Franklin Philips and Tobin George have been buddies since childhood. They grew up dreaming of opening businesses and buying and selling stock. Barely into their teens, they convinced their parents to sign off as custodians of their trading account so they could legally trade stocks! When Franklin graduated cum laude from Pace University, he began working Manhattan internships with Con Edison, IBM, UBS Financial, Lehman Brothers, and USA Today.

At lunch, or hanging out with Tobin, he began frequenting the New York City street vendors that sold grilled chicken and lamb mixes and kabobs. “The lines would extend around the block,” says Franklin. “We heard about these vendors virally, by word-of-mouth. The taste of the grilled meats served with bread and a special sauce was so good, you just had to tell someone!”

Working in the ‘real world’ environment of mid-town Manhattan, Franklin continued to sharpen his skills in accounting, finance, business, and technology. Then late one evening, Franklin had the idea that would become the “Samosa Cabana Indian Grill.” Franklin told Tobin about his idea, and the two friends soon became partners. They decided they wanted to build a new hip yet casual Indian grill focused on quality Indian ‘grab and go’ fast food with a young and contemporary attitude. They dubbed their tagline as "Indian Food. Redefined." and they got cranking on putting together a detailed business plan. 

The two entrepreneurs wanted their business to be more a reflection of them and their lifestyle, rather than a traditional Indian restaurant. “We wanted a serene atmosphere that was comfortably cool, and would attract mainstream attention,” says Franklin. The friends decided to go for it, and were able to secure a lease for a building in Downtown New Rochelle.

They target a non-traditional group of hip, urban young adults. They are leveraging social media marketing (Twitter, Myspace, Facebook, etc), which has allowed them to build a loyal fan following in the span of 1 year. The restaurant provides a variety of Indian fusion items such as as Indian-style wraps, fresh samosas, masala fries, tandoori wings, platters, salads, fruit smoothies, shakes, and more. The young entrepreneurs are capitalizing on new technologies, using innovative branding, and combining fresh business ideas with expertise. They are planning to dominate this untapped market by creating the first national Indian chain.

Samosa Cabana opened with a gala ribbon-cutting ceremony on January 29, 2008, that featured Franklin, Tobin and His Honor, New Rochelle Mayor, Noam Bramson.
 

Founder & CEO – Mr. Philips, 24-years-old, graduated Cum Laude at Pace University in Pleasantville, with a Bachelor of Sciences degree in Business Information Systems. Born in Bangalore, India, Franklin came to the United States at the age of four. Franklin was raised in Yonkers, New York, graduated from Sacred Heart High School there, and still resides in the City. An avid swimmer, Franklin enjoys reading books and articles on business and technology, playing the piano, singing with -- and leading his church choir, and an occasional night out with friends.

 

Founder & Vice President – Mr. George, 21-years-old, is a Nursing major at the College of Mount Saint Vincent, in Bronx, New York. Tobin was born in Paramus, New Jersey, and relocated to the Bronx with his parents at the age of three. Now living in Yonkers, Tobin grew up in the Bronx, graduating from Cardinal Spellman High School in Baychester. Tobin’s passion for helping people, and his profound interest in medicine, led him to the study of nursing. His other interests include working out, managing Samosa Cabana, scoping out the newest, coolest cars, and making time for his friends.