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Supper Clubs redefine Indian urban dining scene
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Friday, 17 July, 2026, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Anurag More, Mumbai
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India's metropolitan cities are witnessing a transformation in the dining and hospitality landscape as supper clubs emerge as one of the fastest-growing experiential dining formats. Hosted in intimate homes and unconventional venues, these curated gatherings are creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs while redefining how people connect through food.
Across cities such as Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi, supper club hosts are reportedly earning between Rs 50,000 and Rs 60,000 per event by hosting around 14 guests and charging approximately Rs 4,200 per person. With many hosts operating only three evenings a week, the model is increasingly proving to be a viable and profitable micro-business.
For Sasha D'Souza, founder and chef at Pacsicum, the idea stemmed from a deeply personal experience. After relocating to Mumbai, D'Souza found it difficult to build meaningful relationships and realised many others shared the same challenge.
"When I moved to Mumbai, I found it difficult to connect with people, especially women who inspired me and whom I could learn from. Over time, I realised many people around me felt the same—we were having the same conversations within the same circles. Food has always been my first love, so instead of opening a traditional restaurant, I wanted to create a space where people could leave their labels behind and connect authentically over a shared meal," D'Souza said.
According to D'Souza, the growing popularity of supper clubs reflects a broader social shift driven by rising loneliness and the need for authentic human interaction.
"I believe loneliness is becoming the next epidemic. Friends have become synonymous with followers, and we've lost the habit of speaking to our neighbours or starting conversations with strangers. Social media has encouraged people to fit into predefined boxes, while supper clubs create space for genuine conversations and meaningful connections," D'Souza explained.
Looking ahead, D'Souza believes experiential dining will be defined less by visual appeal and more by emotional resonance.
"Over the next five years, people will prioritise how a place makes them feel over how it looks on social media. Diners will seek food with authentic stories, honest perspectives and experiences that celebrate imperfections rather than manufactured perfection," D'Souza said.
The founder also believes Pacsicum is helping restore the communal aspect of dining at a time when food consumption has become increasingly individualistic.
"Post-pandemic, food delivery platforms have made meals more accessible, but they've also reduced opportunities for shared dining. Through Pacsicum, we want to bring people back to the table, encourage conversations and restore meaning to the experience of sharing food," D'Souza said.
Among emerging culinary trends, fusion cuisine remains D'Souza's greatest source of inspiration.
"I love taking a familiar dish and adding a personal twist or combining it with influences from another cuisine. I've never been able to follow a recipe exactly as written, and that freedom is reflected in the food we serve," D'Souza said.
Despite the growing demand, running a supper club presents unique operational challenges.
"Unlike a restaurant, every edition is built almost from scratch. You're curating menus, sourcing ingredients, selecting guests, designing the experience and ensuring everything feels effortless, even though it rarely is. Every event has different venues, menus, collaborations and audiences, making each edition a unique operational challenge," D'Souza noted.
Balancing exclusivity with expansion is another priority for the brand.
"People often assume exclusivity and growth cannot coexist, but I disagree. Exclusivity isn't about keeping people out—it's about protecting the quality of the experience. Real conversations happen best around a table of 20 to 30 people. Instead of increasing capacity, we'll grow by hosting more editions across different cities with carefully chosen venue partners. The waitlist itself becomes part of the excitement," D'Souza said.
Over the next year, Pacsicum plans to significantly scale its operations while preserving its intimate, community-focused approach.
"Our goal is to grow from one edition to four or six each month. We'll work with more venue partners, collaborate with more brands and introduce niche concepts that push the boundaries of what a supper club can be. We're also exploring what we call 'edible experiences'—using food as the starting point for immersive gatherings that go beyond dining. Success, for us, means building a format that people genuinely believe in and a community that keeps returning," D'Souza said.
While many hospitality entrepreneurs ultimately aspire to launch a permanent restaurant, D'Souza envisions a different future for Pacsicum.
"I come from a century-old family catering business, M. D'Souza Caterers, so I grew up in kitchens. Although I left advertising to pursue food, storytelling has always remained central to what I do. A supper club gives me the freedom to tell a different story every single time—with a new venue, menu and collaboration. Rather than opening a permanent restaurant, I want to build an ecosystem of edible experiences, from private dinners to food-led travel and community gatherings that feel unmistakably like Pacsicum," D'Souza said.
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