Dishoom: From Bombay with Love

Shamil and Kavi Thakrar, co-founders of Dishoom, faced critical decisions as they looked to expand the UK-based restaurant group. Shamil, the CEO, was confident in Dishoom's potential for growth but he was concerned about preserving the culture and values centered around the notion of "seva" or selfless service. He knew that this strong culture underpinned the nostalgic and culturally rich customer experience that defined the organization's success to date. At the same time, Thakrar wondered if Dishoom's culture was a double-edged sword, contributing to employee burnout. How could he ensure that Dishoom’s organization and culture were set up for the growth ahead? This case considers the challenge of how leaders design and manage culture in the face of organizational scaling.