That’s how Mr. Steven Pinto; founder of the famous Mangalore Pearl Restaurant started his KE Founder’s Fiesta session on a Friday morning of 7th February 2025.

The event began with a networking breakfast, providing attendees an opportunity to connect. KE Lead Member Eugene Mathias welcomed everyone and post a brief chat, Steven shared his inspiring life journey, from his childhood to his 20+ years in the food business in the city of Bangalore. He recounted his early career in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, and his eventual move to Bangalore, driven by his passion for Mangalorean cuisine and his love for good food.

Steven emphasized the importance of employee motivation, highlighting his practice of offering incentives and bonuses, which has resulted in long-term staff retention and positive work culture. He also discussed his strategic approach to his menu pricing, which has fostered customer loyalty for years. He credited his family’s involvement in the business as a key factor in its continued success.

KE’s Founder Fiesta sessions have been instrumental in understanding the journey of a fellow entrepreneur and learning from their success, failures and the decisions they made in tough times. Steven’s session was filled with his passion, commitment and dedication towards building a brand known as Mangalore Pearl today. Many of the attendees highlighted how they used to dine at his restaurant whenever them or their families visited Bangalore. Many attendees even pointed out how the minimalistic décor of the restaurant, complete with the graffiti on the walls highlighted the local Mangalorean culture. A turnout of more than 30 attendees for a Friday morning program itself is a testament to the legacy of Steven Pinto and Mangalore Pearl.

Steven showed a video showcasing his daily routine, which begins at 5:15 am, provided further insight into his dedication. The visuals of him roaming the fish market in search of those Catch of the Days and managing his vendors were impactful. A surprise visit from KE Global Chairman Mr Ivan Frenandes who also helped Steven during his initial days boosted the session morale greatly.

The session concluded with an engaging Q&A session which lasted for almost 20 minutes, followed by a vote of thanks from KE Lead Member Ms. Vilina Sequeira.