She says she didn’t want to live the life of a socialite. Doing lunches and dinners was not her cuppa tea. But getting people to jazz by the bay, turn around corners for breakfast or climb three flights up to have a good time certainly seems to be her cuppa coffee.

After the opening of their latest venture, China Joe, and still high from the launch of Tendulkar’s, Rachna Narang, executive director and the other half of the Mars Group, is already buzzing with ideas for the next project — a country club. ‘’Eight acres to unwind in,’’ she says, unwinding being the last thing on her mind right now. A Tendulkar’s souvenir shop a la Planet Hollywood is another thing she’s excited about.

Simple, unassuming, clad in a ‘salwar kameez’, Rachna hardly looks the part of a hard-nosed businesswoman. But then again, she never thought she would be one. More the creative type, she studied liberal arts at Cornell University, New York, while brother Sanjay pursued hotel management.

Until back home, Birdy’s came into existence and Sanjay asked her to manage it. Which she did. From loading and unloading, to checking the ‘challans’ and manning the sales counter.

Birdy’s is also where things started rolling in other ways. Keeping in mind that eating is more than just about food (‘’a good restaurant has to be about the entire experience — entertainment, good crowd, service, though the bottomline remains food’’), the two went to work on the properties they had, to build a chain of restaurants that would ‘’provide an international experience as well as value for money’’.

Sanjay conceptualised, while Rachna visualised and designed everything — from the names of the restaurants to the decor, from the uniforms to the menus and logos, from the cutlery to the tablecloths. A sibling team that clicked and has come a long way from the ‘’protective brother bullying younger sister’’ phase to a relationship that is independent and non-interfering. ‘’Even if he tries bullying now, he doesn’t get too far,’’ she laughs.

Meanwhile, a few restaurants went far; some didn’t. Dosa Diners and Rotis made it, while Trim With Taste was left behind. But the Narang motto was always ‘What next?’. Next was Gordon House Hotel, Tendulkar’s and China Joe.

"Most times, we are just sitting around talking, thinking of what we should do next. We think about what type of food we want and then go on from there, innovating and trying to come up with something unique," she says. Food sampling, décor, descriptions of the ‘food with a twist’ follow.

Setting up ‘Tendulkar’s’ was different in other ways as well. ‘’We did ‘Tendulkar’s’ in four months flat. It was total focus — we were eating, sleeping, dreaming ‘Tendulkar’s’. And since it was also the first time I did something to someone else’s taste, I was really thrilled when Sachin said it was fantastic and so ‘absolutely me’,” she says animatedly. Sachin being very sure of what he wanted helped of course.

Starting a good restaurant in London is also part of their international plans, besides the chain’s expansion to other parts of India.

"I think opening a fast food chain is easy. After the initial work, all you have to do is replicate. It’s the day-to-day managing that’s difficult,’’ she laughs.

She makes it sound like a lark, but her focus and energy, a mind that’s constantly working, and the books on hotel design and theme restaurants that line her shelves tell another story. "I guess I’m always observing, storing little details even when I’m on holiday or travelling... But then, I guess that’s true of any creative person,’’ she adds modestly.

The attention to detail that’s almost like a signature has people wondering if some of the new restaurants in town also belong to the Mars Group. "People are copying us outright, but it doesn’t really bother us. It’s good to see there’s so much choice. It’s quite
flattering actually,’’ she says with a laugh, adding, "Besides, we are already on our 10th idea by the time they’re on their first.’’

And when she’s not actually working, Rachna’s watching plays, travelling, checking out exhibitions, museums, basically finding out about a place, whether it’s Europe or Shimla. No books, gardens or sports for hobbies; travelling it is for her. "I go on a holiday every three months. I work better under pressure but then I need to unwind, switch off completely,’’ she smiles.

What next on the personal front? Marriage, she says, will happen when the right guy comes along. And unlike in a matrimonial ad, there are no right guy parameters. "Those are things you think of when you are young. But when you are seasoned, you know these things don’t really matter. He should basically be a good guy, know the values of life, then everything falls into place,’’ she says.

"What I would really like to do is to have four villas around the world and go from one to the next, enjoying them and keeping on re-doing them,’’ she says, grinning. "But every time I say this, Sanjay says, ‘Shut up and go back to your office’.’’