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The concept I had in mind from the start was pretty simple: To make people in India discover my favourite sandwiches in a gourmet yet casual format. Incorporating authentic french flavours whilst cooking only with fresh local ingredients was what helped our panini stand out from anything else in the Indian market
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Nicolas, Co-Founder
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STARTED AS a food truck
Born in France, Nicolas moved to India after years of experience with French cuisine. Missing his sandwiches back home he decided to experiment and soon after, in 2015, started a food truck aiming to bring gourmet french street food to Bangalore.
Paris Panini started as one of the first food trucks in Bangalore city in 2015, which was made out of an old school van! The Panini van had a weekly route and customers began to keep track of its whereabouts through social media, often forming long queues right at the moment of its arrival!
Introducing a different product wasn’t easy, but Nicolas’s presence ensured that Paris Panini continually refined the menu to appeal to local tastes, whilst not compromising on being authentically french.
Nicolas was also keen to change the perception people had about street food in India being mostly unhealthy and unhygienic. The design of the truck, equipped with an open counter ensured that his audience could see the panini being prepared in front of them. A professional and hygienic live kitchen experience in a mobile van, helped Paris Panini build trust with our initial customers.
The menu at first was very limited, with about 10 items in total. The focus lay on the quality of the products and freshness of the ingredients used. Everything served was made laboriously from scratch, with love and passion, including our french fries that were hand cut from raw potatoes and double-fried. These fries have since become a rage and till date, remain a testament to how they’re prepared in Nicolas’ hometown of Arras, north of France.
Nicolas’ passion and dedication to Paris Panini caught people's attention. The food truck became so popular that he was invited to cater to all major festivals in the city, as well as dozens of birthday parties and weddings.
The food truck scene in Bangalore was unpredictable because of the lack of regulation. The city’s choking traffic at one time even lead to a ban of Food Trucks. However as the brand gained more popularity over time, Nicolas had to rethink how to scale his operations.
That’s when he met AB and Nikhil from The Pizza Bakery, who were keen to transform Paris Panini from the food truck concept into a brick-and-mortar casual dining restaurant. Keeping the same values, they worked on an elaborate menu to give you the most authentic experience as if you were seating in a Parisian cafe.
Paris Panini opened its doors in November 2019 on the busy 12th Main Road in Indiranagar. The walls are beautifully painted with hand-drawn Parisian streets and the space will literally transport you to a Parisian cafe with an extensive menu focused on gourmet panini, signature french fries, freshly brewed coffee, and delicious crepes to give you the most authentic experience.
Fast forward to today Paris Panini’s growing fanbase has mushroomed the brand into 10 locations across Bangalore, quickly becoming the city’s largest seller of Gourmet Sandwiches.
Despite how far the brand has come, Nicolas, AB and Nikhil feel like it is only just the beginning.
