Raju Shete symbolises the quintessential entrepreneurial spirit of Mumbai. A self-made businessman, he heads the Radhakrishna Group. This is India’s largest food distribution, logistics and retail conglomerate, a supplier of food and related services to restaurants, hotels and institutions all over the country. Where do you live in Mumbai and why?
I live in Juhu, on the beach, where I jog every day. It’s the part of Mumbai that’s home to film stars, with great restaurants and hotels.
What advice would you give a tourist? Any must dos?
To get a real feel of the city’s pulse, you must go to Churchgate station at rush hour. Experience the sheer sea of people, and you will realise what a potentially huge market this city is.
What advice would you give a visiting business person?
Stay at a centrally located hotel as Mumbai’s traffic and commute can play havoc with tight schedules. Try to have your meetings and do your entertaining within the hotel itself.
What and where have been your most memorable meals?
The Indian food at the Peshawari, ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton. At Celini, at
the Grand Hyatt, Mumbai. Incidentally, we supply the raw ingredients to both these hotels. And most recently, at Wasabi, at the Taj Mahal Hotel.
Where would you take clients to wow them?
I’d say Indigo has the highest wow factor. I love the ambience, and they know me well, because we supply them too. I’d open a bottle of Brunello de Montalcini Reserve, or perhaps an Opus One.
What do you miss about Mumbai when you’re away?
I miss its odour. It’s an aphrodisiac to an entrepreneur.