“Our food repertoire is large enough for at least ten fresh menus,” says Vinesh, in a flex that is also fact. It’s a sign, too, of the ego-free give-and-take between the two lead founders, underscored by a deep faith in each other’s skills and talents. The confidence allows Vinesh to commit to a 12-foot cake on Joonie’s behalf, for instance, and lets Joonie give way blindly to Vinesh when it comes to customer-related issues.

It didn’t take long for their team to pick up on the informal compartmentalization. “They are very professional when it comes to work,” says David D’Souza, who left the five-star track in the Oberoi group to join Kopitiam Lah as the head chef in February. “From what I’ve observed, Chef Vinesh is the creative mind, he thinks out of the box, coming up with three solutions to a problem you thought could have only one answer. Chef Joonie is creative too, but she’s also very organized when it comes to timelines and operations, which makes things easier for the entire team.”

“And, actually, it’s this perfect understanding between the leads that eases the high pressure of food service,” says Akhila Srinivas who, as founder and curator of The Courtyard Community, has observed multiple chef couples and their teams host pop-ups in her roof-top glasshouse, The Conservatory. “Their work is akin to leading an army, so the fine tuning is essential.”

Chandra, who developed a close mentoring relationship with Vinesh, and has come to know Joonie as well, agrees that their complementary personalities make for “a yin-yang partnership” that reflects in the workspace. Though he’s still to have a meal at Kopitiam Lah, Chandra can consider himself one of the first of a growing cognoscente who are betting on the couple. Besides industry insiders, food connoisseurs and business observers, they include a few like-minded, creatively inclined friends, “all of whom ended up working on Kopitiam Lah,” grins Vinesh.

Among them are George Seemon, design director of Stapati — the architects behind the magnificent hotels of Postcard Mandalay Hall in Mattancherry, Kochi, and Alila Diwa in Majorda, Goa, among many other projects – and graphic artist Manek D’Silva, who also designed the distinctive Lavonne logo. Each recounts an intentional, driven yet respectful working atmosphere geared towards the best results for every stakeholder and professional, as well as the end-user customer.

Take, for example, the tables. As the architect, Seemon pointed out that round tables — the staple of the traditional kopi tiams — would not only be more inflexible and impact service flow, but would actually limit their overall covers. However, Joonie and Vinesh insisted on round tables — and, once he’d seen their point of view, Seemon was happy to go with their decision. The furniture placement is a definite positive factor in the elevated kopi tiam experience in the heart of Indiranagar.

“Of course, we knew this was Vinesh and Joonie’s project,” says D’Silva. “But that didn’t stop me from expressing my opinion, for instance, in the tastings. Or relaying what we were picking up on our reconnaissance trips to Malaysia to Vinesh, who was in India, and having him turn it down.”

‘Positive vibes only’ may be a much overused trope these days but it’s impossible, in the company of Joonie-Johny — or, by default, Kopitiam Lah — not to feel a bit of their wholesome sunshine. Happy endings have always had their fans, but maybe it’s time now to celebrate a happy beginning.

Sumana Mukherjee is a Bangalore-based writer and editor.

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