A Pastry's Quiet Conquest in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD, India – January 23, 2026

In the bustling culinary landscape of Hyderabad, a quiet phenomenon is unfolding daily at Roast CCx, one of India's most ambitious café ventures. It isn't driven by a flashy marketing campaign or a fleeting social media trend, but by butter, flour, and classical French technique. The item at the center of this buzz is the French Galette, a traditional pastry whose daily sell-out status is a testament to the influence of Michelin-starred Corporate Pastry Chef Joakim Prat and a city's evolving palate.

The Galette's journey from a menu addition to a cult favorite was a slow burn. It was introduced without fanfare, a deliberate strategy reflecting Chef Prat's philosophy of letting quality speak for itself. Initially, the response was measured. But as more guests experienced the perfectly laminated, crisp, and subtly sweet pastry, word-of-mouth created a groundswell of demand. Today, securing one of these golden-brown discs requires an early visit, as they consistently sell out.

The Michelin Pedigree Meets Indian Palates

The Galette's success is inseparable from the expertise of the man behind it. Chef Joakim Prat's career was forged in the high-pressure, exacting environments of Europe's most revered kitchens. Before his appointment at Roast CCx in November 2025, he honed his craft in establishments that collectively held nine Michelin stars. His resume includes stints as an executive pastry chef at the three-Michelin-starred Can Fabes in Barcelona—a role he achieved at the young age of 25—and at two-star London powerhouses like L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon and The Greenhouse.

This background instills a philosophy of discipline, restraint, and an unwavering respect for fundamentals. A French Galette is the perfect canvas for this ethos. It's a pastry of precision, not extravagance. Its excellence lies in the lamination process—the meticulous layering of butter and dough—and the quality of its ingredients, resulting in a product that champions classic execution over embellishment.

"The Galette is a product that rewards patience," Mr. Bhanu, the Restaurant Manager at Roast CCx, shared in a statement. "It wasn't designed to be a trend. It was designed to be correct, and over time, guests responded to that." This patient approach, allowing a product to find its audience organically, is a hallmark of confidence in the craft itself.

A Bootstrapped Empire Built on Quality

The story of the Galette is a microcosm of Roast CCx's larger narrative. Founded in 2019 by Hanumanth Rao Naineni, the company has charted an extraordinary path, growing from a boutique coffee shop into a multi-outlet brand valued at over ₹250 crore (approximately $30 million USD) without any external funding. This bootstrapped success story is built on a "product-first" philosophy, prioritizing the mastery of classics, from a perfect cup of coffee to globally inspired comfort food.

The company's commitment is physically manifested in its staggering 60,000-square-foot flagship experience center in Banjara Hills. This location, described as India's largest cafe, is a destination in itself, attracting up to 4,000 visitors daily. The facility houses India's first Loring S70 Peregrine air-roasting system, a dedicated coffee education studio, and, crucially, a sprawling 15,000-square-foot pastry laboratory. This immense operational capacity is what enables the café to support a world-class talent like Chef Prat and maintain exacting standards, even with thousands of daily patrons.

The brand's financial performance underscores the viability of this model. In the 2024 fiscal year, the Roast brand reported revenues of ₹65 crore (around $7.8 million USD) with a healthy 20% EBITDA margin. It's a powerful demonstration that in the modern food and beverage industry, substantive quality can be a more potent growth engine than marketing hype.

Hyderabad's Appetite for Authenticity

The Galette's sell-out success is more than a victory for one café; it's a barometer of a significant cultural shift in Hyderabad. Long known for its iconic Biryani and Irani chai, the city's dining audience is displaying an increasing sophistication and a growing appetite for authentic, technique-driven global cuisine. Consumers are moving beyond novelty-led formats and are actively seeking out quality and craftsmanship.

This trend is visible across the city's burgeoning specialty coffee scene, where local brands are challenging established chains by focusing on the bean, the brew, and the overall experience. Establishments like Conçu and Roastery Coffee House have cultivated a following for high-quality pastries and artisanal coffee, creating a competitive and dynamic market. In this environment, the arrival of a chef with Prat's credentials and the immediate embrace of a classic like the Galette signals a new level of maturity in the market.

It indicates that Hyderabad's diners are not just followers of trends but are becoming connoisseurs who appreciate the skill, precision, and history behind what's on their plate. The success of an unadorned, classic pastry in a market once thought to favor more elaborate offerings is a clear sign that timeless taste is making a powerful comeback. With Chef Prat now working on an expanded pastry and bakery range for Roast CCx, the quiet revolution he started with a simple butter pastry is poised to continue reshaping the city's dessert landscape.