Boman Kohinoor, owner of Britannia & Co, the iconic Mumbai restaurant, passed away last week, bringing to a close a remarkable chapter in the culinary history of the city.
He was 97, the same age as the restaurant. Perhaps because the restaurant and he grew together Boman had a strong emotional connection with it that went beyond the mere ownership of a business. Going to work at the age of 16 at Britannia, founded by his father, this passionate, affable restaurateur was a constant presence in the place for eight decades.
We met him three years ago while researching for our book, Secret Sauce – Inspiring Stories of Great Indian Restaurants. There he was, his gait slow but a twinkle in his eye, ambling between tables, chatting with customers, egging them on to order this or that dish. And, yes, he brought out his laminated collection of his correspondence with Britain’s royal family of which he was a devoted fan – to the amusement of many — and photographs of his meeting with Prince William and Kate. He spoke of the celebrities who visit his legendary restaurant and how he berates Abhishek Bachchan when he turns up without wife Aishwarya.
He was in his mid-nineties, but his memory was sharp and thoughts lucid. He told us about how his father had begun Britannia and chosen the name because he knew the local administrator had a thing for names associated with the British Raj. This made it easy to get approvals and licences.
Boman joined the restaurant when he was in his teens and took it over when his father passed away. It had originally served Continental fare and later introduced Mughlai cuisine for the well-heeled Indian clientele that frequented this then elegant restaurant in Ballard Estate. It was in the eighties that Boman and his wife Bacha started serving Irani and Parsi specialities for which Britannia soon became famous. The food was a reason for Britannia’s popularity, but Boman’s genuinely warm customer service played no small part.
In recent times, Britannia’s hours of operation have been cut and it’s open only for lunch. Boman told us that even during wartime with its various restrictions he had managed to stay open all day. His son Afshin who came on board wasn’t keen on putting in such long hours. Britannia faces a problem many family-run businesses have: the reluctance of the present generation to invest the sort of passion and commitment previous ones did.
As we wrapped up our conversation, Boman looked up at the peeling plaster and the faded walls and said he was unsure about renovating the place as the 99-year lease with the port trust that owns the property would end in 2022 and he didn’t know if it would be renewed. Even with its air of being frayed around the edges, Britannia continues to be a landmark among Mumbai’s vintage eateries. Boman Kohinoor ensured that all his life and till the very end.
