In this exclusive interview with Entrepreneur Mirror, Ravi Singh shares his extraordinary journey from Hungry Jack’s Team Leader to co-founding Kickin’Inn, a Cajun seafood revolution now spanning 30 Australian restaurants with a 500-strong team. From redefining dining culture to serving 1M+ annual transactions, discover how people-first leadership fuels national expansion toward 50 stores by 2030.
Early Background and Career Journey
Curious about an unconventional path to hospitality leadership, we asked: “Could you share a bit about your early background, education, and the key experiences that shaped your career journey?”
Ravi Singh mentioned, “I didn’t begin my career with a clear intention of entering business or hospitality. In fact, my earliest ambition was to study medicine and become a surgeon. Circumstances, however, have a way of redirecting us. While studying a Bachelor of Education at Western Sydney University, I was asked to join Hungry Jack’s as a Team Leader overseeing late-night trade. What started as a part-time role quickly became a defining chapter in my life. By the age of 19, I was promoted to Restaurant Manager, leading a team of more than 80 people. It was there that I first began blending formal education with real-world leadership, learning how people behave, what motivates them, and how culture shapes performance.
With the guidance of exceptional mentors, I was soon entrusted with opening new restaurants, training franchisees, and eventually leading Learning and Development across New South Wales. By 21, I was contributing to state-wide expansion and delivering leadership programs in collaboration with Burger King’s global teams in the United States and then across Australia.
My passion for people and organisational culture led me back to academia. I completed a Master of Commerce in Industrial Relations and Business, followed by an MBA, while taking on a national strategic role at Competitive Foods Australia. I later undertook extensive research into workplace behaviour and culture, a journey that deepened my belief that sustainable success is always driven by people first. I was offered a PhD which I could not take up due to frequent travels around the world for work.
That philosophy carried me across borders. From executive leadership roles in the Middle East to teaching at universities, public speaking globally, navigating organisations through global financial crises, advising CEOs, and eventually returning home to co-found Kickin’Inn with my good friend and Business Partner Sami Karras, every chapter has reinforced one truth: when you invest in people, everything else follows.”
The journey continues, grounded in the same values that shaped it from the very beginning, curiosity, learning, and an unwavering commitment to building cultures that matter.” He said, wrapping up the discussion.
Company Evolution Since Inception
Eager to trace Kickin’Inn’s growth from single outlet to national brand, we asked: “How has your company evolved since its inception? (e.g., team size, market reach, revenue milestones)”
Ravi Singh reflected, “Since its inception, Kickin’Inn has evolved from a single restaurant in 2018 at Petersham with a bold idea into a nationally recognised brand grounded in purpose, people, and connection. From the very beginning, this was never designed to be just a food business. It was built, first and foremost, as a people business.
Today, Kickin’Inn operates 30 restaurants across Australia, supported by a 500-strong Tribe, with a clear vision to open 50 restaurants by 2030. As the business matures, we are also revisiting our pre-COVID ambition of 100 restaurants nationally, driven by stronger systems, deeper leadership capability, and a brand that is now well embedded in the Australian market. Alongside this, we are actively exploring international expansion, with New Zealand and Indonesia firmly in sight as the next chapters of growth.
At the core of this evolution are four verticals engrained into our DNA: People, Sales, Profitability, and Community. These are not aspirational statements. They are the foundations of how we operate. People always come first. When teams are empowered and connected to purpose, sales follow naturally. Sales then drive profitability, allowing reinvestment into our people, infrastructure, and future growth. Community gives everything meaning. It ensures the brand stands for something far greater than transactions.
The scale of our impact reflects this philosophy. We now service over 1,000,000 customer transactions annually, attract more than 1.5 million visits to our websites, and have built a deeply engaged ecosystem of over 70,000 birthday subscribers. We have proudly served over 100,000 children, giving every child under 8 years of age the opportunity to experience our Kids Eat Free Menu, open seven days a week, creating memorable family moments that extend beyond the dining experience.
Digitally, our storytelling has resonated at scale, generating over half a billion social media views, reinforcing Kickin’Inn as a well-known and emotionally connected brand across Australia. Importantly, our growth has not been driven by hype or shortcuts. It has been driven by purpose.
That purpose is reflected in our commitment to giving back, from Little Wings to breast cancer awareness, prostate health, and Dementia Week. Community engagement is not an add-on. It is central to who we are and why we exist.
This journey would not have been possible without the unwavering support of my wife, Veena Singh, my business partner, Sami Karras, his wife, Hala Karras, and our children, who walk this journey with us every step of the way. But above all, this story belongs to our people, our Tribe members, our office team, our millions of fans, and our supplier partners who keep our kitchens alive.
Together, we are building more than a hospitality brand. We are building a purpose-led movement designed to touch millions of hearts, locally and beyond.” He said, underscoring how purpose, people, and community have shaped every stage of Kickin’Inn’s growth.
Contribution to the Regional Ecosystem
Moving to our last question, wondering how Kickin’Inn reshapes Australian dining culture, we asked: “How does your business contribute to the ecosystem in your region?”
Ravi Singh explained, “At its core, Kickin’Inn contributes to the ecosystem of every region it enters by doing far more than opening restaurants. We create jobs, activate local economies, and build cultural energy around food, people, and shared experience.
From an economic perspective, our footprint is tangible. Across Australia, Kickin’Inn employs hundreds of people, providing meaningful career pathways in hospitality, leadership, operations, marketing, and supply chain roles. Every restaurant becomes a local employment hub, supporting young Australians, migrants, and career hospitality professionals alike.
Equally important is our commitment to local suppliers, from seafood distributors to produce partners and service providers. By sourcing locally wherever possible, we ensure money circulates within regional economies, strengthening the broader hospitality supply ecosystem.
Culturally, however, our contribution has been even more transformative. We did not just introduce a new menu. We introduced a new way of eating. Cajun seafood, black gloves, bibs, hands-on dining, no table etiquette, and unapologetic fun were largely unheard of in the Australian market before Kickin’Inn. We exposed the power of taste, proving that flavour, experience, and emotion can redefine consumer behaviour.
In doing so, we challenged traditional hospitality norms and made dining interactive, joyful, and memorable. In many ways, we helped reposition seafood as a mainstream, celebratory staple within Australian hospitality. It is no longer reserved for fine dining or special occasions, but accessible, social, and exciting.
Beyond food, we have redefined fun. Kickin’Inn venues are designed as social spaces where laughter is encouraged, rules are broken, and memories are made. That point of difference, a unique setting…” In the end, he reflected on the journey contribution to the Regional Ecosystem. With a wealth of insights gained, this interview became more than a conversation it became a moment of learning and clarity.
Connect with Ravi Singh on LinkedIn. Find Kickin’Inn Australia on LinkedIn and their website https://www.kickininn.com.au/.
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