Aug. 26, 2026

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Building a celebrated restaurant group in New Jersey is already an accomplishment. Bringing that success across the Hudson to New York City is another challenge entirely—one many restaurateurs never even attempt. But Sidharth Sharma and Sammeer A. Raajpal were determined to try.

With Kidilum, their celebration of Kerala cuisine in Manhattan, they are betting that the same commitment to hospitality and showing guests a wonderful time that fueled their success in New Jersey can also resonate in New York.

Sidharth and Sammeer join Adam on this episode of The Buildout to discuss how they built their restaurant group, why they were confident their approach would translate to New York City, and what it takes to make the leap into one of the world’s most competitive dining markets.

Kidilum: https://www.instagram.com/kidilum.nyc

VinePair: https://www.instagram.com/vinepair

Hosted by VinePair Co-Founder: https://www.instagram.com/adamteeter

Produced and edited by: https://www.instagram.com/dolldoctor

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Arts

Education

Food

English

United States

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sidharth sharma

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