If you catch him running around the restaurant, controlling his staff, with his tiny ponytail and grey hair, you may very well mistake him for Big B (Amitabh Bachchan) from the film Cheeni Kum. Well, he is not any less than Big B’s stature, when it comes to Delhi’s pub scene, meet Gaurav Soral, who started the first pub in Delhi — Turquoise Cottage.

Busy, with the launch of his new baby, Turquoise Cottage Noida, Gaurav is on an expansion mood for the last year or so. First, TC Gurgaon started the rooftop section, then we saw the launch of TC Kamla Nagar, and now we will soon have TC Noida. The brand also plans to enter the two-tier cities, soon.

Even on a hot May afternoon, Gaurav is all cool in a jacket, and chats about his passion for travel, food and music. Not many would know that Gaurav is a strict vegetarian, yet with around two decades experience in the hospitality sector, he knows everything from Prawn Tempura to desi tenderloin cutlet (TC’s innovation). “TC started with oriental and Thai cuisine, and we stayed that way for many years. Now, we have started serving world cuisine. Times have changed, so has Delhittes palate. With our Noida outlet we would introduce some popular regional dishes in our menu,” says Gaurav.

 On how TC happened, Gaurav says, “Around 1994-95, Gurgaon had gone dry, and one of the owners of  Fireball, 32 Milestone, was keen to start something in Delhi, and that’s how TC from the Orient started in 1997, the pub started in 1999.”

Gaurav, who is an ardent fan of rock and retro music, has been very particular, about the kind of music is played in TC. “I have faced situations, wherein I was told, ‘if you don’t play Hindi or Punjabi music, I will get your place shut’, but I always stood my ground,” says Gaurav. The pub, in its initial years had a tie up with The Rock Street Journal, and most of the indie bands, who went on to become big, have played at TC at some point. Gaurav’s personal favourite bands are Led Zeppelin, Jim Hendrix and Doors to name a few.

Food is enjoyment for many, but when food becomes your business, than how do you relax? Gaurav, likes to travel, play squash and swim. Gaurav, used to love the Manali of the 80s. So, how does he plan to hang his boots? Will he retire to a place like Goa or Manali, and open a resort? Gaurav says, “Waha bhi agar kaam karna pare toh kya faida!”