India Gate Restaurant enters Malaysia Book of Records

India Gate Restaurant, known for its authentic South and North Indian cuisine, has been officially recognized by the Malaysia Book of Records (MBR) for achieving an outstanding feat in the culinary world. The restaurant has set a record for selling the highest number of biryani and naan dishes in a single year.

With a total of 573,619 units of biryani and 379,485 naan breads sold, India Gate has cemented its status as one of Malaysia’s top dining destinations for Indian cuisine.

Record-breaking sales

Saravanan Subramaniam, the founder and managing director of India Gate Restaurant, expressed his pride in the achievement during an award ceremony held at the opening of the restaurant’s 10th branch in New Town, Petaling Jaya, on Friday (Sept 13).

“This recognition is a great honour for our restaurant, as biryani and naan are among the top dishes from our extensive menu of 158 items,” Saravanan told the media after receiving the award from a representative of MBR.

Saravanan also shared that the restaurant chain has revamped its menu to offer a more unique dining experience. “We’ve introduced new and exciting dishes to keep our customers delighted,” he added.

10th branch and expansion plans

The opening of India Gate’s 10th branch was a grand affair, with 200 guests in attendance and 1,000 servings of biryani distributed free to the public. The new branch, located in Petaling Jaya, can accommodate up to 170 diners and offers four private dining rooms, each seating 12 people. The restaurant also includes party halls equipped with karaoke facilities.

Saravanan revealed that the restaurant chain is on a growth trajectory, with plans to open a new outlet at Jalan Changkat, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, by December. “Next year, we are targeting to open branches in Johor, Penang, Ipoh, and Melaka, and we are also exploring opportunities to expand overseas, starting with Singapore,” he said.

Despite its success, India Gate Restaurant faces challenges in maintaining adequate staffing. Saravanan called on the government to expedite approvals for hiring workers from India, essential for the continued growth of the Indian cuisine sector. “We are currently operating with our last batch of workers and are awaiting approval to hire more workers to continue expanding,” he explained.

Since its first outlet opened in Cyberjaya, Selangor, in 2017, India Gate has expanded rapidly, with branches now in Bangsar, Sentul, Subang Jaya, Klang, Semenyih, Seremban, and Tropicana Golf and Country Resort in Petaling Jaya.

Commitment to halal standards

In July this year, India Gate proudly announced that its central kitchen had been certified halal by JAKIM. This milestone was celebrated on the restaurant’s Instagram page, where they stated: “We are halal. We are delighted to announce a new milestone in India Gate’s achievements.”

The central kitchen processes food for the restaurant’s nine branches, as well as for indoor and outdoor catering services, with a capacity to produce meals for up to 1,500 people. Saravanan emphasized the importance of the halal certification in ensuring that all food and production processes comply with the Manual Procedure of Malaysia Halal Certification (MPPHM).

“This halal certification indicates that we are committed to producing halal-certified food using halal products, providing a customer experience that meets halal standards,” he said.

India Gate Restaurant’s accolades include being named the Best Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year at the Nambikkai Business Icon Award 2023, a testament to its commitment to quality and excellence in the dining experience.