Eco Eats, Bold Flavors - Feature

Blackboard Restaurant, an offshoot of Bevgo Ventures Pvt Ltd, is a culinary leader in the city of Hyderabad. Driven by a passion for healthy vegetarian and vegan cuisine, the Cafe was introduced as a dining experience that quickly became a staple. Over the years, it expanded its footprint across food courts, college cafeterias, and corporate catering, establishing a reputation for quality and innovation.


Initially, Bevgo Ventures established Whiteboard Cafe in 2015, which was born out of a desire to create a space that is warm, welcoming, and conducive to engaging conversations. With a design philosophy that blends minimalism and vibrancy, the restaurant provides an environment where customers can relax, play games, or enjoy a good book. It serves as a neutral ground between work and home, offering a place that feels like a second home. The Cafe also features meeting rooms for those seeking privacy and quiet.

In 2018, the company’s journey continued with the establishment of Blackboard Restaurant at Cyber Towers, Hyderabad, expanding the culinary offerings to include vegetarian and non-vegetarian multi-cuisine dishes. Post-COVID, under the valuable guidance of Srikanth T G, Business Head, HITEX Exhibition Center, a new branch was launched in March 2022 at the exhibition center, further broadening the Cafe’s reach and influence.

Meeting the Visionaries
With over 30 years of experience running Choice Solutions, an IT services firm, Jagannath Kallakurchi, Managing Director, Bevgo Ventures Pvt Ltd, brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise. An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee), Uttarakhand, and the Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad, he has also completed certificate programs at Harvard Business School, Boston. His journey in the culinary world is driven by his belief in providing healthy, vegetarian, and vegan options to the community, addressing the growing demand for nutritious and ethical food choices.

Venu Gopal Acha joined Bevgo Ventures Pvt Ltd in December 2015 as an Operations Manager and was promoted to General Manager Operations in January 2017. His career began at prestigious establishments like Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre, Telangana, and Taj Deccan, Hyderabad, where he developed a keen understanding of the hospitality industry. His experience in food and beverage management has helped shape the operational efficiency and service quality at Blackboard Restaurant. Overall, his leadership has driven the restaurant success, ensuring that every guest enjoys a memorable dining experience.

Culinary Connoisseurs
Blackboard Restaurant offers various services tailored to a diverse clientele. It manages food and beverage operations for a reputed engineering college and a startup incubation center in Warangal, providing professional yet affordable canteen services.

Faced with the challenge of serving 4,000 students and staff, especially during peak hours, Blackboard Restaurant implemented innovative solutions. They adopted local sourcing to reduce costs, customized the menu to local tastes while ensuring healthy options, and introduced meal cards to streamline peak-hour flow.

Another key portfolio in corporate catering includes a mid-size IT company based out of Hyderabad, where the Cafe caters to 500 employees with diverse food preferences. Its solution includes a weekly customized menu, special dishes twice a week, and a central kitchen for cooked meals, milkshakes, tea, coffee, and juices. The restaurant provides lunch/snack boxes for special occasions and manages the entire kitchen operations, including housekeeping. 

Leveraging its central kitchen capacity, the restaurant delivers food on short notice and partners with other vendors for variety. Elaborating on the Cafe’s expertise, Kallakurchi mentioned, “We leverage our significant experience in setting up and running large kitchens; we also help our clients with initial kitchen design and setup, introductions to trusted kitchen equipment vendors and designers, and complete housekeeping and maintenance solutions.”

A Learning Curve
After opening a branch at the HITEX Exhibition Centre, Hyderabad, the restaurant transitioned into the exhibitions and events sphere, which in turn brought forth initial challenges; however, it was swiftly navigated with the invaluable support of Priyanka Reddyar, Head Venue Sales, Hyderabad International Trade Expositions Ltd (HITEX), and her team. 

Exhibitions are gatherings for professionals from diverse sectors to converge and foster an intellectually stimulating environment. For Blackboard Restaurant, this dynamic setting isn’t just about providing food; it’s about transcending mere sustenance to create lasting impressions.
Moreover, the industry presents a ton of opportunities for professional growth and skill enhancement. Engaging with industry stalwarts, navigating diverse business landscapes, and harnessing global perspectives are just a couple of the multifaceted benefits it offers. 

“Working in this industry provides us with international exposure, allowing us to collaborate with individuals from different cultures, learn about global business practices, and expand our horizons,” Kallakurchi shares. From refining communication and negotiation skills to project management and marketing, every interaction and endeavor in this space contributes to a holistic professional development journey for the restaurant.  

Navigating the Nitty-Gritty
Catering to large exhibition crowds poses significant challenges that demand careful planning and proactive solutions. The restaurant effectively tackles these challenges to ensure a perfect dining experience for event attendees.

One of the primary challenges faced was understaffing, a dilemma that can disrupt even the most well-planned events. To preempt this, the restaurant adopts a preventive approach by engaging in thorough discussions with clients and gathering detailed insights into their needs and expectations for the event day.

Moreover, it carefully calculates the budget for staffing and other event essentials, ensuring efficient service delivery within budget constraints. It also prioritizes assessing all requests for event-related changes and reworking plans accordingly.
The restaurant remains agile, ready to adjust its services to accommodate unexpected developments, such as fluctuations in attendee numbers or last-minute alterations to event arrangements. Additionally, contingency plans are in place to handle unforeseen circumstances, thus ensuring smooth operations during every event.

Brews and Breaks: Nurturing a Positive Work Culture
In the high-pressure environment of exhibition catering, Acha points out, “Promoting staff well-being is important for any company, but it’s especially crucial when exhibiting. By taking some simple steps to promote staff well-being, we can ensure that our team is happy, healthy, and productive during the event.” 

Blackboard Restaurant prioritizes equipping its staff with effective stress management resources and support systems. Acknowledging the potential stressors inherent in such settings, the restaurant encourages team members to practice relaxation techniques and self-care strategies. Emphasizing the importance of breaks and seeking help when needed, the restaurant fosters a culture that values mental well-being and addresses stress proactively to prevent burnout. 

Central to this approach is the promotion of a positive work culture that thrives on open communication, collaboration, and the free exchange of ideas. By creating an environment where team members feel comfortable voicing their concerns and contributing their insights, recognizing and rewarding their efforts further enhances their self-esteem and job satisfaction, leading to improved morale and team cohesion.

Catering with a Conscience: HITEX’s Eco Eats
Collaborating closely with HITEX, the team has marked a successful two-year journey and is now embarking on its third year. With each event, this dynamic duo stirs up a blend of gastronomic delight and eco-consciousness, crafting a menu that’s both palate-pleasing and planet-friendly.

Playing a pivotal role in over 90 percent of events at HITEX, including both internal and external shows, the Cafe sets high standards for sustainability in catering services. According to Kallakurchi, “We have handled almost 38 exhibitions, small and big, together, such as FAMDENT, CREDAI Property Show, SBI Property Show, FRO Expo, Grama Bharathi Kisan Expo, PETEX India, and more.”

Furthermore, Acha outlines a few practices that focus on improving sustainability, “Eliminating single-use plastics and packaging and replacing them with items that can either be composted or reused, using a self-service beverage station rather than cans and bottles, and developing a system for composting food waste.”

By prioritizing sustainability practices like minimizing food waste and making mindful food choices, it ensures efficient catering operations and reduces its environmental footprint. This holistic approach aligns with the vision of creating a sustainable food system that supports food security, nutrition, and environmental stewardship for future generations.

Beyond Menus, Crafting Experiences
Blackboard Restaurant’s future at HITEX and beyond is a culinary odyssey, blending innovation with delectable delights. Each day brings new lessons; according to Acha, “it’s a day-by-day learning process, keeping ourselves updated and focusing more on good food with great service.”
Food isn’t just sustenance; it’s a conversation starter, a bridge between people and cultures. The restaurant recognizes this, aiming to create memorable experiences that go beyond taste buds. To excel in exhibitions, they prioritize warmth, attentiveness, and personalized interactions.


All image source: Bevgo Ventures Pvt Ltd