The Host Fine Indian Cuisine

What The Host Fine Indian Cuisine does

The Host Fine Indian Cuisine is a privately held, family-owned Indian restaurant group headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, operating under the corporate umbrella The Host Hospitality Group. Founded by brothers Sanjeev Sethi and Jay Sethi after immigrating to Canada in 1989, with the first restaurant opening in Yorkville in 1995, the company has built a nearly three-decade brand in the Greater Toronto Area Indian dining market. The core business operates two fine-dining restaurant locations (87 Elm St., Toronto and 14-10 East Wilmot St., Richmond Hill), serving à la carte menus, daily lunch and dinner buffets in Toronto (priced at $22.99-$25.99 per adult), and made-to-order thali meals in Richmond Hill starting at $24.95.

The group's product surface extends well beyond dine-in service. The Host Catering division provides off-premise Indian catering for events ranging from 8-person trays to 1,000+ guest functions, supported by a mobile kitchen and 'Host on Wheels' food truck launched in 2024. Online ordering is offered through the company's own website and via third-party delivery aggregators (UberEats, DoorDash, SkipTheDishes), and gift cards are interoperable across the group's sub-brands: Mantra by Host (upscale Indian at Shops at Don Mills), Bhai's Canteen (South Indian fast-casual), and Firangi. The company's underlying technology is rooted in traditional culinary craft, including charcoal tandoor cooking transported to off-site venues and in-house scratch preparation of items such as papdi and chai masala blends, rather than proprietary software or platform technology.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across consumer-facing (dine-in, buffets, thali, takeout, delivery) and event-driven (corporate catering, weddings, private dining buyouts, food truck activations such as the FIFA Fan Festival FWC26 Toronto) streams. The group maintains venue partnerships with premium GTA operators including The Ritz Carlton, Marriott, Club Link, and The Globe and Mail. Following co-founder Sanjeev Sethi's passing in 2017, leadership transitioned to the next generation, with Chef Ashish Sethi (Culinary Institute of America, ex-Daniel Boulud) developing new concepts and Archana Sethi directing catering operations. The business is bootstrapped, family-controlled, and has no disclosed external institutional investment.

Name

The Host Fine Indian Cuisine

Legal name

The Host Hospitality Group

Website

https://welcometohost.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Host Fine Indian Cuisine is a family-owned Indian restaurant group operating five dining concepts and a catering division across the Greater Toronto Area, serving individual diners, corporate clients, and large-scale events with traditional scratch-cooked Indian cuisine.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Indian Restaurants

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Caterers (722320), Mobile Food Services (722330)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Fine Dining Restaurants (THAFACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mobile / On-Site Catering (Food Trucks for Events, Pop-Ups) (THAFAIAJ), All-Day Dining Restaurants (THAFACAJ)

Keywords

• Indian fine dining
• Event catering services
• Restaurant buffet meals
• Online food ordering
• Mobile food truck

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Restaurant Services: Full-service dining at Toronto and Richmond Hill locations, including à la carte menu, lunch and dinner buffets (Toronto only), and thali meals (Richmond Hill).
2. Takeout and Delivery: Online ordering for pickup and third-party delivery via UberEats, DoorDash, and SkipTheDishes. Takeout represents a significant portion of business, especially post-COVID.
3. Catering Services: Tray catering (small 8-10ppl, medium 12-15ppl, large 16-20ppl, extra large 35-50ppl), live food stations, plated dinners, family-style dinners, mobile kitchen, packaged meals, and full-service catering for 100 to 1000+ guests. Catering website at cateringbyhost.com.
4. Private Dining and Restaurant Buyouts: Custom-timed private dining rooms for corporate events, intimate gatherings, and milestone celebrations. Restaurant buyout options available at both locations.
5. Gift Cards: Gift cards redeemable at all Host locations, Bhai's, and Mantra restaurants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Host Fine Indian Cuisine operates two Indian fine dining restaurants in Toronto (87 Elm St.) and Richmond Hill (14-10 East Wilmot St.) serving à la carte menus, daily lunch and dinner buffets (Toronto), and made-to-order thali meals (Richmond Hill). The business extends through Catering by Host (tray catering, plated dinners, live food stations, full-service catering for 100 to 1000+ guests), Host on Wheels mobile kitchen/food truck for off-site events, online ordering for pickup, delivery via UberEats/DoorDash/SkipTheDishes, private dining and restaurant buyouts, and gift cards usable across the group's brands.

Product overview

The Host Fine Indian Cuisine operates a multi-location fine dining and catering hospitality business in the Greater Toronto Area. The core offering consists of two restaurant locations (Toronto and Richmond Hill) providing à la carte dining, lunch and dinner buffets, and private dining experiences. The business extends through The Host Catering division offering event catering services for 100-1000+ guests with various formats (tray catering, plated dinners, live food stations, mobile kitchen). The portfolio includes online ordering/takeout integration with third-party delivery platforms, a food truck service (Host on Wheels), and several affiliated sub-brands including Mantra by Host, Bhai's Canteen, and Sanjeev Masala Co.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mantra by Host: Upscale Indian dining concept at Shops at Don Mills, led by Chef Ashish Sethi, featuring modern Indian cuisine with French culinary techniques.
• Bhai's Canteen
• Catering by Host
• Firangi

Products and services

• The Host Fine Indian Cuisine Restaurant Dining Fine Indian dining experience with two locations — Toronto (87 Elm St.) and Richmond Hill (14-10 East Wilmot St.) — offering à la carte menus, lunch and dinner buffets (Toronto only), private dining, and online ordering for dine-in guests.
• The Host Catering (Catering by Host) Premium Indian off-site catering services for events ranging from 100 to 1000+ guests, offering live food stations, tray catering, plated dinners, family-style meals, and mobile kitchen services for corporate events, weddings, and private celebrations.
• Online Takeout and Delivery Ordering

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving the GTA for over 28 years with 5 locations
• +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

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• The Ritz Carlton (GTA venues)minorOthersArchana Sethi has partnered with major GTA venues including The Ritz Carlton for catering events and operations.
• Marriott (GTA venues)minorOthersCatering operations have been conducted in partnership with Marriott properties for events.
• Club Link (GTA venues)minorOthersCatering services provided at Club Link venues for corporate and private events.
• The Globe and Mail (GTA venues)minorOthersCatering services provided for corporate events at The Globe and Mail venue.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Daniel et Daniel Catering: Toronto-based premium event caterer operating for 40+ years, serving corporate events, weddings, and large-scale functions. Directly comparable to Catering by Host on premium off-premise event catering capability and GTA corporate client base.
• 10tation Event Catering: Toronto premium event caterer specializing in corporate and large-scale social events across the GTA. Comparable to Catering by Host's 100–1,000+ guest event focus, including high-end venues and corporate clients.
• Kothur Indian Cuisine: Toronto-area Indian fine-dining restaurant emphasizing authentic regional Indian cooking. Closely aligned with The Host on culinary authenticity, full-service dining, and GTA customer base.
• Amaya Indian Restaurant: Toronto-based upscale Indian restaurant with multiple locations, offering modern Indian cuisine and event catering. Comparable to The Host's Mantra and Firangi sub-brands as a premium Indian dining concept in the same market.
• Bindia Indian Bistro: Toronto-based Indian restaurant chain operating multiple GTA locations with dine-in, takeout, and catering offerings. Directly comparable to The Host as a multi-location Indian fine-casual concept serving a similar customer base in the same geography.
• Banjara Indian Cuisine: Long-standing GTA Indian fine-dining restaurant with à la carte menu, thalis, and catering services. Comparable to The Host in positioning as an authentic, full-service Indian restaurant in the Toronto market with event catering as a secondary revenue stream.

Broad incumbents

• Paramount Fine Foods: One of the largest premium ethnic restaurant chains in Ontario (Middle Eastern/Mediterranean), with rapid multi-unit expansion and corporate catering. Comparable to The Host as a multi-location Ontario-based premium ethnic restaurant group targeting similar dining-out and corporate catering occasions, but at significantly larger scale.
• Tahini's: Ontario-based Mediterranean restaurant chain with multiple GTA locations. Comparable to The Host as a multi-unit Ontario ethnic restaurant group, though positioned at a more casual price point and broader Mediterranean menu rather than Indian fine dining.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheHostFineIndianCuisine
• Instagraminstagram.com/hostrestaurants
• Xx.com/hostrestaurants
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-host-fine-indian-cuisine-toronto-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries4 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 The Host Fine Indian Cuisine