A Family Kitchen on the Highway
Located in Daladali Shimliya, Ranchi, the Sarna Hotel began as a humble venture born from the owner's love for cooking during picnics, where friends' praise inspired him to start his own business. In the early days, the owner and his son performed all the labor themselves, including washing dishes and cleaning tables, and he credits his success to listening closely to the feedback and suggestions of his customers.
The hotel's popularity is boosted by its location just half a kilometer from the farmhouse of legendary cricketer MS Dhoni, attracting tourists who come to see the landmark and stay to enjoy authentic "desi" style mutton, rice, fish, and chicken. Staying true to Jharkhand's natural heritage, mutton is served on pattal, which are traditional leaf plates made from local Chhakua leaves.
A defining feature of the hotel is its staff-first culture; the owner ensures his employees eat together before the day's first sale (bohani) begins, believing that true fulfillment comes from providing for others and creating a livelihood for his team. One of his greatest joys is witnessing his staff dressed in traditional attire, performing local dances to the beat of the mandar drum, which celebrates the region's vibrant culture. While the owner expresses a poignant sadness that his parents did not live to see the hotel's growth from its original small structure, he remains dedicated to the philosophy that while everyone lives for themselves, there is a special merit in living for the benefit of others.
About Owner Peter Gari
Peter Gari, a resident of Harmu, Ranchi, transformed a journey marked by academic failures and humble beginnings into a major entrepreneurial success story. After training in hotel management — where he performed tasks ranging from cleaning bathrooms to sweeping floors at Radisson Blu — he launched an initial biryani startup that struggled to grow.
Following a traveler's advice, he founded Sarna Hotel in 2019 with a small investment of ₹10,000–₹12,000 in a simple roadside hut made of bamboo and tarpaulin. Despite early days of selling less than half a kilogram of mutton and facing social stigma for "washing dishes" despite his education, Peter refined his "desi" recipes through customer feedback and embraced Jharkhand's tribal culture by serving food on traditional leaf plates (pattal).
His determination was further fueled by personal resilience after being rejected in relationships due to his humble business, eventually driving the hotel to become a landmark with a turnover of ₹2–3 crores and a workforce of nearly 100 employees. Today, Gari oversees multiple ventures, including coffee shops and real estate, while maintaining a philosophy that prioritizes his staff's welfare and the promotion of local heritage.