'Frankie' speaking: Meet the magicians behind on-the-go delicacy

Dr Charat Singh Colony has a special place in the foodie map of the world. After all, it was in this Andheri East township — or more specifically in the Tibb family kitchen — that the great Bombay frankie was born.

Forty-six years later, Tibb's frankie still satiates many an appetite without burning a hole in the pocket. Certain things have changed, like the introduction of new menus, but if there's one constant, it's the unmistakable, lip-smacking masala that has people wiping clean their frankie packets.

It all began in 1967 when national-level hockey player and pharmacist Amarjit Singh Tibb sampled a Lebanese pita wrap in Beirut. He decided at that very moment to tweak the wrap to suit Bombay's palate. Tibb's idea took two years to culminate into reality, and much of the execution was by wife Surinder Kaur. "Our mother cooked from the heart and created magic," says 48-year-old Charanjit Singh Tibb, who runs the company with brother Jasmit, 44. "Her first creation was the mutton frankie. It was a hit especially with Parsis," he smiles.

Charanjit and Jasmit inherited a legacy, but created an empire. Under their leadership, Tibb's transformed from a Mumbai-only brand to having 260 plus outlets nationwide. Now registered in 25 countries, it will spread its wings in Dubai, UK and elsewhere in Europe if Jasmit's plan works out. The immaculately-turned out brothers have a taste for the finer things in life, but that doesn't dissociate them from the early days of hardship, or those instrumental to their growth story. Such as the erstwhile Aga Bros., the venerable Colaba institution that struck the first dealership with Amarjit Tibb and helped turn the frankie into a street food staple. Or the lanes of Bandra and Shivaji Park, and last but not the least, Churchgate station – places where Tibb's kiosks became landmarks unto their own.

The story of how Jasmit – a state-level shot-put player ("easy sport for a guy who loves food," he laughs) and Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition (IHMCTAN) alumni – came on board is interesting. His father, displeased that his son was seeing Preeti, a south Indian, gave him the task of turning around a decrepit dairy stall at Shivaji Park in 1991. "He said I'd have to prove myself," remembers Jasmit. "It was tough, but I managed. If it weren't for the support of Charanjit and our sisters – Gunita, Monica, Navneeta and Smita – my parents wouldn't have come around to accepting my relationship."

Personal hurdles apart, Jasmit has plenty of insights about his father's culinary creation. Such as the fact that it's not the same as a kathi roll. "Kathi rolls have the roti or paratha base, egg, meat, green chutney, onions... but they don't have a specific masala," he says with a knowing smile. "A frankie is juicy. When you bite into it, the gravy doesn't just run down your mouth. It oozes into your soul."

Tibb's USP is its frankie masala. Certain ingredients, such as kaali namak and aamchoor powder, are detectable, but the rest? Trying to wring it out of Charanjit and Jasmit gets you nowhere. The brothers are the only ones privy to the secret, and they hold on to it for dear life. So much so that the masala is transported from their Andheri factory to every outlet in India.

While Charanjit oversees brand development and has been instrumental in getting Tibb's into malls, Jasmit works on expanding flavours and brand reach. It was under his aegis that the frankie was first introduced to south India before other zones at the height of the IT boom. "It was a crime that only Mumbaikars were having the frankie. So we took it to those who may crave for it," says Jasmit, adding that they took local tastes into consideration. Which is why they gave Chennai the Chettinad chicken frankie and Delhi the bhuna ghosht variant. "That's the beauty of our franchise. We evolve as we go to every state."

That Amarjit Singh Tibb trademarked his invention 44 years ago didn't deter copycats. A battery of lawyers is tasked with sending notices to infringers, but Charanjit insists it's no big deal. "Many make frankies on four-wheeler bakdas and thelas. You can't send a notice to them. In a way, it's a big compliment," he grins.

Other than international expansion, the brothers are keen to have the 'make your own frankie' concept where people can handpick flavours of their choice. Pilot testing will be undertaken – much like that time their father distributed frankies to customers near Powai Lake to see how they were received, before teaming up with the erstwhile Aga Bros.

Several stories have surfaced as to how one of Bombay's favourite snacks got its name. But the real tale is a testament as to how ingrained food and cricket are in the city. "(West Indian cricketer) Sir Frank Worrell was a legend during my father's time. In an India-West Indies match decades ago, Worrell had hit a six. My father overheard someone say, 'What a shot, Frankie!'. And the name stuck," smiles Jasmit.

Thank you for that shot, Frankie.