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"Yiamas will be available for anyone who wants a new venue to hold their meetings, parties and corporate events in South Bombay,” says 29-year-old Zeenia Master, chief executive officer (CEO) of Xenia Hospitality LLP (Limited Liability Partnership) of her spanking new "perfect venue to host your upcoming soiree.” The "experimental space,” as the invitation received by Parsiana describes the locale, occupies 3,000 sq ft of space on the first floor of a carefully restored building in Bombay’s Ballard Estate, in a lane largely occupied by small businesses. The area available for guests is 1,700 sq ft after setting aside the reception and the space for services and utilities. A glass lift whisks visitors to the venue that can accommodate up to 125 people, past a long verandah. The area can be partitioned into two sections and be made available for two events at the same time, explains Master on February 15, 2016, the date of the opening.
The ivory walls and highly polished frames around the tall windows and doors were set off by chairs done in dull gold, randomly placed faux wine barrels and bicycles decorated with pink roses, carnations and white orchids on the opening day. "The ceiling is 12 ½ feet high at its highest point,” informs Master, waving upwards. "I ripped out the false ceiling and was surprised to see these lovely rafters, which I just had to retain,” she says, explaining that she personally supervised the renovations and the fittings.
Yiamas ("to your health” in Greek, a popular toast in that Mediterranean country) is "the seventh venue my property agent showed me and I liked it immediately,” mentions Master. "Xenia,” she explains, "is the ancient Greek concept of hospitality” and the courtesy shown to travelers and those who are far from home. When amplifying on Xenia, a slick brochure for the company states the "generosity and courtesy extended by the host to their guests is the norm and vice - versa, creating a relationship based on trust.”  This is the foundation of the ethos on which the company is based, the brochure continues. The CEO explains that she wanted to name the place Dionysus after the Greek God of wine and merry making, but settled for "the more subtle Yiamas.”
Yiamas has already had inquiries for use as a venue for pop-ups, children’s parties and "even for confidential meetings by lawyers who want to use it as a venue for arbitration,” says the businesswoman. Not wanting to share specific names at present, the boss-lady lets on that an online ticket booking agency is one of her first clients! 
The CEO also offers courses in soft skills in her personal capacity. "I can do customized modules for corporate houses on confidence building, business etiquette and grooming,” says the trainer, who includes Being Human, the NGO (non-governmental organization)-cum-clothing chain started by film star Salman Khan, and Perfect Relations, the public relations agency, as her clients.

 

 

The staff strength at Yiamas is currently four, which will be ramped up as business increases. "This is my tempo driver who doubles up as a handyman,” she says, gesturing toward a person making last minute adjustments to the decor. "We are a close-knit family,” she says of her quartet.
Of father Capt Percy, who is the chairman and managing director of the Master group of companies which has interests in various aspects of marine surveys, port handling, logistics and power, she says he was just as excited when she shortlisted the place for Yiamas. "On the day he came here, he was already suggesting ‘the reception should be here and the service area should be there,’” smiles Zeenia. "I have never heard the word ‘no’ from him,” says the daughter fondly. And one can see the involvement of mother Arin "who has been at the venue before any of the guests arrived.” Brother Xerxes, managing director with the Master group of companies, has been a vital support during the set up phase, reveals Master.

"No time to date”
"I wanted to see my name on a door ever since I was a teenager,” says Master. As a 13-year-old she read Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer and was fascinated by the grit of Abel Rosnovski, a central character in the novel and his drive to succeed in the hotel industry.  "So what if I don’t have a hotel yet,” says this bachelor of arts in hospitality, finance and revenue management from Glion Institute of Higher Education in Switzerland. "This is the beginning.”
The young Master schooled at the Convent of Jesus and Mary and completed her under-graduation at Jai Hind College before pursuing her graduation in Switzerland. She has interned in the UK and worked in "Paris, Dubai and Kuwait,” she rattles off. In between, she has also earned a diploma in event management from Fitzwilliam Institute in the UK. Involved in the setting up of the new hotel, Missioni, in Kuwait where she worked for one-and-a-half years, since she "did not like it there,” she  returned to Bombay and worked as an assistant restaurant manager with the Sofitel. She has also gained experience at the Shangri-La chain of hotels. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 A speaker at the recently concluded World Zoroastrian Youth Congress in Auckland, where her topic was centered on the importance of taking care of our priests, Master states that she tries to pray "when she can.”  Bemoaning that "we don’t take care of our religious institutions at all,” she feels that we need a "robust framework of priests who should not be bothered about earning a living so that they can spend time exploring and researching religious matters to spread awareness about the religion.” Having no specific view on the controversies around interfaith marriages, Master states that she has not given it much thought "as I have no time to date, being too involved in my work.”
Master finds baking therapeutic and states she makes great cheesecakes, which, incidentally, did not feature on the snack menu at the opening day! An ardent traveler, she states she must travel to at least one new place internationally each year. "I have my favorite restaurants in most major cities of the world,” she lets us know. It was a recent trip to Greece that strengthened her rationale for the naming of her latest business venture.  
The year 2020 will see Yiamas "as a hub of many social activities,” foresees this start-up entrepreneur. A lover of classical music, specifically Brahms, she shares, "Who knows, I may be able to start a ‘music property’ in the premises, but it will be for classical music, not the NH7 Weekender type of event,” referring to the multi-city music festival that features modern, popular music.