After Priyanka Chopra¡¯s departure, New York restaurant Sona is shutting down for good on June 30. Here's why!
Priyanka Chopra's previously-backed restaurant, Sona, located in New York, is set to permanently shut down. Renowned for its modern take on Indian cuisine, the restaurant will conclude its operations with a final brunch service scheduled for June 30th. The announcement of the restaurant's closure follows nearly 10 months after Priyanka Chopra ended her partnership and withdrew from the establishment. This update was communicated through a post o...Read More
Priyanka Chopra's previously-backed restaurant, Sona, located in New York, is set to permanently shut down. Renowned for its modern take on Indian cuisine, the restaurant will conclude its operations with a final brunch service scheduled for June 30th.
The announcement of the restaurant's closure follows nearly 10 months after Priyanka Chopra ended her partnership and withdrew from the establishment. This update was communicated through a post on Instagram.
Sona restaurant had a three-year run
The restaurant released a statement on June 19 announcing the end of its chapter. It read,
¡°After more than three remarkable years, Sona will be closing. We have immense gratitude for everyone who walked through our doors. It¡¯s been our greatest honour to serve you¡±. It further added, ¡°SONA¡¯s final service will be brunch on Sunday, June 30¡±.
Three years ago, Priyanka Chopra inaugurated the restaurant with a puja ceremony. It was often frequented by celebrities, such as Mindy Kaling, Anupam Kher, Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif.
The restaurant offered authentic Indian dishes like roast chicken, pumpkin kofta and paneer lababdar. They also offered eclectic cocktails.
Priyanka Chopra co-founded the restaurant in New York with Maneesh Goyal. She frequently showcased the establishment on her social media platforms, highlighting beautifully plated dishes, diverse food offerings, and unique items like vodka pani puri. The specific reason for its closure has not been disclosed yet.
Speculations suggested Priyanka Chopra withdrew from the restaurant after two years due to a rift with her business partner, Maneesh Goyal.
After two years since its opening, Priyanka Chopra ended her partnership with SONA amid reports of a rift with her business partner, Maneesh Goyal.
The restaurateur announced that while Priyanka moved away from the business, her ¡°fingerprints were all over SONA¡±. She would continue to remain part of the SONA family despite no longer being a creative partner moving forward.
In 2023, an official statement from Priyanka¡¯s representatives read, ¡°Bringing Sona to life will invariably be a proud and significant moment in her career. Priyanka has always endeavoured to bring Indian culture to the fore through storytelling, whether that¡¯s via engaging content for film and TV, or a beautifully plated dish that embodies the haute cuisine of India.¡±
At that time, Maneesh said that collaborating with Priyanka ¡°has been a dream come true¡±.
¡°We are grateful for her partnership and support. While she will no longer be involved as a creative partner, she remains part of the Sona family, and we look forward to our respective new chapters ahead,¡± he said in a statement to People.
Also Read: Priyanka Chopra's Rome Affair: The Price Of 200-Carat Bulgari Necklace Will Make Your Jaw Drop!
sona home
A month after her departure, speculation continued regarding the circumstances surrounding Chopra's exit. Many believed that the Diwali fiasco added to it.
According to a report by Page Six, PC¡¯s close friend Anjula Acharia and business partner Maneesh Goyal hosted a joint Diwali bash in 2022. However, in 2023 Acharia wanted to host her own party while Goyal was bent on hosting a separate one. This situation had put Priyanka Chopra in a fix. People close to her, revealed to the publication that she felt that she was made to ¡®pick sides¡¯ similar to a post-divorce holiday dilemma - "It's like, who's going to Mom's party and who's going to Dad's?"
When Goyal was asked to comment on the dual events, he had responded, "I'm thrilled that after co-hosting with Ms. Acharia, the wonderful South Asian community is large and vibrant enough to warrant two events. I'm so looking forward to both events and the Diwali season ahead."
As per grapevine, bankruptcy issues could be the reason behind permanent closure of Sona
Following the announcement, speculation arose about potential bankruptcy issues influencing the closure of the restaurant. Unconfirmed reports floating on reddit suggested that their annual earnings were approximately equivalent to Rs. 50 crore. Prices for items ranged from Rs. 4000 to Rs. 10,000, depending on the type of cuisine offered.
In its short span, Sona had managed to get Michelin recognition as well.
architectural digest
In October 2022, Priyanka had posted about it on her Instagram stories along with a screenshot of a news article announcing Michelin's list of 30 new NYC restaurants, which included Sona. PeeCee wrote in her story, "Bravo @sonanewyork, We¡¯re starting the week strong with Michelin's recognition."
What is a Michelin star?
Michelin started its prestigious red guide back in 1900, which included anonymous reviews of European restaurants that focused on the quality and flavour of food. Today, Michelin stars are considered as a stamp of authenticity, and utmost quality of fine dining and food by the world¡¯s top chefs and restaurant patrons. This is because it isn¡¯t easy to obtain the recognition, given that only the best restaurants in town win the recognition.
Now with Sona in the league, it is certainly a big achievement for Priyanka and the restaurant¡¯s team, spearheaded by Chef Hari Nayak.
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