Draped in a black dress with a simple but glowing look Priyadarshini Dey, the proprietor of ‘The Palms Restaurant’ opened in 2016, enters the restaurant for the tete-a-tete` with Woman Times.
WT: Venturing into the entrepreneurship genre with ‘The Palms Restaurant’ how has been your start?
PD: If I rewind my life during my studies at Carmel I had been a shy kind of a girl who stammered. The type of personality I had when I could have been anything but an entrepreneur so coming to this point has been an achievement in itself. Then I had only one goal that was to be at par with the rest of the girls because I was a good dancer and wanted from the core to perform on stage and be recognized for it.
WT: How had little Priyadarshini transformed from a shy and stammering girl to what she is today?
PD: Class 9 onwards I started struggling hard with my difficulties as I wanted to enter into my father’s business. My father was a sheep breaker and he was the only Bengali in India then who was into ship-breaking and being a girl I was prohibited from it. But later my father helped me with the loan part for this venture. I am the only one managing this restaurant.
WT: Why did you choose the name ‘Palms’ for your restaurant? Is it like having a readymade brand name or something else?
PD: I am emotionally attached to my father’s resort ‘The Palms Resort’ and to him as well. I worked with my dad with him in his resort and while venturing into this I wanted to tribute this to my father and so I thought the name ‘Palms’ bears the onus on it. Something that happens here affects the resort and vice versa so all the time we need to be alert.
WT: Choosing the same name do you think it as a challenge for you to establish it on its own and independent of the already established brand of your father?
PD: Definitely it is a challenge as people do not understand that both the entities are different and often end up connecting or building up a link between both. I have learned a lot from dad’s venture as I worked there for some time handling the corporate part.
WT: Being married do you think planning something of your own gets difficult?
PD: Absolutely not, and it should not be. The girl cannot be ruled by the in-laws as the boy is not ruled by the girl’s home.
WT: Do you regret in life doing anything or happening anything to you?
PD: I do not regret anything in life because whatever happens it gives a lesson to me and I learn a lot from it.
WT: Tell us something about ‘The Palms restaurant’ and the special cuisine and menu and how did you choose your menu?
PD: Well, we have two special menus – one The Indian Menu with specialties likes Mushroom stuffed paneer, Kumbh Nawami Mushroom, Mushroom Galawati, Paneer Maskawala, Peshawari Nun, etc. and The Oriental Menu which consists of many experimental kinds of stuff. I wanted the menu to be unique not in terms of presentation but through the taste. There are many recipes that are our own unique products.
WT: Are you thinking about any special Bengali menu?
PD: As of now I am not thinking about it but yeah if I do then it will be again in a different way.
WT: Near to your restaurant is another entrepreneurial venture of Sudipa’s Rannaghar, are you bothered about this fact?
PD: Competition is good; it is all in our perception whether the glass is half full or half empty. I feel good and believe that if I deliver the best people will come to my restaurant.
WT: Who has been your inspiration in terms of entrepreneurship?
PD: Particularly it will be difficult to name one because there are many but one lady who is from the banking sector inspires me a lot and she is ‘Arundhati Bhattacharya’.
WT: Message to women being an entrepreneur.
PD: Anyone can achieve anything. Be open and learn a lot even from bad things as they are boon in disguise. There should be a backup plan and don’t be emotional though u should be and don’t let others take the opportunity to criticize you negatively. Have confidence, you can take on the world.
