Arpita Khan Sharma on venturing into food: For me nothing is daunting as I know my family always has my back
Arpita Khan Sharma ’s connection to food runs deeper than just a love for flavor—it’s woven into the fabric of her family’s life. Growing up in the bustling, tight-knit Galaxy Apartments (the iconic building where her writer father Salim khan and actor brother Salman Khan stay with their family), mealtimes were sacred rituals where family, laughter, and love converged over homemade dishes, all curated by her mother Salma Khan . “Food is something that brings us together,” she says, recalling the daily gatherings with siblings, nieces, nephews, and extended family. It’s no surprise then that for Arpita, who’s always enjoyed bringing people together, the idea of opening a restaurant was inevitable. But Mercii is more than just a space to dine—it’s a reflection of her vision to share the warmth of her family table with the world. It isn’t just a restaurant; it’s an invitation to experience the way Arpita and her family have always celebrated life—through food.
‘Family lunch is always a big event for me’
Meals at home are more than just about eating; they are times of happiness and creating memories over yummy food. It was during these moments, surrounded by the comfort of familiar faces and home-cooked dishes, that Arpita’s vision for Mercii was born. “I come from a family where my mom is passionate about cooking food for us. Our house is an open house, and lunch at home is a very big thing. We all congregate at Galaxy for lunch, dinner or any special occasion. It's a meeting point where all of us meet mom, dad Helen aunty and we enjoy congregating and conversing over lunch. It's all about mom’s delicious food & her style of cooking recipes. Our conversation starter is – Mom, what have you made? Sometimes we all tend to get things from our respective homes too but very few dishes match up to Mom’s recipes and taste. Extending my family table to everyone just came to me naturally,” Arpita explains.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed the journey of a restauranteur thus far and have been extremely involved in every facet from scouting the Chef, to suggesting experimenting with different dishes, to being involved in the entire interiors - all of it to match my vision of being a family friendly and an experiential place to dine,” says Arpita. While being a restaurateur has its own challenges, one challenge that Arpita, is facing is the identity of the brand. “I'm also navigating through the challenge where people have a preconceived notion that because it's my restaurant, it's expensive. But actually, that's not the case,” she hopes.
‘I do enjoy cooking for Aayush and kids in while’
When it comes to cooking, Arpita does enjoy whipping up dishes for her family, albeit occasionally. “I do cook for my kids & Aayush (Sharma, actor-husband) at times, but it's a very rare thing because I like to do everything on my own – from cutting to cleaning to cooking. So, it just takes very long. I do it once in a while. I normally cook a red sauce pasta & breaded chicken. Also, dal rice is a necessity in our life So wherever in the world we go, I carry my little induction and my cooker to make dal rice for them,” she shares.
'My support system has been encouraging of this move'
For Arpita, venturing into the restaurant business could have been a leap into the unknown, however, it wasn’t daunting. She comes from a family of high achievers, but that doesn’t make her pressured. “For me nothing is daunting as I know my family always has my back. My support system between my father, my husband and my brothers is amazing and I always have that comfort. In our family we all believe you must try doing whatever you wish to. There will be success, there will be failure, but nothing should stop you from trying and doing what you feel as if you don’t try or give it your best you won’t know the outcome of it.”
In fact, her family is like a rock supporting her throughout. “My family is my biggest support. Aayush, my kids and my entire family has been so encouraging. They always pushed me to take a step forward and do whatever I loved doing but I always held myself back. Finally when I thought the time was right, I decided to take this up. And they have really been extremely supportive and right there whenever I have needed any one of them. They always told me you are educated; you like hospitality, interiors, food, and travel so do what you love doing is the best thing.
‘Family lunch is always a big event for me’
Meals at home are more than just about eating; they are times of happiness and creating memories over yummy food. It was during these moments, surrounded by the comfort of familiar faces and home-cooked dishes, that Arpita’s vision for Mercii was born. “I come from a family where my mom is passionate about cooking food for us. Our house is an open house, and lunch at home is a very big thing. We all congregate at Galaxy for lunch, dinner or any special occasion. It's a meeting point where all of us meet mom, dad Helen aunty and we enjoy congregating and conversing over lunch. It's all about mom’s delicious food & her style of cooking recipes. Our conversation starter is – Mom, what have you made? Sometimes we all tend to get things from our respective homes too but very few dishes match up to Mom’s recipes and taste. Extending my family table to everyone just came to me naturally,” Arpita explains.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed the journey of a restauranteur thus far and have been extremely involved in every facet from scouting the Chef, to suggesting experimenting with different dishes, to being involved in the entire interiors - all of it to match my vision of being a family friendly and an experiential place to dine,” says Arpita. While being a restaurateur has its own challenges, one challenge that Arpita, is facing is the identity of the brand. “I'm also navigating through the challenge where people have a preconceived notion that because it's my restaurant, it's expensive. But actually, that's not the case,” she hopes.
‘I do enjoy cooking for Aayush and kids in while’
When it comes to cooking, Arpita does enjoy whipping up dishes for her family, albeit occasionally. “I do cook for my kids & Aayush (Sharma, actor-husband) at times, but it's a very rare thing because I like to do everything on my own – from cutting to cleaning to cooking. So, it just takes very long. I do it once in a while. I normally cook a red sauce pasta & breaded chicken. Also, dal rice is a necessity in our life So wherever in the world we go, I carry my little induction and my cooker to make dal rice for them,” she shares.
'My support system has been encouraging of this move'
For Arpita, venturing into the restaurant business could have been a leap into the unknown, however, it wasn’t daunting. She comes from a family of high achievers, but that doesn’t make her pressured. “For me nothing is daunting as I know my family always has my back. My support system between my father, my husband and my brothers is amazing and I always have that comfort. In our family we all believe you must try doing whatever you wish to. There will be success, there will be failure, but nothing should stop you from trying and doing what you feel as if you don’t try or give it your best you won’t know the outcome of it.”
In fact, her family is like a rock supporting her throughout. “My family is my biggest support. Aayush, my kids and my entire family has been so encouraging. They always pushed me to take a step forward and do whatever I loved doing but I always held myself back. Finally when I thought the time was right, I decided to take this up. And they have really been extremely supportive and right there whenever I have needed any one of them. They always told me you are educated; you like hospitality, interiors, food, and travel so do what you love doing is the best thing.
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