The Indian Panorama

Tag: Steve Bellone

  • Gary Sikka opens Pearl banquet hall to meet the community’s growing needs

    Gary Sikka opens Pearl banquet hall to meet the community’s growing needs

    By Parveen Chopra

    Gary Sikka is a serial restaurateur. He recently created waves and received raves for opening a world-class banquet hall. Named Pearl, it is the latest in his collection of restaurant gems. It is in Hicksville, the thriving and newest Little India.

    Your recent memory may not go beyond Mint restaurant which he opened in 2009 cheek by jowl with the Roosevelt Field Mall in Garden City. But he ran a highly rated restaurant, also named Mint, in midtown Manhattan. Going back further in time, he ran a restaurant in New Delhi named Rubal before he moved to the USA to serve up Indian food to Indians and Americans alike.

    A view of the exterior of Pearl (Photo : Vaaho)
    The Ribbon cutting ceremony at Pearl. Seen from L to R: Dilsheet, Janessa, Alissa, Navneet Sikka, Bably Sikka, Pearl Sikka, Sean Sikka, Gary Sikka, Sunny Sondhi and Rubal Sikka.

    During an interview for The Indian Panorama, Gary Sikka revealed that Pearl was conceived to cater to the growing demand from the South Asian community for a banquet hall with a bigger capacity than easily available. “Weddings and other gatherings of 300-350 have become commonplace,” says Sikka. “Mint’s capacity is just 200. So, we used to take our clients to other, bigger places. Now Pearl has come up for bigger events, and a smaller event can be done at Mint.”

    Bookings galore at Pearl

    A view of the interior of Pearl (Photo : Vaaho)

    Pearl’s chandeliered ballroom can seat 400 and on the second floor can hold another 100. Pearl’s opening in July was celebrated with a lavish party graced by dignitaries, community leaders, friends, and family. Notables included hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal, Harry Singh Bolla, chairman of Bolla Oil Corporation, Naveen Shah, CEO of Navika Capital Group, Dr. Pailla Malla Reddy, CEO of ScieGen Pharmaceutical Company, and Jon Kaiman, Deputy Suffolk County Executive.

    Gary Sikka with Padma Bhushan Sant Singh Chatwal, a Patron of the American Punjabi Association at the inauguration of Pearl.
    Gary Sikka with Harry Singh Bolla, Bolla Oil Corporation CEO and Patron of the American Punjabi Association at the inauguration of Pearl

    Pearl has been getting a very good response. “Those who were planning their parties at hotels are converting to Pearl.” Gary Sikka shows the Pearl calendar chock-a-block with booked events.

    The crème de la crème of the Indian American community graced the occasion of the inauguration of Pearl. From L to R : Dr. Vinni Jayam, Past President AAPI, Rubal Sikka, President of Mint and Pearl, CEO & President of Navika Capital Group Naveen C Shah, Gary Sikka, CEO and Executive Chef of Mint and Pearl, Dr. Raj Bhayani, Dr. Jagdish Gupta, Mohinder Taneja

    The steady stream of bookings is not coming just from people of Indian or Pakistani origin, but people of all communities, white, black, or Hispanic. Confirmed bookings for 2024, Sikka notes, have come, besides the tristate area, as from as far as Albany, Pennsylvania, even Atlanta.

    Besides the glittering ballroom and high-ceiling lobby right in downtown Hicksville, Pearl has a bridal suite. It also has a sprawling parking facility for 150 vehicles. But for Covid, the $9 million Pearl would have opened two years ago and would have cost less.

    For now, Pearl is only for banquets. Says Sikka, “We thought for dining Mint is there only a few miles away. But we will add dining in Pearl also in the future.”

    Officially, Gary Sikka is CEO and Executive Chef and his son Rubal Sikka is its President and owner.

    Despite his long list of accomplishments in the hospitality business, Gary Sikka, 56, does not have the airs that some celebrity chefs have. Unassuming and soft-spoken, he gave this free-flowing interview in Punjabi in his first-floor office in Mint. He talks about the capacity they possess to handle massive events. “In 2018, we did catering for 2,500 delegates, five meals a day for five days for the AAPI (American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin) convention at Harrah’s at Atlantic City Resort.

    Sikka shares that he moved to the US towards the end of the last century after his kids came here to pursue higher education. Around 1997 he set up a business running a chain of cell phone stores under the name of NR Wireless. But the restaurant business claimed him again, and he opened ‘With Mint’ in 2001 in Midtown Manhattan on 50th Street. It was a roaring success, Gary Sikka states. He shares the secret sauce that goes into running a successful restaurant, particularly in a city like Manhattan: “It is the best of food, location, service, and ambiance in that order. And we had a combination of all four.”

    Mint served not just Indian but also American and Italian cuisine then. The guests who dined there, Sikka remembers, included the Clintons, state governors, UN diplomats, and Bollywood’s who’s who. “We were situated very close to the UN building. And the visiting dignitaries usually stayed at the legendary Waldorf Astoria, which was next door to us. We also served visiting Indian ministers and were caterers by default at India House (housing the New York Consulate).” They had a deal to do room service in hotels including Waldorf Astoria.

    Sikka continues his story. “We moved Mint to the current location in 2009, keeping the same four ingredients in mind – the best of food, location, service, and ambiance. And it has been a success story too.” The restaurant can seat about 200 people on the ground floor. It has a walled-off buffet area, and the bar is in the lobby. The terrace can hold 150 people; it is the only one on Long Island allowed rooftop dining with a live-kitchen license.

    The clientele, Sikka divulges is only 50% South Asian, and 50% are a mix of other communities.

    Whether it is Pearl or Mint, they are prepared to meet the dietary demands of the client, be it kosher, or halal, and lately even vegan and Jain food.

    Thriving catering business
    Mint is an official caterer to marquee names in hospitality including Crest Hollow Country Club, Leonard’s, Muttontown Golf Club (all on Long Island) as well as Hilton Huntington, Marriott in Uniondale and Melville, Hyatt Hauppauge, and Terrace on the Park in Queens.

    Sikka insists parties at these places don’t just call him for Indian cuisine, but also Indo-Chinese, Thai, Italian, American, Mediterranean, even Mexican and Japanese.

    Bably Sikka, Gary Sikka and Rubal Sikka with the legendary Punjabi singer Harbhajan Mann at the Mint

    A fun fact Sikka will tell you is about the changing community and ethos. “Many marriages these days are inter-religious and multicultural. So, they may ask for Indian appetizers at eight stations for cocktails, only to go for multi-cuisine for dinner.” Sikka has also included live cooking in his culinary smorgasbord — be it barbecue, Mexican live, Chat station Live, or Sushi Live.

    They don’t just lug around cooked food to the venue. “We have a mobile kitchen fully equipped with tandoor and fryers as well as a frozen vault for ice-cream. We park our 22-foot truck at the venue and supply piping-hot food from there. Tandoor is a necessity for much of our cooking, and hotels or restaurants do not have it in their kitchens.”

    There is a necessary variation on the sit-down dinner format, says Sikka: “Indian and other South Asians do not like pre-plated lunch or dinner. They also want chicken, goat curry, and vegetables served at the table. Our servers provide that as well as assorted bread.”

    With son Rubal helping in Gary Sikka’s business for almost 20 years, what is the division of labor? Rubal, who has a management degree, manages Pearl, operations, maintenance, the bar, and bookings. Gary Sikka himself looks after marketing, food, and catering.

    Community leader

    Gary Sikka, President of the American Punjabi Association speaking at the recently organized Punjabi Heritage Mela at Suffolk County. County Executive Steve Bellone and Deputy County Executive Jon Kaiman were amongst the guests.

    Gary Sikka has been active in community affairs, more vigorously lately. He is the driving force and President of the American Punjabi Society launched recently. “There has been no Punjabi organization. But we’ll work for the welfare of not just Punjabi but all communities in the spirit of the Sikh tenet of ‘Sarbat ka bhala’ (the well-being of all). For example, we plan to run cancer clinics.” Punjabi American Society along with Suffolk County’s Department of Human Services held a well-attended Punjabi Heritage Celebrations 2023 on December 20 at Suffolk County Executive Building in Hauppauge.

    Sikka is the founder-director of the Indian American Chamber of Commerce, NY, and of the Long Island Indo-American Lions Club. He is also an executive member of the India Association of Long Island (IALI).

    Family man

    The couple that guides the destiny of Mint- Pearl empire- Gary Sikka with wife Bably Sikka

    Gary Sikka’s is a close-knit family. He is married to Bably Sikka. They live in the neighborhood of Dix Hills. His son Rubal Sikka has an MBA from Stony Brook. He is fond of singing as a hobby and has many videos on YouTube. Daughter Navneet Sikka, a computer science graduate and MBA, is Senior Vice President with Citigroup.

    Gary Sikka’s first restaurant in Rohini in Delhi was named Rubal (which is also the name of the Russian currency). Recalls Gary Sikka, “I was with my father, Gurbachan Singh Sikka, telling him that we are not able to come up with a name. Just then my son Rubal called, So, my father said, ‘Why not Rubal?’ And that was it.” Rubal started in 1993 and carved a name for itself in Delhi. This family tradition has resurfaced and is set to repeat.

    Pearl in Hicksville is named after Rubal’s daughter.

    For more information: www.PearlNY.com and www.MintNY.com

    Parveen Chopra

    (The author, Parveen Chopra is a seasoned journalist and the founder-editor of ALotusInTheMud.com, a wellness and spirituality web magazine. He can be contacted at parveen.chopra@gmail.com)
    All rights reserved by The Indian Panorama.

  • Meet the Good Samaritan Nikhil Mehta

    Meet the Good Samaritan Nikhil Mehta

    Nikhil Mehta is a 17-year-old young gentleman currently a rising junior at Smithtown High School East, Long Island, New York. He is taking several college-level courses, maintaining a 4.55 GPA, attained AP Scholar with Honor Award, and is part of the National Honor Society. At school, he is the Director of the Linked Elderly Outreach Program, a program dedicated to relieving the isolation of the elderly during Covid 19 and is a nationally awarded writer. He loves to cook and can play a mean tune on the violin; at the same time, his tennis serves are to be watched out for. What is even more outstanding about this young kid is that he is very compassionate, empathetic, and is dedicated to serving his community. His goal is to encourage his generation to take part in humanitarian work and raise empathy.

    He has grown up seeing his grandparents’ Kanak and Prabha Golia’s philanthropic work and has been deeply inspired to do so in his life as well. He has his non-profit organization called Blossom Charity, whose mission is to help others in need. At such a young age, he has been raising funds to help educate the underprivileged. He has made a team effort to help the slums in Delhi. He has brought hope for the kids who have no hope. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he created a Covid-19 Guide to educate the children on preventing the spread of Coronavirus. This guide was distributed throughout NYC schools and hospitals. He had helped the elderly connect to their families when they were isolated by donating iPads to nursing homes. He was awarded by the Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone for Dedication to Community Service. He received the highest President’s Volunteer’s Service Award in 2020. Nikhil was given the prestigious opportunity to speak at the Indian consulate about “The Importance of Empathy and Compassion: Raising Awareness for Today’s Youth.”

    During the Covid-19 pandemic, Nikhil realized how this dreaded disease had affected America. He had been home with his brother and sister all year, not going to school. He didn’t get to see his grandparents, who live in Indore and have not been able to see them for over two years. Moreover, recently Nikhil saw his uncle- Dr. Ajay Lodha, pass away from Covid-19, leaving him quite emotional. Nikhil was touched by what is going on as the pandemic is sweeping India at a staggering pace. With over 200,000 cases daily, he witnessed the COVID pandemic bringing India to its knees with the hospitals overwhelmed, and people especially in rural areas and villages, in dire need. “I couldn’t breathe, seeing the suffering.” Seeing pictures of long hospital lines and sick people, and many people gasping for air was the reason behind his inspiration – “Oxygen on Wheels.”

              Nikhil was motivated to join in the effort to help India “breathe better.” Oxygen on Wheels is a free service to provide oxygen support inside a specially designed bus to needy patients in the rural villages of Jodhpur and patients. They are waiting for admission to the hospitals. These buses can hold up to 4-5 patients with oxygen concentrators. They are positioned outside the hospitals; or a central location in the rural villages. He ran this idea through his grandparents, got their blessing, and connected with his uncle Prem Bhandari, who turned his wish into a reality. It took a team effort, however within 24-72 hours; Nikhil’s Uncle was able to get the first van with four oxygen concentrators on the road to rural villages. Nikhil was able to raise funds from his friends, family, and, most of all, the community. They now have added two more vans. Nikhil was lucky enough to speak to the Honorable Chief Minister of Rajasthan, propose his ideas, and request assistance to further the cause. With support from the government, Oxygen on Wheels program is escalated to the entire state of Rajasthan. He also discussed his future project to create an Ambulance system throughout the rural villages, where people have to walk miles to get healthcare. Nikhil’s goal is to make the future of his underprivileged rural villages better.

    He wants to make a difference. He is a Youth Ambassador for the Rajasthan Foundation. He also strongly feels that one needs to have a sense of identity and connect with their hometown and country. “I have a sense of attachment and belonging due to the environment in our house and community.” The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us how connected the world is. Given these challenging times, it is our duty and responsibility to help each other and extend ourselves. He quotes a famous saying, “we can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.”

  • BAPS Charities organized a COVID-19 vaccination drive in Melville

    BAPS Charities organized a COVID-19 vaccination drive in Melville

     

    MELVILLE, NY (TIP): As the country takes steps towards distributing COVID vaccines to the population, many communities throughout the United States are either uninformed or misinformed about the process and effectiveness of being vaccinated. BAPS Charities organized a COVID-19 vaccination drive in Melville, New York on March 5, 2021, in collaboration with the State of New York COVID-19 Task Force and Stony Brook University Hospital benefitting 240 participants. While the hospital staff handled the registration of individuals, administration of the vaccination and post-vaccination care, BAPS Charities played an essential role in ensuring that the vaccine’s beneficiaries had a safe and smooth experience.  In particular, the volunteers assisted in providing safe flow and translation services.  On average, the onsite process lasted less than 30 minutes.

    Before the vaccination, BAPS Charities provided education by a grassroots telephone campaign and through local media on the vaccination’s necessity and safety. Steve Bellone, Suffolk County Executive, said, “BAPS Charities is doing is an important aspect of the process of vaccination. Through such vaccination sites, we are reaching parts of the community that may not be getting access.”

    Members of US Representative Thomas Suozzi’s office presented a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition on behalf of the Congressman to BAPS Charities for hosting the vaccination drive. New York State Assemblyman Steven H. Stern (10th Dist.) and Chad A. Lupinacci, Town Supervisor for Huntington Township, visited the vaccination drive and expressed their appreciation and gratitude on behalf of their constituents.