About this episode
Send us Fan MailThis episode of the Chef JKP Podcast brings together two standout names from Dubai’s dining scene for a conversation about friendship, entrepreneurship, hospitality, and building something meaningful in a competitive market.Chef James Knight-Paccheco is joined by Chef Neha Mishra, founder of Kinoya, and Panchali Mahendra, CEO of Atelier House Hospitality, for a special dual-guest episode centered around their newest venture together, Tezekuri.Neha shares how a dinner at home, built around hand rolls and conversation, sparked the idea behind the restaurant, while Panchali reflects on why the concept had been on her mind for years and why timing matters so much in hospitality.Together, they speak about protecting friendship while building a business, collaborating without ego, and creating a restaurant with real intention. From the menu and design to the guest journey and hidden vinyl-led martini speakeasy, every detail was shaped with purpose.WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE• How a dinner party turned into the idea behind Tezekuri• Why Neha Mishra and Panchali Mahendra decided to build together• Protecting friendship while navigating the realities of business• Why specialization matters more than ever in modern hospitality• Designing a Japanese-inspired dining experience in Downtown Dubai• The philosophy behind the hand roll concept and rice-focused menu• Building a restaurant around intention, craft, and discipline• Why they created a hidden vinyl-led martini speakeasy• The role of music, atmosphere, and intimacy in hospitality• The power of supper clubs as testing grounds for concepts• Their thoughts on Dubai’s competitive restaurant landscape• Reflections on recognition, 50 Best, and what success really meansCHAPTERS00:00 Friendship, partnership, and what mattered most while building together02:00 Introduction to Neha Mishra, Panchali Mahendra, and Tezekuri04:45 How a dinner party sparked the idea for the restaurant08:45 From first conversation to finding the location and building the concept12:05 Protecting the friendship while building a business together14:35 Designing the space and aligning on aesthetic vision21:10 Building the menu around rice, craft, and Japanese discipline25:45 Hiring the right head chef and creating the right team32:30 The story behind the hidden speakeasy and martini listening room36:20 Why vinyl, music, and intimacy matter to the guest experience46:00 Soft launch feedback, refinement, and opening in a competitive market57:10 50 Best, supper clubs, legacy, and the future of the brandFOLLOW THE GUESTSNeha MishraInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/astoryoffood/Panchali MahendraInstagram - https://ww
