When I met Akhil Iyer at Benne’s Cyber Hub outlet in Gurugram, I was reminded that some restaurant ideas begin with a business plan, while others begin with a craving. Missing the Bengaluru-style benne dose he grew up eating, Akhil decided to recreate that experience in Mumbai, despite having spent more than a decade working in film production. What followed was a leap into an unfamiliar industry, countless experiments in the home kitchen and a restaurant that soon had people lining up for a taste.

In this edition of Tête-À-Tea with Sachin Pabreja, Akhil reflects on the making of Benne, the people who have shaped its journey and why he believes a restaurant must grow without losing sight of what made it special in the first place.

Round 1 — First Sip

1. Filter coffee or tea, and be honest, which one did you actually drink while building Benne?

We don't actually drink coffee or tea normally, but I do enjoy the occasional filter coffee. I consider it a vice.

2. You've said you started Benne because you were craving a dosa. How many bad dosas did Mumbai serve you before you snapped?

I wouldn't categorise the dosas that I ate as bad. They weren't the kind of dosa that I was craving or that I ate back home in Bangalore.

3. What was the last dosa you ate that was not from Benne, and did you secretly score it?

The most recent dosa I ate that was not from Benne was at Srinivasa Hotel in Tyagaraja Nagar in Bangalore. It's, uh, I mean, I didn't score it. It was incredible. They know a lot more than we know about dosa. They've been doing it for decades, and we can just watch and learn.

4. Your mother's podi recipe is on the menu. Has she visited the café, and what was her review word for word?

It's actually a version of the podi that my mother makes. It's not exactly the same recipe, but she has visited the café many times, and her opinion is extremely biased because she loves her son.

5. If Benne had a background score, like one of your productions, what would it sound like?

There's an iconic song from a Kannada film by Dr. Raj Kumar. The song is titled If You Come Today. That's the song that's always playing in my head.

Round 2 — Bengaluru to Bandra

Where it came from, and the day it almost didn't happen.

6. Take us to the darshini you grew up eating at. What did it smell like at 7 am, and who was behind the counter?

I ate at so many different darshinis growing up in Bangalore, but most of them have that familiar smell of filter coffee and, at seven a.m., sometimes jasmine.

7. You spent over ten years producing for other people's stories. When did you realise you wanted to produce your own and why a café, not a film?

We started Benne because we really missed the Bangalore-style Benne dose and the experience of eating at a darshini. And I didn't have enough money to produce a film.

8. Shriya is a counselling psychologist. Before you signed the Bandra lease, did she ever put you on the couch about this idea?

Shriya was the only person who, when I went to her with the idea of wanting to start Benne, or wanting to start a dosa cafe, didn't laugh at me. She instead said, ‘You should do it.’ Yes, we spoke multiple times. But she's been incredibly encouraging and is obviously a pivotal part of Benne.

9. What was the most sensible reason anyone gave you for not doing this and were they right about any part of it?

Most restaurateurs that I spoke to told me not to do it, and for various reasons. But one that made the most sense to me was because I was coming from a film production background. They said the biggest difference is that when you're producing an ad or a film, you start a project, the project goes on for a month, and then it's over. But when you start a restaurant, it never ends. It's a day in, day out, every day, 24/7 investment. And they were completely right about that. But I'm extremely grateful that we have been given this opportunity.

10. What did you put on the line to open the first outlet? Is there a number, or a sacrifice, you've never said out loud?

I put a significant part of my savings, accumulated over 12–13 years of working, into starting Benne. But apart from the financial risk, there was also the fear of failing at something again. After an unsuccessful attempt at an acting career, the possibility of also becoming a failed restaurateur was something I had to reckon with. I think another failure would have been quite difficult for my sense of self-worth.

Round 3 — The Tawa

The craft, and the people who taught it.

11. You trained under traditional dosa masters in Bengaluru. What did they make you do on day one that you thought was pointless — and later realised was everything?

I didn't train under them in the traditional sense where they taught me how to make dosa, or I spent days with them. I literally just spent a few hours with a dosa master who taught me the basics of fermentation, respect and best practices. The rest was R&D in our home kitchen. We bought a tawa and made hundreds of horrible dosas every day until we found something we liked.

12. What is the one thing about a Benne dosa that a customer can't see, can't name, but would notice instantly if you got it wrong?

The quality of the butter that is used. We use unsalted white butter. But if you use butter that has a very powerful taste or any kind of smell, then it would instantly be off-putting or wouldn’t be very appetising.

13. Butter, batter, fire, hands. If you had to give up control of one of these to a machine as you scale, which one goes first?

Batter. Because for a consistent product, it all starts with the batter, and if a machine can replicate the exact recipe and process, and if we manage to automate that, I feel like that would significantly increase the consistency of the product.

14. Has a master or an old Bengaluru cook ever eaten at Benne and told you something you didn't want to hear?

When we were testing the donne pulao recipe, someone from Bangalore pointed out that the kind of rice we were using was not jeera samba rice. They were exactly right. That day in the trial, my team had used the wrong rice, and they caught it instantly.

15. A darshini works because it is fast, cheap and unpretentious. How do you keep that soul when the bill in Bandra or GK-II is higher?

By being accessible. A meal at Benne is not cheap, but it is by no means expensive. And we work very hard to keep the pricing accessible and affordable to retain that soul of the Darshinis of Bangalore.

Round 4 — The Queue Outside

Brand, crowds, and the business underneath.

16. You built a queue in Bandra without spending on ads. Walk us through the first week the queue went round the corner what had changed?

The queue was as surprising to us as anybody else. We did not expect it. We hadn't planned for it. I would even go as far as saying we were frightened by it. It was surreal what was happening. And we were just trying to do our best to make sure that everybody who came had a good experience. And we feel extremely grateful for those people who gave us a chance.

17. Deepika Padukone apparently came in doubtful that you were serving authentic Bengaluru food. What did she order, and what did you do in the kitchen that day that you'd never normally do?

She ordered a Benne Masal Dose, a plate of Idli Vade, and a hot filter coffee. We didn't do anything different from what we would do for anyone else in the kitchen.

18. Celebrities bring crowds but also paparazzi. Has the fame ever hurt the experience for a regular, and how did you handle it?

Most of the celebrities who have visited Benne, have been extremely conscious and aware of the people around them. So it's never gotten so crazy that a regular's experience has been compromised. Um, at least not that I'm aware of. If we have compromised somebody's experience unknowingly, I would like to use this forum to apologise to them.

19. A Mumbai brand opening in Delhi — what did Delhi teach you in the first month that Mumbai never would have?

The biggest lesson we learnt in the first month of opening Benne in Delhi was how to deal with a real winter. Everything was freezing because it was so cold. The butter was freezing in our kitchen. Many times the batter was not fermenting like it used to ferment in Mumbai because of the weather. So it was a huge learning experience that Mumbai could never have taught us because those kinds of temperatures don't exist in Mumbai.

20. You've chosen to own and operate every outlet. What would have to happen for you to ever say yes to a franchise?

I would have to be extremely confident in the systems and processes that we are trying to develop at Benne. Uh. Right now, our journey is to try to build a system that we can scale without compromising the quality of the food or the experience. So until we do that, there is no um thought of starting to franchise. But I hope that we figure out the answer to these questions soon.

21. One hero product, a short menu. Who in your team keeps asking to add something new, and what is it?

A lot of our team members, especially those who've visited Karnataka or had food from different parts of Karnataka, keep suggesting things. We try them, and if it feels right, we add it to the specials for a limited time.

Round 5 - The Stories Between The Bites

22. If Benne were a film you produced, who is the protagonist: you, Shriya, the dosa, or the customer in the queue? And what is the second-act crisis?

The star of Benne will always and always be the Benne dosa. And hopefully it's a happily ever after film with no crisis.

23. Which single sound in the café tells you, without looking, that a shift is going well?

There's a beautiful amalgamation of people talking, laughing, and Kannada music playing in the background that really makes me feel like a shift is going well. But sounds can be deceptive, and I need to taste the food to really know if a shift is going well or not.

24. Every restaurant has a regular nobody knows about. Who is Benne's the person who has eaten there more than anyone, and what do they always order?

There's a girl who used to visit our Bandra outlet almost every day and order one Benne Masala Dosa. I'm not going to name her, but she's one of the regulars whom I remember. But luckily for me, there are so many others who come to mind. There's a gentleman, an elderly gentleman, at our Chowpatty outlet, who comes every evening for a cup of coffee. He stands in one particular spot, and he sends me a picture every time he's there. They're all extremely special.

25. You run a business with your wife. What is one decision where you were sure you were right, she was right instead, and you have never admitted it publicly - until now?

She was right, and I was wrong. And I have admitted all of them publicly.

26. Shriya studies how people think. What has she noticed about how people behave in a queue for food that changed how you run Benne?

If people are waiting to try your food, the least that you can do is be respectful of their time and try to make it as comfortable as possible given the infrastructural constraints. So we try to offer an umbrella if it's sunny or if there's rain. We try to offer a glass of water. We try to offer a small piece of Mysore Pak, but more than anything, we offer our gratitude to anybody who's willing to wait to try our food. It's extremely humbling, and we don't take it for granted.

27. If you could serve one dosa to any person, living or not, and watch them take the first bite, who and why?

I was a big Sachin Tendulkar fan growing up, so maybe Sachin. Yeah.

28. What would a ten-year-old Akhil in a Bengaluru darshini say if you showed him Benne today?

He wouldn't believe it; he wouldn't believe that he is going to start this place one day, but I think he would like to eat there.

29. What is the most Bengaluru thing about you that Mumbai still hasn't managed to change?

My accent.

Round 6 — Rapid Fire

Answer in a word or a single line. First instinct only.

1. Benne dosa or podi idli?

Benne Dosa.

2. Crispy outside or soft inside?

Both.

3. Mumbai monsoon or Bengaluru weather?

Bengaluru weather.

4. Best dosa in Bengaluru that isn't yours?

CTR.

5. One South Indian brand you admire?

Vidyarthi Bhavan.

6. Chutney or sambar, if only one could stay?

Chutney.

7. The busiest hour at Benne?

8 to 9 p.m. on a Saturday night.

8. Spreadsheet guy or gut-feel guy?

Gut-feel guy.

9. A film you'd recommend every restaurateur watch?

Jiro Dreams of Sushi.

10. First city outside Mumbai and Delhi you'd open in, if money and logistics didn't matter?

New York.

11. Instagram or word of mouth?

Both.

12. Benne in ten years: 10 outlets or 100?

Still open.

Round 7 — The Last Cup

30. Someone in Mumbai right now is craving the food of their hometown, just like you were before Benne. What do you want to tell them before they sign a lease?

Just because it's difficult doesn't mean it's impossible. Please don't start a restaurant by taking a loan or debt. Please start with how much money you can afford to lose. Please start small if you're a first-timer, but please follow your gut and take ownership of your actions.

From The Editor’s Table

My recommendations: Five dishes that capture Benne’s take on Bengaluru’s beloved darshini culture, from buttery dosas to nostalgic South Indian sweets:

Benne Masala Dose: The dish that started it all for Akhil deserves the first spot. With its golden, butter-rich exterior and masala filling, this Bengaluru favourite captures the craving that inspired Benne and the pursuit of getting a familiar classic just right.

Podi Masala Dosa: For those who like their dosa with a little more punch, this variation brings together the buttery crispness of the dosa, a spiced podi coating and a masala filling. It showcases how Benne builds on a beloved staple without straying too far from its roots.

Ghee Podi Thatte Idli: Soft, generously sized thatte idlis meet ghee and a fragrant podi seasoning in this comforting Bengaluru-style preparation. It offers a different texture from the dosas while staying true to the simple, satisfying food traditions that inspire Benne.

Idli Vada: A classic combination of soft idlis and savoury vadas, this is the kind of uncomplicated South Indian comfort food that belongs on a darshini-inspired menu. It makes a fitting choice for anyone looking to explore Benne beyond its signature dosas.

Mysore Pak: End on a sweet note with this traditional Karnataka delicacy. Rich and indulgent, Mysore Pak brings a touch of nostalgia to the meal and rounds out a menu rooted in the familiar flavours of Bengaluru.

Butter, Batter And Beyond

At Benne, the story goes well beyond a good dosa. It’s about the comfort of familiar flavours, the courage to start from scratch and the little things that turn first-time visitors into regulars. As Akhil puts it, the star will always be the benne dosa. And honestly, with butter, batter and a little Bengaluru nostalgia in the mix, that’s one leading role we wouldn’t recast.