A rocky road to restaurant success
Neelesh Harduth might not be your typical restaurant owner, but his credentials as a businessman are not to be doubted. It was, in fact, those very credentials that secured him Business Partners Limited’s backing in 2019 when the corporate banker decided to invest in an Indian restaurant situated in Gauteng’s East Rand.
Arnold February Regional Investment Manager at Business Partners Ltd visited the restaurants and asked, “why should we invest in you as a person,” Neelesh remembers. “I had no hospitality experience and wanted to get into a notoriously difficult industry.” Fortunately, Arnold trusted the entrepreneur and five years later, in July 2024, Neelesh settled his Business Partners Ltd loan in full.
Part of what convinced Business Partners Ltd, was the fact that Masala Restaurant was already a successful business. Established in 2014, it had created a reputation for being known as a firm favourite among lovers of authentic, quality Indian cuisine within the East Rand. The books told a highly positive story, one that Neelesh’s resilience, business acumen and appetite for success have since enhanced.
“In our first full year of trading post Covid-19, which was 2021, we were named the best Indian restaurant in Ekurhuleni,” says Neelesh. The feat was repeated in 2022 and 2023. In addition, Masala’s Google rating jumped from 4.1 to 4.5 stars.
Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, Neelesh knew entrepreneurship would not be easy; however nothing, could have prepared him for the almost-disastrous start to his foray into hospitality. In August 2019, having come through a successful winter trading period, Neelesh had to undergo a serious hip operation, which took him out of the business for three months. No sooner had he recovered, than Covid-19 and the devastating lockdown hit. Memories of that dark time still linger but are fortunately dominated by the tremendous support Masala received to not only stay afloat but to prosper again once things returned to normal.
“Business Partners Ltd has been fundamental to my success in this venture,” says Neelesh. “Not only did they take a chance on me as a person with business acumen but no restaurant experience, but through an interest-free technical assistance loan they paid for the restaurant’s founder to mentor me. And then, during Covid-19, Business Partners Ltd gave me a relief loan to pay salaries and rent.” When Neelesh fell behind on the repayments due to the slow recovery of the restaurant industry, Business Partners Ltd came to an agreement with him that worked in everyone’s favour.
“It has been an amazing journey – difficult and fruitful in equal measure – and one that I look forward to continue with different enterprises.” Neelesh plans to add to his restaurant and existing property investments by branching out into the fuel industry. “It has always interested me and I hope to get involved in it soon,” he says.
For the moment, however, Neelesh divides his time between Masala and his corporate job to which he returned to help mitigate the impact Covid-19 had on the restaurant. “This year has been challenging, juggling these two very different responsibilities,” he notes. But there is no mistaking the pride and joy he derives from connecting with Masala’s customers and getting the back-of-house team to work well together. “Customers must feel this is a place where they want to spend their time and their money because the food is cooked with love, the service is exceptional and the ambience warm and welcoming.”
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