About Beyond Cubicles
📢 #BeyondCubicles is a weekly LinkedIn series created by Carolina D’Souza, born out of her own experience transitioning from a corporate career to independent consulting. Since its launch in June 2024, the series has evolved into a platform that showcases the inspiring journeys of several founders who have redefined the traditional 9-to-5.
Through authentic narratives, #BeyondCubicles highlights themes of courage, resilience, and purpose. The stories feature individuals from diverse industries—ranging from tech and education to wellness and adventure—who share their experiences of stepping away from conventional roles to pursue passion-driven careers.Â
✨ Note: All features in this series are unpaid and shared as a way to honor and amplify real stories of transformation.
As a child, Bobby Kapoor watched farmers read the earth, knowing when and what to plant, and how to treat food.
Those early lessons guided his culinary ethos and shaped his approach to business.
His taste for entrepreneurship began in college, catering weddings for thousands of guests. “We handled setup, cleaned plates, and worked through the night,” he says.
As he began to find his footing, life redirected him. “My parents asked me to commit to five years of employment before venturing out on my own. Those five became 23.”
His journey took him from The Oberoi kitchens to leadership roles across 17 countries, honing his craft and his understanding of the industry. The 2009 recession marked a turning point. “Few food businesses in the Middle East focused on profitability,” he says.
That realization sparked his entrepreneurial journey in 2012 with the launch of Cartalyst Food Solutions, a consultancy focused on solving food challenges.
In 2016, he expanded into retail with Classic Catering. After Covid, he introduced Catz, a B2C venture, along with The Pet Chef. He also collaborated with startups such as Hello Chef and Munch Box.
Persistence paid off and a breakthrough came when a retail group sought a menu rooted in Kerala flavors. The store broke sales records and expanded across the GCC. “I knew I had arrived, not because I had won, but because they had.”
These ventures were built on his early training. “We learned product development, facility planning, business matrices, and ownership of the job. It was always about food, but never only about cooking,” he says.
Fulfillment, for him, also means giving back. “During Ramadan, my kitchen becomes a place of giving.”
Bobby’s mission centers on learning, exploration, and building strong, profitable systems. Joining BNI and TiE Dubai helped him build networks and mentorships. “Market teaches you the shades of grey so protect your intellectual property, make lawyers your friends, and keep an accountant,” he says.
Over time, his perspective deepened. “I learned my thinking had value and my words carried weight. Showcasing the light in others became my way forward.”
The chef who left India in 2001 says the one thing he wishes he had known earlier: “Work your core. Give it everything. Keep learning.”
Dubai remains home, with his wife Garima “the wind beneath my wings”.