Back to the future for Mowgli boss Nisha Katona with HQ relocation
Nisha Katona, the chef and former barrister, is going back to the future by creating a new headquarters for her Indian street food business in the same Liverpool space where she began her legal career.
Mowgli, which operates a growing portfolio of 13 restaurants around the UK, will now be based at Bruntwood Works’ 18 Queen Avenue, in the heart of the city’s business district.
The 3,405 sq ft space was previously the home of Chavasse Court Chambers, where Nisha spent more than 20 years working as a child protection barrister, and which has now relocated to nearby 24 Queen Avenue to support its own business development activity.
The new Mowgli headquarters will underpin the company’s continued expansion, with five new UK outlets planned to open in the next year, while it will also feature space for new recipe development, online retail and the work of the Mowgli Trust charitable foundation.
Nisha Katona founded Mowgli in Liverpool in 2014 and was later awarded an MBE for her services to the food industry in 2019. She has also become a well known food writer and TV chef, appearing regularly on popular shows such as This Morning and Masterchef.
Nisha said: “It has been a real whirlwind since I opened the very first Mowgli on Bold Street seven years ago but, as we continue to expand to other locations, we are proud to be one of the first national chains to come out of Liverpool, creating jobs and community wealth up and down the country.”
She added: “An incredibly loyal customer base and excellent Mowgli team have allowed the business to thrive and that success meant we needed a new base of operations that would give us a platform for future growth. It means that the head of London businesses need to come to Liverpool to meet me, and that makes me very proud.
“When I discovered that we might be able to move into my old chambers, I jumped at the chance. Everything has come full circle and it feels tremendously exciting and also slightly surreal to be returning to my old chambers with our thriving street food business.2
She said: “We’ve worked closely with Bruntwood Works for some time to understand how we may be able to use the space and the timescales around making that happen. We are really excited to move into our new home and continue to plan for the bright future that lies ahead of us.”
Tony Reed, head of commercial at Bruntwood Works in Liverpool, said: “Queen Avenue is one of Liverpool’s most beautiful and dynamic addresses and the arrival of Mowgli, a successful independent business born in Liverpool, feels like a perfect fit.”
