What would the wild brainchild of the minds of an actor and a music director be? A café! Who would have guessed? Vimal and Biyon had always been fascinated with gastronomy, and among the several reasons why they set out to start Café Viibee in 2018, the most distinctive one was the fact that they wanted to build a space which is more than just a ‘café’. What they envisaged is a space where the youth (not just in age, but in minds too) of Kochi can meet and mingle for their art. A space where like-minded artists could come together, to have jamming sessions or even just a tête-à-tête to bombard ideas; and where young and aspiring creative minds have a podium to showcase their talents.
A space which is not just another cosy eat-out tucked in a corner of the city – not discounting that as unappealing – but rather a spacious area awash with warm light, pleasant décor, and an open zone to hang back and chill even after the customary food and drinks are done with. A space they dreamed would eventually meld into and become identified as part of the ethos of Kochi.
Vimal TK, better known to Malayalis as the music director and singer who was part of movies like Happy Wedding, Kunthapura, Kidu etc., and Biyon, who has acted in over 50 films in Malayalam, Tamil and Kannada, met back in 2010. It was around the time when Vimal had returned after completing a Direction & Filmmaking course in the UK. Over the years, their camaraderie grew and in 2017, they decided to collaborate for a movie venture. However, the project did not materialize, but instead Café Viibee did. When the project got shelved, they decided to take a hiatus from movies altogether, and dedicate their energy on something completely tangential instead. That led them to brainstorm possible entrepreneurship ideas, which culminated in the café.
Cafe Viibee
It was a spontaneous idea, but a long thorough process and sustained effort went into the decision-making and the subsequent steps. Initially, they did their due diligence of exploring the sought-after spots in Kakkanad, where Vimal stays – the pros and cons as well as what to adapt and what to redact. More than a year of the mundane stuff – competitor analysis, financials, research on various aspects of making a business successful, combined with their own concept of a café – one much needed in Kochi – ultimately led to the 50 cents of sprawling space of finesse Kochiites are now blessed with.
And now two years since its kick-off, they are proud that Viibee has indeed lived up to their expectations. So far, the primary obligation of serving superior quality food has been met meticulously, they say. Café Viibee offers lip-smacking contemporary food with Italian and grills being their specials. Viibee has now turned out to be the go-to place for anyone craving sizzlers, for the place is said to serve the best smoking hot sizzlers in town.
The ambiance of the café yells class and elegance, with the majority of the indoors done in whites and neutrals and the outdoor being a vast spread of lush green trees. And at nights, the warm fairy lights all over – inside and outside – sweep in a charm unmatched by any other. The food and service quality as well as the setting are only part of the reason why the café has been a success so far. The fact is the young crowd of Kochi throngs the café more for the eponymous ‘vibe’ itself.
The cross-section of regulars at the café is mostly of the age-group 16-24. There is a wide range of activities that Café Viibee hosts and anchors, which are very unique. Once a month, the café provides space for aspiring artists to showcase their talents – be it art, music, stand-up comedy or performance poetry. Naturally, those who revel in savouring art and music and are passionate about both have become the patrons of the café over the past two years.
Owners Vimal and Biyon
Furthermore, the café plays a significant role in connecting dots for the artistic and creative circle in Kochi, by personally acquainting like-minded individuals who frequent the place. And they are only proud that many creative projects, music bands and movies included, have had their initiation at the café.
Yet another cause that Café Viibee has been contributing towards is supporting amateur filmmakers in the city by providing a seed fund to kick-start the production of short films and pitching videos. Being part of the film fraternity, Vimal and Biyon clearly know the struggles that come with it, and hence this concept appealed to both of them since its inception in their minds. They are aware of what a huge role having such short ventures in your kitty play, for the big step into the mainstream industry. They are considered the most important part of the curriculum vitae of aspirant directors, based on which future movie opportunities pan out eventually. The most recent venture that was funded by Viibee was a short film called Moscow Junction directed by Sreejesh Prabhath.
Apart from all this, Café Viibee has also been playing a vital role in community building by contributing to the low-income families of the area by being involved in many charity activities like providing school kits to the children there, donating TV sets for their online learning, sponsoring football tournaments for them etc. In short, the cafe has by now succeeded in getting people from all walks of life join hands not just to have fun together but also to work together as a strong robust community. In fact, the goodwill of the café has travelled beyond the borders of Kochi and they host people who are part of groups like motorcycle clubs, customers who ride all the way from other districts and even states, to spend an entire day there, just to relish the vibe of Viibee.
Cafe Viibee
The fact is cafes and restaurants have always been an integral part of every city’s character. In fact, any and all kinds of eateries where people gather to drink, dine and make merry have always been an imperative piece in the social canvas of all cultures. And here in Kakkanad is Café Viibee, that tries to weave its own threads in an assortment of hues never seen before, into the tapestry of Kochi.
Mother, tech consultant and entrepreneur by the day, aspiring writer by night and passionate globetrotter through all seasons of the year. Aarathi Panikkar lives in Thiruvananthapuram, and works as an Innovation Strategy Consultant with Ernst & Young.