How L’Opéra transformed India’s café landscape, blending authentic French culinary excellence with accessible luxury and uncovering lessons from a four-decade entrepreneurial journey across six ventures
Kazem Samandari, Founding Chairman, L’Opéra, shared the remarkable journey of L’Opéra at the third Annual BW Retail World’s Building Blocks of Retail Summit & Awards. Sharing his views at the summit, he said, “Today, I’ll share the story of L’Opéra, a family enterprise that brought the essence of authentic French café culture to India, along with some lessons from my four-decade entrepreneurial journey across six startups.”
“When we moved to India in 2008, café culture was virtually non-existent outside five-star hotels. Recognising this gap, we launched L’Opéra in March 2011, starting with our patisserie-boulangerie format in Delhi’s Khan Market. Later, we introduced salon de thé (tearooms), offering light French meals. L’Opéra was a pioneer in creating accessible luxury café culture, which has now inspired numerous players in this vibrant and rapidly growing sector.”
Samandari discussed the vision behind the brand. “Our vision has always been to embody French culinary excellence in India, staying true to our roots. Unlike others, we didn’t compromise by serving local favorites like paneer or samosas. Our audience includes global Indians, diplomats and aspirational individuals seeking unique experiences. Every day, we bake 23 types of fresh bread and never compromise on quality—earning organic recognition rather than relying on advertisements.”
Recalling the journey, he said, “Over the years, we have received several accolades, including being named a jewel of the F&B industry by the National Restaurant Association of India. Moving forward, we aim to expand L’Opéra to 230 additional outlets across India by 2032.”
Addressing the aspiring entrepreneurs, he said, “I offer this advice: Recognise the spiritual dimension of human beings—they are not just consumers or numbers. Pursue more than financial rewards; focus on creating lasting value and meaningful contributions. As we move forward, L’Opéra will continue to uphold its core values—quality, authenticity, and discipline—while bringing the essence of French café culture to India. Our journey is a testament to perseverance, innovation and the power of staying true to one’s vision.”
