Ministry of Crab enters India with first outlet in Mumbai

Gourmet Investments Pvt Ltd. (GIPL), one of the leading hospitality groups in the country today (promoted by the Bharti Family Office) has announced an agreement with the Ministry of Crab owned by cricketers Kumara Sangakarra, Mahela Jayawardene and Chef Dharshan Munidasa to bring the iconic Sri Lankan seafood restaurant to India. 

Dharshan Munidasa and Mahela Jayawardene with Deepinder Batth and Ramit Mittal of Gourmet Investments

The Ministry of Crab has been on the coveted and prestigious Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list every year since 2015. The first outpost of Ministry of Crab will open in Mumbai in May/June 2018. Gourmet Investments has bagged the exclusive rights for the Ministry of Crab brand of restaurants for all of India for a period of 10 years to begin with, and extendable by an additional period of five years after the opening of the second outlet in India.   “We hope to excite and tantalise the taste palate of Mumbai and are delighted to bring forward the Ministry of Crab in partnership with Chef Munidasa. We are pleased to start our journey in Mumbai, the most glamorous city of India,” GIPL CEO Ramit Mittal said.

“Gourmet Investments is on the path to bring globally acclaimed dining brands as well as celebrity chefs to India to an audience that travels extensively and is more aware about pedigree international food trends.  By end of 2018, we plan to indigenously develop, as well as acquire rights for multiple international food and beverage brands, with the next one being Typhoon Shelter, conceptualised with Chef Christian Yang,” GIPL COO Deepinder Batth (Joey) said.

The Ministry of Crab is a crab lovers’ heaven in the heart of Colombo Set in a preserved 400-year-old Dutch hospital in Colombo with a minimalistic open kitchen format.  It is a true haven for crustacean fans, celebrating the Sri Lankan crab in everything from the dishes to the crab-claw plants that serve as the restaurant’s only décor! The restaurant was set up by Chef Dharshan Munidasa together with cricketing legends Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara.  As the name suggests, there is crab, crab and more.

The first Indian outpost will serve signature dishes such as Black Pepper Crab and Chilli Crab, which are staples at the Ministry of Crab. In addition, there would be certain other dishes developed specifically keeping in view the Indian market.

 “India has been on my radar for many years and it has been a question of the right partner. My food can be simple and ingredient specific that it required a partner to understand the passion and stubbornness about it. With Joey and Ramit I found great partners to work in India and look forward to our opening in the next few months,” Chef Dharshan Munidasa said. “Ministry of Crab started as a fun project for Kumar and me to work on together, along with Dharshan, and we’re so happy to see how far it’s come. With this new step into India I’m excited for the next innings in our journey and hope you’ll be bowled over by it,” former Sri Lanka Captain Mahela Jayawardene said.

GIPL, promoted by the Bharti Family Office, represents the iconic PizzaExpress brand in India since 2012. GIPL opened 9 restaurants up till July 2017. In 2017 Ramit (CEO) & Deepinder (COO) joined forces to further strengthen the strong foundation laid by PizzaExpress’s success across Mumbai and Delhi NCR by widening the vision from a single brand multi-unit operation to a multi brand multi-unit operation.