Tête-à-Tea With Sachin Pabreja: In Conversation With Third-Generation Restauranteur, Mr. Akash Kalra and His Vision to Elevate the Timeless Legacy of United Coffee House to New Heights

Founded by Lala Hans Raj Kalra in 1942, United Coffee House is 81 years young, making it the oldest coffee outlet in India and an absolute legacy in the Indian dining landscape.

Akash Kalra, the third generation head has honoured his grandfather by taking on the baton and marching forward with new and exciting ideas and evolving this iconic brand into a nouvelle expectation. The United Coffee House Rewind is where every sip of coffee echoes with the subtle charm of nostalgia and every corner whispers tales of timeless elegance.

In the heart of Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Chandigarh and Faridabad, this coffee shop is a sanctuary—a place where the hum of espresso machines becomes a soothing melody and the clinking of cups is the backdrop to countless stories unfolding. Stepping into this coffee shop, where the aroma of freshly ground beans mingles with the warmth of shared conversations, nostalgia overrides all emotions, creating a haven for caffeine enthusiasts and dreamers alike. From match-making gatherings to business meetings, United Coffee House has stood the test of time, where time literally slows, and each sip is a pause in the rush of life—a chance to savor the richness of the brew and the simple pleasure of being present.

Behind the counter, baristas craft more than just beverages; they curate experiences—a personalized cup of inspiration served with a side of warmth. Step into this chic cafe and experience the aroma of freshly brewed memories mingling with the clinking of vintage spoons and the melodies of a bygone era. Each cup of coffee is a journey back in time, and every conversation carries the grace of classic sophistication.

Aakash, the 3rd Generation Owner and Managing Director of this iconic brand has a natural passion for food. Surrounded by culinary excellence and business expertise, he showcases his natural passion for food as it was destined. With a story harking back to the 1930s, UCH Rewind has a rich historical tapestry.

Mr Kalra has revived the timeless recipes while skilfully straddling the line between tradition and modernity. Understanding his patrons, he expertly balances tradition and innovation, securing his legacy with over 400 dishes from various world cuisines. Come with me as I embark on a journey through time and discuss this iconic legacy and vision ahead for the UCH brand from Mr. Akash Kalra himself.

1: How would you describe your vision for your business?

Akash Kalra: “Our vision is to be the preferred all-day dining destination for the guests, whether it’s about celebrating a special occasion or an impromptu casual get-together with friends & family, considering all age groups and for people with varied tastes and preferences.”

2: What is the culinary philosophy that sets your establishment apart from others?

Akash Kalra: “The inception of the legendary United Coffee House was during the Victorian Era when the influence of British, French & European influenced cuisine was in vogue. British Club Food & Savouries were the forte of UCH since the very beginning so the essence of the brand primarily was to become a casual coffee house, which was the hottest trend during those times and we still continue to maintain that till now. Though what keeps us apart from others is treasuring the old and evolving into the latest trends persisting in the industry.”

3: What have been the most significant challenges you’ve faced as a food and beverage entrepreneur, and how did you overcome them?

Akash Kalra: “UCH has a legacy of 80 years and the biggest challenge we faced was to adapt to the changing tastes and preferences of the newer generations without altering the DNA of the brand. Newer cuisines and concepts were added to the menu and archived recipes of the traditional & nostalgic dishes popular since the '60s, '70s & '80s were reintroduced with a twist. The emergence of Gen Y laid the foundation for the introduction of United Coffee House – Rewind, a casual yet Retro modern avatar of UCH in 2015 creating a contemporary casual dining spot catering to diverse generations, which helped us to penetrate the already competitive market yet we always had a strong brand recall due to being in the market for last eight decades.“

4: How do you prioritize creating a positive customer experience in your establishment?

Akash Kalra: United Coffee House is all about creating a great customer experience by providing exceptional service and great food to the guests. Our endeavor is to give every guest a WOW experience and to be able to achieve that we need to know what our customers expect from us every time they dine with us. Hence we have very strong customer feedback systems in place. We take customer feedback very seriously and have a dedicated Customer Relationship department to look into their feedback and grievances. We capture feedback with respect to the quality of Food, Service and overall guest experience. Every feedback is analyzed and corrective actions are taken at the restaurant level.”

5: How do you approach marketing and branding for your food and beverage business?

Akash Kalra: “We extensively use social media platforms to reach out to our target audience with the relevant information and build online communities for the brand. We also rely heavily on local store marketing to enhance the visibility of our brands in our trade area. Besides all of this, both United Coffee House and United Coffee House Rewind destinations are available on the EazyDiner app, which ensures that high-bill-value customers get hassle-free instant table reservations whenever they want, even on busy days and weekends.”

6: What are your future plans and aspirations for your food and beverage business?

Akash Kalra: United Coffee House has been dominating the casual dining space in NCR for a long time and now with its presence in four states and after eight restaurants, it is the right time for us to establish a national footprint by setting up restaurants in feasible metros and semi metros like – Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune & Hyderabad. The United group has already entered the QSR market with their latest brand – MASKA in 2020 creating a quirky mix of casual Indian and Chinese street food with 7 stores in Delhi NCR and further growing.”

7: Are there new projects, expansions, or concepts in the pipeline?

Akash Kalra: “The Group has major expansion plans in the near future. We are working on some new concepts bringing in specialty cuisine experience to the discerning clients with keeping in view the changing trends and how to present consistent yet trendy eateries which have a longer shelf life.”

8: How important is local and sustainable sourcing in your culinary approach, and how do you prioritize it?

Akash Kalra: “UCH has been a benchmark for customer experience for a long time now. To ensure the consistency of authentic dining experience locally sourced items play a vital role, as they tend to be fresher, boasting more intense flavors & tantalizing aroma and have fewer logistical issues with respect to supplies.”

9: Are there current food trends that you find intriguing or challenging to incorporate into your menu?

Akash Kalra: “Customer tastes and preferences have been gradually changing and we have always been able to successfully adapt to the newer requirements. However, in the post-COVID era, there has been an overwhelming shift to the off-premises dining experience. The rise in demand for home-delivery of food has brought about a new set of challenges forward. Recipes had to be tweaked and delivery-friendly items were added to the menu in order to ensure that the items delivered meet customer expectations. Packaging had to be improved in order to ensure a rich experience for the customers. The emergence of numerous cloud kitchens has made the market even more competitive than before. All these factors coupled with high aggregator commissions have put pressure on margins as a whole. At United Coffee House we were able to adapt quickly to this new customer requirement and our loyal customer base ensured that we were able to convert this new challenge into an opportunity to generate incremental revenue and reach out to a new set of customers in the market.”

10: Is there a signature dish unique to United Coffee House and if so what is it?

Akash Kalra: “United Coffee House’s strong European connection is represented by a collage of traditional & nostalgic European dishes and is helmed by the classic TOMATO FISH incepted in the pre-Independence era and has been the top-selling dish since the 1960s in United Coffee House and since 2016 in United Coffee House Rewind.”

11: Outside of work, what are your passions or hobbies that bring you joy? Is there a particular interest or activity you find yourself dedicating time to for relaxation?

Akash Kalra: “The nature of work in the hospitality industry doesn’t really allow an adequate amount of time to peruse personal hobbies on a day-to-day basis. However, whenever I get the opportunity, I love to travel to newer countries to experience different cultures, and lifestyles and explore the varied cuisines and eating habits of people across the world. I also enjoy nature walks, which have a very calming influence on my mind.”

12: Are there specific daily habits or rituals that you believe contribute to your personal and professional success? How do you start and end your day on a positive note?

Akash Kalra: “I like to start my day early and plan it well. Efficient day planning is the first step to success. This is also the time when I take major strategy decisions as the mind is at its freshest. On the other end, I like to end my day on a calmer note by having some me time by reading a few chapters of my favorite book or listening to soothing music.”

13: Do you have a personal bucket list, and if so, what’s one item you’re particularly excited about? Is there a destination or experience you’ve always wanted to explore or achieve?

Akash Kalra: Experiencing the phenomena of the Northern Lights from exotic Iceland is at the top of my bucket list. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I am really looking forward to this adventure in the near future. I have also been intrigued by the working culture, and easy and adaptive lifestyle of the Japanese and am very keen to visit Japan and experience the country. Morocco is another destination which fascinates me with the diverse range of local experiences the country has to offer, from its vibrant imperial cities to the colorful local markets and to the distinct Moroccan food which is popular across the world.”

This rewind cafe, a timeless haven, leaves us with a sense of fulfillment, connection, and a taste of the past that enriches our present. As the last sip lingers and the echoes of shared stories fade away, we find that in revisiting moments, we’ve created new memories.