From Rs 15 Lakh to Rs 150 Crore: The Inspiring Story of Chowman’s Chinese Food Empire

From Rs 15 Lakh to Rs 150 Crore: The Inspiring Story of Chowman’s Chinese Food Empire

"The first time I tasted Chinese food as a child, I didn’t just enjoy it—I felt something change inside me."
 — Debaditya Chaudhury, founder of Chowman

That one plate of Chinese food at Kim Chow restaurant in Ballygunge Kolkata was love at first bite. The flavour was unforgettable which stayed for eternity. It was heaven for a six year old Debaditya Chaudhury.

It began as a childhood memory. It turned into a driving force. This driving force led to the creation of one of India’s most loved Chinese food brands—Chowman.

Growing up, Debaditiya followed a routine path. He finished his MBA and began working as the brand head at a PR agency called Blue Lotus. Life was stable. But the dream of starting something of his own never went away. Like many people, he had ideas. The difference? He acted on them.

In 2010, he took a risk. He decided to call off his stable job. He calculated his savings. It was 15 lakhs. He spoke to his family to open the first Chowman outlet. Like any Indian well wisher, he was advised by many not to act silly. These decisions look good in a movie but have no practical sense. What if you fail, who would support the family? What’s Plan B? The market already has many Chinese restaurants, why open an extra. Who will trust a new outlet? Do you have any experience of managing a food outlet? Rethink! Rethink! Rethink! But Debaditya had a clear vision: to offer top-quality Chinese food at affordable prices, in a clean, comfortable space.

The first outlet was in a small space. But the food? Absolutely mouth watering. People came, people loved, and then they returned with friends and more friends. Gradually, Chowman grew. There were three outlets now. Then ten. Today, there are over 40 Chowman outlets across cities, and the brand is valued at more than Rs 150 crore.

Was the journey easy? Absolutely not! Were the well wishers and advisors wrong? Absolutely not? Then how did one small Chowman store turn to 40? The answer is Chowman did what it could do the best- make you fall in love at the first bite. Debaditya kept improving, took smart risks, and brought in delivery services, staff training, and new branches. He believed in his dream—and honestly worked for it.

Debaditya’s story reminds us of something important:

●        The things we love doing can shape our future.

●        A lot of people keep planning, but only a few actually take the first step.

●        Taking risks is scary, but without it, success is just a wish.

From a small memory of Chinese food to a Rs 150 crore empire, Debaditya’s journey is inspiring. He turned a childhood feeling into a business that now feeds thousands.

So if you’ve been dreaming of doing something big—maybe it’s time to stop planning and start acting. Like Debaditya, you never know how far one bold step can take you.