit and Chirag constantly manage to tide over challenges.

Ankit says, “Burma has faced difficult times in recent years due to ongoing internal conflicts, causing trade routes to frequently open and close. To source our ingredients, we’ve had to establish alternative channels through Thailand, Bodh Gaya, and other regions.” Developing the supply lines has been crucial for the brand to stay true to their vision of serving signature Burmese food in India.

Shaping success through strategic collaborations

As a niche cuisine, what Burmese food needed was a robust platform to create demand and connect with a diverse audience in India. Zomato provided exactly that.

The brand has witnessed incredible growth since the time they were onboarded on Zomato in 2018. Their orders have grown 12 times over the past six years.Ankit says, “An interesting thing that we noticed was that despite training our servers to make food recommendations for our dine-in customers, many of them would come to the restaurant with very specific requirements.” They later realised that this was primarily because of Zomato.

He adds, “People saw reviews of our highest rated items on Zomato and wanted the exact same items to eat at our restaurant!” Ankit adds that the association has been crucial in making Burmese cuisine more accessible and popular across the country and establishing it as a leading name in the culinary space.

An adventure filled ride awaits

Fueled by their growing popularity, Burma Burma is all set to launch many more restaurants in India, including across tier 2 cities over the next 2-3 years.

Ankit shares, “In the next few months we look forward to introducing some exciting new dishes. We keep updating our menu to keep the offering fresh and interesting for our guests across the country.”

Having crafted flavours that are being loved by millions, the future for Burma Burma looks promising. It stands as a befitting tribute to the people and culture of Burma while offering the most modern and eclectic introduction to Burmese cuisine for thousands of Indians.