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Netflix expands beyond streaming with new pop-up restaurant, Netflix Bites, featuring celebrity chefs from hit cooking shows.

Netflix is venturing into uncharted territory by expanding its reach beyond streaming and mobile gaming into the food service industry. The company made headlines with the announcement of its new venture—a pop-up restaurant named Netflix Bites. This unique dining experience will showcase celebrated chefs from popular Netflix cooking series like “Chef’s Table,” “Nailed It!,” and “Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend.”

Netflix Bites aims to tantalize taste buds with delectable dishes prepared by esteemed culinary artists such as Curtis Stone, Dominique Crenn, Ming Tsai, Andrew Zimmern, Rodney Scott, Ann Kim, Jacques Torres, Nadiya Hussain, and the mixologists from “Drink Masters” including Frankie Solarik, Julie Reiner, LP O’Brien, and Kate Gerwin.

Scheduled to launch on June 30, Netflix Bites will be open daily from 5-10 p.m. PT, with a tempting brunch menu available on weekends from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Although the specifics of the menu and pricing remain undisclosed, eager patrons can secure reservations by visiting www.netflixbites.com or Resy. Interested diners must make a nonrefundable deposit of $25 per person, which will be credited towards their final bill.

Located at Short Stories Hotel on 115 S. Fairfax Ave. in Los Angeles, Netflix Bites is conveniently situated near The Grove, where Netflix inaugurated its inaugural pop-up retail store last year in 2022. This move marks Netflix’s foray into the restaurant business, following its previous success with immersive experiences inspired by popular shows like “Stranger Things,” “Squid Game,” “Bridgerton,” and “Money Heist.”

As Netflix continues to innovate and expand its offerings, fans eagerly anticipate indulging in a culinary adventure like never before at Netflix Bites—a fusion of streaming entertainment and gourmet delights.

by Vivek Kumar

The Burger Company (TBC) has announced the official rollout of its newest format – TBC PICO, a compact yet full-flavor outlet model designed to bring the brand’s signature taste closer to a wider audience. The concept has already witnessed an overwhelming response, with more than 10,000 direct Expressions of Interest (EOIs) received to date. The highest traction for PICO has come from Delhi NCR (with over 1,000 EOIs), followed by Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and East UP – each recording 500+ EOIs. This city-wise demand reflects the strong enthusiasm for TBC’s expansion into newer, high-potential markets. By October 5, 2025, the first TBC PICO outlet will be operational. The month will further see 5–7 outlets opening their doors, with 25+ more already under fit-out and scheduled to launch in the following weeks. Staying true to its roots, every PICO outlet will feature the star attractions from the regular TBC menu, offering vegetarian burgers, chicken options, fries, munchies, sandwiches, momos, pies, and beverages. The curated menu ensures that customers experience the same beloved taste and variety of TBC in a compact, neighborhood-friendly format. “With PICO, we’re making TBC more accessible while retaining everything our customers love about us – great taste, variety, and quality,” said Neelam Singh, Founder and CEO at The Burger Company. “The incredible response proves the strength of the concept and marks an exciting new chapter in our growth journey.” The PICO format represents TBC’s commitment to innovation, scalability, and customer convenience, strengthening its position as a brand built on delivering exceptional food experiences across India.

by Vivek Kumar

Indian festive seasons usher in a wave of celebrations, parties, and naturally, eating out. For restaurants, it is a double-edged sword with gigantic business prospects but also creating operational hurdles. Fulfilling the demand spikes with the promise of consistent quality of service needs to be managed with more than conventional planning. Artificial intelligence (AI)-backed demand forecasting has now become a revolutionizing tool, helping restaurants effectively plan for festive surges. Historically, restaurateurs used experience, intuition, or past records to project festive demand. Though these gave an overall idea of customer flow, they were often inexact. Consumer actions in festivals are affected by several factors: cultural affinities, pay periods, weather patterns, current events, and even macroeconomic factors. AI forecasting systems can handle such multifaceted data inputs in unison. They take cues not only from historical sales but also from factors outside of them like social media patterns, holiday calendars, local events, and online ordering habits. The outcome is a more refined, more accurate demand forecasting. One of the major benefits of AI forecasting is in inventory management. With festive seasons, there is little room for error. Overstocking causes wastage of food, whereas understocking means lost revenues and disappointed customers. AI algorithms study historical buying patterns in addition to existing market conditions to recommend the exact amount of raw material needed. For example, if a city has high demand for traditional sweet dishes or local festival foods, restaurants can pre-order ingredients, arrange more favorable supplier terms, and avoid last-minute runs on inventory. Staffing is another aspect where AI-based insights are a godsend. The festive season necessitates flexible management of the workforce to manage greater foot traffic, order deliveries, and longer working hours. AI can forecast peak hours and days of a festival week and assist restaurants in dividing staff in the kitchen, service staff, and delivery staff according to the correct number for each shift. This avoids overstaffing that increases expenses unnecessarily and understaffing that affects the quality of service. In an industry where customer experience dictates loyalty, such precision is crucial. Tools driven by AI also assist in dynamic menu engineering and pricing plans. Festivals usually witness changes in consumer food habits; families might prefer big combos, corporate parties might require catering services, and young customers might prefer festive-themed products. AI models can monitor these changes in real time, leading restaurants to adjust menus, package bestsellers, or roll out limited-time seasonal specials. Moreover, AI can assist with price-based decision-making by monitoring competitor behavior, consumer expenditure habits, and willingness to pay during busy times. This enables restaurants to optimize profit without pushing away price-conscious consumers. The emergence of food delivery apps has further heightened the significance of AI forecasting. Orders surge sharply on festival days when traffic jams or social obligations discourage people from eating out. AI systems can be made to interact with delivery platforms in order to project spikes in certain neighborhoods or time slots. Restaurants can make their kitchen operations and delivery logistics accordingly to ensure quick order fulfillment, cut …

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by Vivek Kumar

Prime Video, India’s most-loved entertainment destination, today announced September 25 as the global premiere of its highly anticipated talk show—Oppo presents Two Much with Kajol and Twinkle co-presented by Kohler and Kalyan Jewellers. With a new episode dropping every Thursday, Prime Video’s latest unscripted Original brings together the firecracker chemistry of the ever-charismatic Kajol and the brilliantly witty Twinkle Khanna as co-hosts for the very first time and features a sparkling guest list in its first season. With Kajol’s infectious energy and Twinkle’s trademark sass, the talk show—produced by Banijay Asia—is set to deliver an unlimited dose of entertainment, unfiltered moments, laughter, and surprises with some of the most celebrated names in Indian cinema.  “A star-studded guest lineup and conversations that are fresh, spontaneous, and entertaining—Two Much with Kajol and Twinkle goes beyond the usual celebrity chatter, offering audiences moments packed with wit, candid revelations, and a dash of mischief,” said Nikhil Madhok, Director and Head of Originals, Prime Video, India. “Our show is anchored by two phenomenal hosts whose humor and candor shine through every conversation, that promises to keep audiences completely immersed.” Mrinalini Jain, Group Chief Development Officer–Banijay Asia and Endemol Shine India, said, “Two Much puts the spotlight on Kajol and Twinkle—not just as hosts, but as women with distinct voices, curious minds, and sharp instincts. The show is about what they want to ask, what they care about, and how they choose to show up—unfiltered, funny, and deeply honest. With some of the biggest names opening up in ways we rarely see, it’s conversation at its most real. In Prime Video, we found the perfect partner to back a show that celebrates conversation, not just celebrity—and that’s what makes this format feel so fresh.” Goldee Patnaik, Head of PR and Communications at OPPO India, said, “OPPO aims to inspire youth to live in the moment, pursue their passions, and create their own remarkable stories. Our partnership with Prime Video for this exciting new talk show is a natural fit. With its vibrant, unfiltered format and a sparkling guest list, the show will surely resonate with a generation that values authenticity, creativity, and meaningful conversations.” Ranjeet Oak, Managing Director – K&B South Asia at Kohler said, “At Kohler, we believe in celebrating originality and bold voices. Partnering with Prime Video for an enigmatic talk show with hosts like Kajol and Twinkle perfectly reflects this ethos, and we are proud to be associated with a show that promises to elevate customer experience with unlimited entertainment and candid conversations.”“At Kalyan Jewellers, we value conversations that are genuine, engaging and full of warmth. Two Much with Kajol and Twinkle captures exactly that–an effortless mix of humour, charm and unfiltered banter that audiences will truly enjoy. We are delighted to partner with Prime Video in presenting a show that feels both entertaining and refreshingly real,” said Ramesh Kalyanaraman, Executive Director, Kalyan Jewellers.