Architect and PR professional Suman Banerjee has added a new feather to his cap. He started his cloud kitchen Telling Stories to start a new chapter in his life. The Kolkata Mail correspondent Priyanka Dutta caught up with the young entrepreneur. Excerpts..

You are an architect and also a PR professional. How did you think of starting as an entrepreneur?

Suman Banerjee- Seeing my father, friends, and peers somewhere down the line starting with something of their own with the risk-taking ability has always put me in a greater interest. As an architect, I always loved the in-depth phase of planning ever since its inception and then giving life to it most creatively and aesthetically possible. Further, exploring my horizon in media & pr, end-to-end communication, and human-sentiment analysis took me into greater interest. These four driving factors including in-depth planning, creative & aesthetic appeal, end-to-end communication, and human-sentiment analysis gave me the zeal to step into entrepreneurship before turning 30. As an entrepreneur, the best part is that every day is a new challenge with hurdles ahead but completing it gives a different level of both mental and psychological satisfaction.

Why is your brand named Telling Stories?

Suman Banerjee- The idea of naming the brand Telling Stories came to me with the thought when I visit cafes, restaurants, or other public gatherings, I observe that people love to communicate regardless it be a work call or a private affair daily life, mostly we all like that little moment of stardom when someone hears us out in private or public.

The cups and the plates on the tables are refilled and rotated with the bills getting generated for the simple purpose of people sitting/standing and talking over food or drinks. That was the time when I decided to name it Telling Stories with the most affordable price offering in the city and to make sure that these stories would be heard and discussed whenever anyone approached us. Be it food or no food, Telling Stories is always there to hear you.

What is on offer at Telling Stories?

Suman Banerjee- At Telling Stories every dawn is a new beginning with exciting offers and priceless experiences. Every alternate week from Monday to Sunday, we run different offers on each day to make our dearest patrons feel valued, happy, and satisfied.

The list of offerings includes:

1st & 3rd Week: All-Week Long Offer for Online / Offline / Direct Orders

Monday – Get a half plate of Satrangi Momos for free on ordering any two items of your choice from the menu

Tuesday – Flat 10% off on a total bill of Rs.250/- and above

Wednesday – Surprise offerings from our partnered brands on a total bill of Rs.189/- and above

Thursday – A small freebie  awaits to meet you when you receive your order

Friday – Take part and stand a chance to win a special gift from our social media trivia

Saturday – Flat Rs.15/- off on orders of Rs.299/- and above

Sunday – What more can we offer to bring us one step closer to you?

2nd & 4th Week: All-Week Long Offer for Online / Offline / Direct Orders

Monday – Flat 20% off on the entire range of our delightful mocktails

Tuesday – A small freebie awaits to meet you when you receive your order

Wednesday – Buy any 2 similar items of your choice and Get 1 more free from our side

Thursday – Get a free mocktail on a total bill of Rs.249/- and above

Friday – Take part and stand a chance to win a special gift from our social media trivia

Saturday – Flat 15% discount on all food orders of Rs.250/- and above; and also get a free mocktail when you bill it over Rs.289/-

Sunday – What more can we offer to bring us one step closer to you?

Your Favourite Group Order Offers

– Flat 15% off on a total bill of Rs.350/- and above

– Flat 20% off on a total bill of Rs.450/- and above

Who is your target audience?

Suman Banerjee- At Telling Stories, our targeted audience is not narrowed down to any niche segment. Maybe in today’s digital era, millennials and Gen-Z are playing a crucial and active role, but we can’t forget the elderly people at the same time. Our focus is to highlight and appreciate both the pillars of the community including the youth and their parents through a storytelling narrative over food and drinks. Our recent participation in various events has proved this fact even more strongly and widened the horizon for us. Hence, we have a diversified audience base.

Currently are you a dine-in service or a delivery-only service provider?

Suman Banerjee- At present, Telling Stories Chapter ১  is solely providing delivery service through its cloud kitchen model based at Tollygunge. We are serving through Zomato & Swiggy and also accepting direct orders. But, based on the reviews and feedback, we are looking forward to expanding soon and providing dine-in service to our patrons.

What is the pocket pinch at Telling Stories?

Suman Banerjee- At Telling Stories, all the items are priced below the belt of Rs.100/-. Hence, a person can have a wholesome meal within a total budget of Rs.200/- in today’s time.

What challenges are you facing as a new entrepreneur?

Suman Banerjee- To be honest, challenges are enormous and I have lost count in the early phase itself. Regardless be it operations management, inventory and vendor management, customer delight, or social promotions and brand visibility, everything needs detailed analysis and proper guidance for better results. Hence, we are trying to optimize things and streamline processes to have a hassle-free workflow to provide better service and quality.

With so many food outlets in the city, how is Telling Stories different?

Suman Banerjee- With the growing competition in the food and hospitality industry, coming up with something new is challenging and might turn complex at times. People in general prefer simple things with a little bit of innovation and uniqueness. Hence, at Telling Stories we made simple food unique in Kolkata through multiple ways including innovative approach, presentation, customized branding, quality and proportion of food, and most importantly making every individual feel special whenever they visit us either virtually or physically. We believe in saying when it comes to Telling Stories, ‘A pretty middle-class brand for the middle-class people’.

What is your plan with Telling Stories?

Suman Banerjee- The plan is long and a lot to be done in the coming 5-7 years down the line, since we are looking forward to global recognition worldwide. We are working hard to bring a revolution in the fast food world through a lot of initiatives that go beyond the food and drinks experience. At present, we are working on two things primarily, one is to expand our upcoming chapter in North Kolkata based on the repetitive demand, and the second is to start with dine-in service for the patrons at the earliest.

Wishing the young entrepreneur all the best!!