Report by OD bureau; New Delhi: Aspiring to see more of the world, Hospitality professional Uttam Tripathy left his lucrative job and started his own business in London. After years of travel and jobs in his way through every state and country he visited, Uttam decided to share his love for Indian food with others by setting up  Indian Restaurant 'Potli' in London.

Uttam who hailed from Sambalpur town of Odisha. Uttam Tripathy grew up in a middle class family at the Jyoti Vihar campus, Sambalpur University. His father Binode Behari Tripathy was the Deputy Registrar at the University whereas his mother Mrs. Bishnupriya Tripathy was a lecturer at a Hindi institute in Sambalpur. Both are retired now and spend their time between Sambalpur, Mumbai, Bangalore & London where their children are based.

Uttam said to PBD that, "Being the youngest in the family of four siblings there was an immense social pressure to follow my brothers, one of whom is an Engineer & the other a Doctor. I always wanted to do something different & when my father introduced me to Hotel Management field, I was instantly attracted. I appeared the all India entrance in 1995 for the National Council for Hotel Management & Catering Technology & was selected for the prestigious Institute of Hotel Management, Chennai (then Madras!)."

He further added, "After passing out from Institute of Hotel management and catering Technology in India, I joined the Radissons group in New Delhi and was part of opening of two of the most successful restaurants in Delhi, Great Kebab Factory, which is a successful global chain & the famous American restaurant brand Italianni’s. I probably learnt the most about the industry at this place."

Later he moved to the United Kingdom, to seek, understand and experience the service benchmark in Europe and at the same time contribute knowledge and experience to Indian restaurants in UK. Later he was part of the opening team for one of the most iconic and successful restaurant in North London called’ Blue Ginger’, which has won many accolades and reviews even by BBC. Even he was worked as  the corporate General Manger and went on to manage’ Blue Zenzer’, which also emulated the same success story.

But later Uttam decided to start his own venture with a long time college buddy Chef Jay Ghosh and deliver a concept dining experience, which is well and truly unique in London –‘Potli’ has arrived. The name Potli was inspired by the place Pipli in Odisha which is famous for its colorful fabrics. He said that, "The concept came about because we were feeling very let down to see so many restaurants in UK serving mediocre Indian food which was giving a wrong impression about the cuisine to a global audience. Despite hardship & adverse economic conditions we braved to open this now famous restaurant quitting our well paid jobs."

Recently Odisha Society of the UK host a dinner program for the Chief Minister Naveen Patanik in this London's famous Indian Restaurant 'Potli'. Patnaik appreciated Uttam's tremendous energy and business nous and his endeavour to popularise Indian food in the UK.