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The 3 Friends Who Went From Music, War Zones & Movies to Making Burgers That Mumbai Loves

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21.09.2026

There is something deeply satisfying about a really good burger.

The soft bun, a juicy patty, melted cheese and sauces coming together in one generous bite. It is the kind of food that does not need much explaining. You take a bite, get a little messy, and go back for another.

For three friends in 2012, that simple enjoyment became the starting point for an unlikely business idea.

Jimmy Bhore was a musician and the lead vocalist of heavy metal band Zygnema, while also working in marketing. Sijo Mathew had worked as a war contractor and had once turned a makeshift recreation centre in Kabul into a tiki bar. Anant Chowdhary came from movie marketing, having worked with agencies such as Vineyards Films. None of them had a background in food.

Yet, between them, they would go on to build three burger businesses that became part of Mumbai’s growing burger culture.

For Jimmy, the story began in 2012, when he decided to return to his hometown, Sangli, with the idea of opening a café.

From music to a burger cart

Jimmy had been thinking about opening a burger joint for years.

His love for the food had partly come from his travels with Zygnema. Touring across Europe and other countries exposed him to burgers beyond the familiar fast-food versions he had grown up seeing. He wanted to bring some of that experience back home.

So he chose Sangli, where........

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