Mowgli was started in 2014 by former barrister Nisha Katona with a single restaurant in Liverpool’s Bold Street and could have as many as nine outlets by the end of this year. Tony McDonough reports

Fast-growing Liverpool restaurant brand Mowgli Street Food said it enjoyed an 11.5% surge in like-for-like sales in December as it gets set to open its fifth outlet.

Mowgli was started in 2014 by former barrister Nisha Katona with a single restaurant in Liverpool’s Bold Street. Before launching the business Ms Katona was already an established food writer, utilising knowledge of cooking passed down through generations of her family.

Mowgli now has a second restaurant in Liverpool, in Water Street, as well as one in Manchester and Birmingham. The brand will be launched in Oxford in March.

Nisha Katona – Liverpool’s reluctant restaurateur… click to read more

Although initially reluctant to take outside investment, last year Ms Katona accepted a £3.45m equity investment from private equity house, Foresight with a view to UK-wide expansion and could open as many as five restaurants this year.

Potential sites in Nottingham, Leeds and another site in Manchester are being sought, while identifying right site and opportunity in London is also part of the strategic plan.

Foresight brought on board experienced leisure sector executive Karen Jones as chair and Matthew Peck, former head of finance at upmarket casual dining chain Byron as finance director.

Ms Katona said “Mowgli is all about the fresh, light zing of an Indian home kitchen​. The menu is entirely comprised of dishes from my family’s recipes – so this is how it tastes to dine at my grandmothers Varanasi stove.

“I take curry virgin chefs on principle and teach them one-on -one in the ancient Hindu culinary philosophy. It is utterly humbling that Mowgli has found a place in the heart of the nation.”