“Masala Dosa, sambar idli, Wada, uthappam, puri, pesarattu special and the list goes. Order please (laughs).

Oh no, let me introduce myself. My name is Manjunath Shetty and I am the head manager of Kamat Vasanth Bhavan which is the first and oldest Kamat Restaurant in the country. It’s been 52 years since I have been in the hotel field and I have learnt the nitty-gritty of the trade by working in many departments like housekeeping, Food & Beverage Service, Customer Relation Management and other practical aspects of this industry.

This place, Hubli junction, has historical significance as it has the world’s longest railway platform. People who travel often stop by at our restaurant to have a healthy and satisfying meal on their way. I am sure you could see the Kamat outlets in every city today and it all started with the humble beginnings of our founder Late Sri Pandurang Kamat. Knowing the pain of poverty and unemployment, he set on a mission to expand his chain of Restaurants to create employment for the poor and uneducated in the society. We were able to get employment because of his efforts and we are forever indebted to him and his sons.

Looking back, I never really thought that I could get an opportunity to work as a head manager in this restaurant, to be honest. I have seen my fair shares of highs and lows starting my career as a cleaner but I truly cherish every moment of my life. Today, I am happy that I could sail through all the tides and provide for my family. I have two children and both of them have chosen varied career paths. My son represents the state in the national Kabaddi tournaments and my daughter is a film and serial actor in the Kannada industry. My wife is a homemaker and she supports us all the time, right from managing the household chores to being the decision-maker in the family.”