In this episode of Expert Talk with Bhavya Desai, we sit down with Akhil Iyer, founder of The Artist Collective India and the man behind Benne, a venture that brings a slice of Bangalore’s soul straight to the heart of Bandra and Juhu.From building an artistic community to launching a restaurant rooted in nostalgia, Akhil shares his journey of taking bold risks, chasing passion, and blending cultures. We talk about what it takes to turn a dream into a destination, and the food philosophy that fuels Benne.This isn’t just about food — it’s about flavour, risk, and storytelling. Tune in to hear how one man’s vision is bridging cities with comfort on a plate.📢 Don’t forget to Like, Comment, and Share this video! Your engagement helps us bring more such content.✅ Subscribe to Expert Talk with Bhavya Desai for more updates on our political series and hit the bell icon to stay notified about our latest episodes.This podcast was shot on Sony A7 IV and FE 50mm F1.8 📷Timestamps:00:00 - What’s coming01:03 - Bhavya x Akhil begins02:00 - Bhavya & Akhil 05:00 - Bene Pizza in Bandra08:20 - Dosa is like Pav?10:40 - Innovation in Dosa12:40 - Story of first Benne outlet14:40 - Support system is important15:50 - Why Bandra?18:10 - Bringing Southern eating experience to Mumbai19:40 - Building community using Benne22:45 - Why did Benne begin?23:40 - Happiest moment at Benne25:00 - What Akhil did before Benne26:30 - Bhavya’s failed restaurant28:45 - Lowest point in Akhil’s life31:00 - Perfectionists get disappointed easily32:49 - Why the name Benne?35:10 - Story about Benne’s logo37:00 - Akhil learned to make Benne dosa39:00 - Opening day disaster 40:58 - Akhil took 6 months to perfect a dosa42:15 - Benne team is a bunch of misfits45:30 - Breaking the bank for Benne49:30 - Nightmarish soft launch of Benne 53:00 - Bad reviews & miscommunication55:20 - Deepika, Ranveer, Virat & Anushka dine at Benne57:40 - Ranveer in the kitchen59:20 - Celebrities putting extra pressure01:02:00 - Biggest concern about Bangalore dosa01:04:45 - Upsetting neighbours 01:06:00 - Celebrity protocol at restaurants01:08:40 - How Akhil knew Virat before Benne01:09:45 - Maintaining consistency across branches01:12:44 - Taking through the dosa making process01:14:30 - Benne’s social media strategy01:20:00 - Why Benne is not on Swiggy & Zomato01:22:13 - Ice creams at Benne, Indu Ice cream collab01:26:05 - Failed items, Davangere benne dosa01:27:40 - Rapid fire 01:30:11 - Final wordsConnect with us: [email protected]📢Follow us on Social Media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/experttalkwithbhavyadesai/X: https://www.twitter.com/ETwithBhavyaD/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/experttalkwithbhavyadesai/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/experttalkwithbhavyadesai/📢Follow Bhavya Desai: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bhavya_desai/X: https://twitter.com/bhavya_desai/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bhavya.desai.520/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bhavya-desai-058652149/📢 Follow Akhil Iyer:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akhiliyer/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/akhil.iyer.actor/X: https://x.com/akhiliyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akhil-iyer-254494255/▶ About Expert Talk with Bhavya Desai - "Expert Talk with Bhavya Desai" is a podcast channel where curiosity meets expertise! and our host Bhavya Desai, a curious and enthusiastic podcaster, talks to different experts and brings out the best in his guests, ensuring that every episode is packed with valuable takeaways. This show aims to connect people who love learning with professionals who have a lot of knowledge and experience.