Top of the pops: From Thakurbarir Kolapataye Mora Mangsho to Begun Pora and Tahini on Bandel Cheese served atop Goyna Bori — it was a Bengali food pop-up with a difference that Ipshita Banerjee (inset) served up recently. Hosted in an old house, the mood was set with antique furniture and artwork on sale — the set-up being partly conceived by scenographer Swarup Dutta. The 35-year-old Loreto House girl runs her own creative agency Adva, and is part of many food networks on social media. “Everyone wanted a taste of what I cook, so I thought of creating a pop-up around a theme,” says Ipshita. The success of this first one has already got her planning the next two! Amongst the foodie guests who trooped in were Chanda and son Neel Dutt. Ipshita shares a few tips for those planning their own pop-up...
• Know the exact reason why you are doing the pop-up — your USP. Weave a theme around it.
• Find the perfect location — do some market research to find out where your food/brand/product might sell the best. Weave it into the central theme of your pop-up.
• Plan a menu, your stock and a theme to serve your target audience’s needs. Again, do some market research, make a business plan, know your target group.
• Figure out the set-up for your kitchen, shop or gallery. Make note of what you need to merchandise your product in an attractive way.
• Rent everything you need. Since your business is temporary you shouldn’t spend any money on fixed equipment unless you are planning to turn your pop-up into something permanent.
• Get the word out — think of an effective marketing and promotion strategy. Extensively use social media. My pop-up restaurant, with 80 seats, sold out in 48 hours just with one FB post.
• Talk to your customers and gauge what excites them — you’ll learn from them. Then incorporate that as part of your offering.
Pictures: B. Halder
