What Babaji's Kitchen does

Babaji's Kitchen (legal entity Cromkamil Pty Ltd, ACN 164 003 525) is a privately held Australian restaurant business specializing in authentic South Indian/Kerala cuisine, founded in 2014 by Billy (from the Dandenong Ranges) and Max (Mohammed, originally from a fisherman's village in Kerala who previously operated a beachside restaurant in Varkala). The company started with $100 of capital cooking dosa at regional markets and opened its first full-service restaurant in Belgrave in 2016, followed by a second location in Warburton (Yarra Valley) in 2023. As of the data, the business operates approximately 10 employees across two dine-in sites and a growing mobile catering arm; the company is explicitly founder-owned, not a franchise, and has not raised external capital.

The core product is dine-in service at the Belgrave (Dandenong Ranges) and Warburton (Yarra Valley) restaurants, built around signature Kerala dishes including the 13-dish Sadya banana leaf feast, dosa, beef fry with Kerala parotta, fish curry with fresh-not-frozen wild-caught Australian fish, mutton curry, and a Kochi/Mattancherry-influenced dum-style biryani. Supporting technology is conventional restaurant infrastructure — NowBookIt for table reservations, Mr Yum for online takeaway ordering, third-party payment gateways, and delivery via Menulog, UberEats, and EatNow — rather than any proprietary platform. Differentiated features center on traditional preparation: live dosa/appam/fish tava cooking stations, Pollichathu banana leaf parcels cooked to order, brass urili handcrafted cookware, and hand-cut vegetables with fermented lentils. The menu is approximately 80% gluten-free and majority vegan-friendly due to the lentil-and-coconut basis of Kerala cooking, with halal meat available at both sites.

Revenue is generated through five streams: dine-in at two restaurants, full-service event catering (weddings 12-500+ guests, corporate events, festivals) including food-truck deployment, takeaway and delivery orders via third-party platforms, a $25/year Babaji's Besties loyalty membership offering 20% weekday lunch and 10% other-meal discounts, and gift cards plus venue hire at Warburton (60-200 guests). Customer segments span day-trippers and tourists visiting Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley attractions (Puffing Billy, Redwood Forest, Mount Donna Buang, Tesselaar Tulip Festival, Warburton Mountain Bike Park), event hosts requiring cross-cultural catering, local Hills/Yarra Valley residents seeking community-oriented dining, and patrons with dietary requirements (gluten-free, vegan, halal). Marketing is community-led via Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok plus monthly Community Days donating 10% of sales to local causes, with brand authority reinforced by The Age Good Food Guide Chef's Hat recognition in 2024 and 2025 (including a first-year hat for the Warburton site), Time Out Melbourne's Top 49, and Herald Sun's Delicious list.

Name

Babaji's Kitchen

Legal name

Cromkamil Pty Ltd

Website

https://babajiskitchen.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Babaji's Kitchen is a privately held Australian restaurant business operating two dine-in locations in Belgrave (Dandenong Ranges) and Warburton (Yarra Valley) serving authentic South Indian/Kerala cuisine, with supporting event catering, takeaway, delivery, and a loyalty membership, founded in 2014 by Billy and Max from Kerala.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

South Indian Restaurant

NAICS

Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants (THAFACAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Private Culinary Experiences (Chef’s Table, Home Dining, Market-to-Meal) (THAJALAH)

Keywords

• South Indian cuisine
• Kerala restaurant dining
• Event catering services
• Banana leaf feasts
• Authentic Indian cooking

Headquarters

HQ city

Belgrave

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Restaurant: Two restaurant locations (Belgrave and Warburton) serving South Indian/Kerala cuisine. Revenue from food and beverage sales during operating hours.
2. Catering Services: Full-service catering for weddings (12-500+ guests), corporate events, festivals, and private functions. Includes live cooking stations, buffets, roaming canapes, and food truck services. Catering began in 2014 with food truck operations at markets and festivals across Victoria.
3. Takeaway and Delivery: Online ordering through Me&U platform for takeaway. Pre-made curries available from take-home fridge for visitors and locals.
4. Membership Programs: Babaji's Besties membership ($25/year) offering 20% discount on weekday lunches and 10% discount on all other meals. Birthday Club loyalty program with birthday treats and exclusive offers.
5. Gift Cards: Gift card sales for restaurant用餐 credit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Babaji's Kitchen operates two South Indian/Kerala restaurant locations in Belgrave (Dandenong Ranges) and Warburton (Yarra Valley), Victoria, Australia, serving authentic Kerala cuisine including Sadya banana leaf feasts, dosa, biryani, beef fry, and fish curry. The business also provides full-service catering for weddings, corporate events, and festivals, alongside takeaway ordering, gift cards, and a paid annual membership loyalty program.

Product overview

Babaji's Kitchen operates as a dual-location South Indian restaurant business offering Kerala cuisine. The core offering consists of two restaurant locations in Belgrave (Dandenong Ranges) and Warburton (Yarra Valley) featuring signature dishes like the Sadya banana leaf feast, dosa, beef fry, and biryani. Supporting services include online ordering via Mr. Yum, table booking via Now Book It, and comprehensive catering options (private weddings, corporate events, food truck). Additional products include gift cards, the Babaji's Besties loyalty membership, and community event hosting including fundraising Community Days. The business started as a market stall in 2014, opening the Belgrave restaurant in 2016 and the Warburton location in 2023.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Restaurant Dining Dine-in South Indian/Kerala restaurant experience at two locations in Belgrave and Warburton, offering signature dishes including Sadya banana leaf feast, dosa, beef fry, biryani, and fish curry. Open for lunch and dinner with dog-friendly outdoor dining.
• Online Takeaway Ordering Online takeaway ordering service for pickup or delivery, available at both restaurant locations through the Mr. Yum platform.
• Private Wedding Catering Full-service wedding catering featuring live cooking stations, dosas, appam, and fresh fish tava preparations. Accommodates events from 12 to 500+ guests.
• Corporate Event Catering Corporate event catering with customizable menus, chefs, service staff, and styling options. Quote-based pricing with deposits and balance payment schedule.
• Food Truck Catering Mobile food truck catering for festivals, markets, and events with full setup capabilities including self-sufficient mobile kitchen.
• Babaji's Besties Membership Annual loyalty membership program at $25/year offering 20% discount on weekday lunches, 10% discount on all other meals, birthday treats, and exclusive offers.
• Gift Cards Gift cards available for purchase for South Indian dinner experiences at Babaji's restaurant locations.
• Venue Hire Warburton venue available for hire accommodating 60-200 guests for celebrations, corporate retreats, and community events. Set in a 1930s cabaret dance hall with open fires and mountain views.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of menu is gluten-free due to reliance on lentils rather than wheat
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Tesselaar Tulip FestivalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Tesselaar Tulip Festival (Silvan) promoting kids eat free at Babaji's Belgrave with festival tickets. Festival runs Sept 13 - Oct 12 annually. 15-minute drive from restaurant.
• CherryHill OrchardsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for cherry picking events and South Indian picnics at CherryHill Orchards, Coldstream. Nov-Dec 2025 events featured Kerala banana fry with cherry dipping sauce and other South Indian picnic items.
• Kalorama Chestnut FestivalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBabaji's has cooked at Kalorama Chestnut Festival for 10 years, serving famous South Indian chestnut curry. Also hosts Community Day fundraisers for the festival organization.
• Mount Donna Buang / Snow ActivitiesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFree toboggan hire partnership for visitors to Mount Donna Buang (closest snow to Melbourne). Toboggan hire fee refunded with lunch/dinner purchase. Restaurant positioned as stop before/after snow activities.
• Warburton Mountain Bike ParkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRestaurant located at end of Warburton trail network near shuttle bus pickup. Catering to mountain bikers with quick service options, bike parking, and water bottle refills. First 30km of trails opened July 2025.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Daughter In Law: Modern Indian restaurant in Melbourne offering an unconventional, edgy take on Indian cuisine. Comparable to Babaji's as another Melbourne-based Indian restaurant competing for the same urban diners seeking authentic or modern Indian experiences, and similarly featured in Melbourne's best-of lists.
• Tonka: Modern Indian restaurant in Melbourne CBD by chef Adam D'Sylva. Directly comparable to Babaji's as a Melbourne Indian fine-dining peer, similarly award-recognised and competing for the same customer base looking for elevated Indian cuisine.
• Maha: Shane Delia's fine-dining Middle Eastern restaurant in Melbourne. Comparable to Babaji's as an ethnic, regional-cuisine fine-dining restaurant in Melbourne with a hatted profile, demonstrating a similar playbook of cultural authenticity and award-winning execution.
• ISH: Modern Indian restaurant in Melbourne offering contemporary interpretations of Indian cuisine. Comparable to Babaji's as another Indian restaurant in Melbourne pursuing an elevated, chef-driven approach and seeking press coverage and awards.

Broad incumbents

• The Big Group: Large Melbourne-based event and corporate catering company serving weddings, corporate events, and major functions. Comparable to Babaji's catering arm as another Victorian event catering business competing for the same corporate and private event budgets.
• Spice Temple: Neil Perry's modern Asian restaurant with locations in Sydney and Melbourne, focusing on regional Chinese and Southeast Asian cuisines. Comparable to Babaji's as an award-winning restaurant offering regional, authentic Asian cuisine with a similar emphasis on spice and traditional cooking.
• Flower Drum: Iconic hatted Cantonese fine-dining restaurant in Melbourne's Chinatown. Comparable to Babaji's as a long-established, award-winning ethnic-cuisine fine-dining institution in Melbourne competing for high-spend diners and event business.
• Peter Rowland Catering: Long-established Australian event catering group with strong corporate and sporting-event presence. Comparable to Babaji's as another event-catering business operating at scale across Melbourne and Victoria, though positioned as a broad incumbent rather than ethnic-specialist.

Regional players

• Brae: Multi-hatted destination restaurant in Birregurra, regional Victoria, run by chef Dan Hunter. Comparable to Babaji's as a regional Victorian hatted restaurant, illustrating the destination-dining model that pairs fine food with regional tourism (Otways).
• Lake House: Hatted destination restaurant and hotel in Daylesford, regional Victoria, run by Alla Wolf-Tasker. Comparable to Babaji's as another regional Victorian hatted dining destination, sharing the model of pairing food with regional tourism (spa country).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BabajisKitchen
• Instagraminstagram.com/babajisbelgrave
• TikToktiktok.com/@babajiskeralakitchen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/babaji'skitchen

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Babaji's Kitchen