Hari Nayak is an Indian chef, restaurateur, author, and food and culinary consultant in North America. Trained at the Culinary Institute of America, he is one of the most sought after chefs today for his distinct cooking style. His “Modern Indian Cooking” and “My Indian Kitchen” cookbooks highlight his simplistic and fresh style, making Indian cuisine accessible to the everyday cook. His roster of restaurants includes Orissa, Soul Spice, Café Spice, Café Spice Dosateria, Halo Fete, and Matt & Meera. Many chefs today are doing “modern” takes on traditional Indian cuisine. What does “modern Indian cuisine” mean to you personally? It’s fantastic that other chefs are exploring the area I helped pioneer back in 2007 when my book, “Modern Indian Cooking”, was released and named the best cookbook of the year. I started envisioning and working on this concept since the time I came to the U.S. I wanted to put Indian cuisine on the global map beyond the typical dishes and make it more accessible to the western audience – not just in restaurants but also in their very own kitchens. My approach was to simply take traditional Indian dishes and make them adaptable by giving a modern twist and new makeover using western cooking techniques and ingredients. Of the cookbooks you’ve authored, which is your favorite and why? I have written 5 cookbooks to date and they are like the 5 fingers on my hand! I don’t have a favorite since each has had some role to play in my growth and learning. However, amongst them all, I would say “My Indian Kitchen” has won the most accolades and been my highest selling book and I would give a thumbs up to it! What kinds of things do you advise on as...

Shipra Khanna didn’t dream of being a chef from a young age like many other contestants on MasterChef. She didn’t think that pursuing a career in the food industry would play any role in her life. She was simply carrying out her daily duties as a young housewife and developing her cooking skills out of necessity – to feed her husband, his family, and her children whose special needs forced her to develop creative and healthy alternatives to traditional foods. It was a true Cinderella story when Shipra was crowned winner of MasterChef India. Her victory and subsequent fame made her a symbol of hope to other women and an example of how breaking societal molds can be possible. With innovative creations like yam mousse, tandoori chicken-flavored pate, and carrot cake with garam masala, Shipra surprised the judges and fans by turning out delicious dishes without any formal culinary training. Her accomplishment was even further impressive when it was revealed that she had landed on the show by having the courage to leave an abusive marriage in pursuit of a life worth living. Here, Shipra shares her perspective on the journey. What made you decide to go on MasterChef India? What was it like to win that competition and how did it affect you? The support of my parents and their belief in me gave me the strength and inspiration to go on Ma​sterChef. My cooking skills were something I have been developing for many years through making new dishes for my family and children so I knew it was something I was good at. You’ve faced some difficult times in your life. How did those experiences influence you and make you who you are today? Difficult times​​ always make​s one wiser. My experiences taught me a...

Saransh Goila made his first Indian dish for his family when he was just 12 years old. Fifteen years later, at the age of 27, he is now one of India’s youngest celebrity chefs and food television hosts. Winning a spot on Food Food Maha Challenge, a reality show hosted by Sanjeev Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit, Saransh beat out 15 other contestants to achieve the title of India Ka Super Chef. Today, Saransh is based in New Delhi and dabbles as a food consultant, actor, author, and host of Roti Rasta aur India, India’s biggest food travelogue show on the FoodFood channel. When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in food? What inspired you to do this? I’ve been cooking since I was 12 years old. But the first time I really thought of food as a career option was in the 12th grade when I was studying to be an engineer and failing miserably at it. I had always thought of the kitchen as an outlet for my creative instincts and found pride and joy in cooking new dishes. I also often watched food TV shows and dreamt of sharing my cooking ability with others. My grandfather, who was an exceptional cook himself, one day suggested to me that I wasn’t born to be a scientist or an engineer. He saw me as a passionate, creative guy who loves cooking and eating and he believed I should consider food as a career option. Based on that, I began applying to catering colleges alongside engineering colleges and to my good fortune, I passed all the required exams for the prestigious catering schools. There was no looking back after that and I followed my passion to pursue cooking as a full-time career....

Hemant Bhagwani has left footprints in quite a few places – born in India, attending culinary school in Switzerland, working at Indian restaurants in Australia and Dubai. But when he finally found a place to put down his chef’s hat, it was in Toronto, Canada where Indian restaurants at the time were nothing more than standard buffets with greasy fare. After helping open several hotel restaurants in Dubai, Hemant was set on starting his own venture despite the warnings of friends of family about the high failure rate for new food establishments.  Arriving in Canada without much money, he tried relentlessly to get a small business loan before finally securing funds for his first restaurant. Like many entrepreneurs, Hemant struggled with his first two ventures despite hard work and a brilliant vision before succeeding with Amaya. Founded in 2007, the Amaya Group of Restaurants has become a household name in Toronto today, bringing fresh, healthy, and quality Indian food in the form of formal restaurants, casual dining, food court kiosks, take-out establishments, and catering services. Hemant claims his love for food changed when he went to an Indian restaurant one night in Vancouver. Waiting close to an hour for a table, he observed how the owner chatted with everyone, hugged old friends, and transformed a simple dining venue to a warm and hospitable experience. Recognizing that same passion and energy in himself, Hemant was confident in his vision of wanting to create a place that offered exceptional food and changed how people perceived Indian dining. Amaya is exactly that – a company that was built from scratch out of love and emotion, a venture that redefined Indian food in Toronto, and a way for people to connect. “The key to success…my staff is like...

Ripu Daman may be a MasterChef India winner but his talents extend far beyond the kitchen. The energetic and vibrant 24 year is dabbling in television hosting, dancing, reality shows, and hopes to open his own restaurant someday. We caught up with him when he was recently in New York to film for Varli’s Choice, a new television show coming to Star Plus where Ripu will be the host. So what do you think of New York City? This is my first time in New York and I can truly say that it is a brilliant place. It has always been my dream to come here because ever since I was young, my dad would come to New York and tell me all about it. I think walking or biking is the best way to see the streets of this city so even though I have access to a car, taxis, etc. I’ve been getting around on Citibike everywhere so I can stop and visit every restaurant and street food vendor. As a huge foodie myself, I love that you can get so many different types of cuisine here from falafel to Thai to Japanese to Italian to Mexican. I also love the fresh and healthy make your own salad places and find myself eating there often! How did you get started in your career? I studied in New Delhi and was trained from early childhood to cook at home. We had this tradition where every weekend my mom and sister-in-law would relax and me, my brother and my dad would cook for everyone. When I started out making chapatti, it was all out of shape and looked like a map of India! But as I got older, I learned more and more and...

Chef, restaurateur, pioneer. Three huge titles for an extraordinary talent from Kalkota who interestingly made a name for himself in Bangkok. Chef Gaggan Anand worked at the Taj Group in his younger days and came to Thailand in 2007 as the head chef at contemporary Indian restaurant Red Bangkok. Quickly earning recognition for his exceptional cooking, industry insiders were already comparing Gaggan’s creations to that of chefs at established Michelin-starred restaurants. When he finally ventured out with his own restaurant, “Gaggan’, he experienced the freedom to create truly inspired dishes that were representative of his passion, commitment and creativity. Today, Chef Gaggan is one of the world’s most respected Indian chefs – while his restaurant is only 2 years old, it is the only Indian restaurant to be included (No. 66) in the Top 100 List of the World’s Best Restaurants. “Gaggan” is also ranked No. 3 in a 2014 list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants. So what makes this superstar such a standout? Perhaps it’s his desire to retain the authenticity of Indian food even though his approach is so decidedly innovative. Perhaps it’s the fact that he put Indian cuisine on the map in an environment so different from his native India. Or perhaps it’s his approachable and down-to-earth style despite his numerous achievements and accolades. Whichever it is, Chef Gaggan has made it clear that legendary is within his reach. “Trying new recipes, improving old recipes, it’s a continuous process and I find ways to keep getting inspired.” Gaggan’s restaurant is set in a colonial-style wooden house in the heart of downtown Bangkok with cuisine that he describes as progressive Indian with traditional touches. While his cooking style can be thought of “modern”, “futuristic” and “deconstructive”, Gaggan is quick to point...

Zorawar Kalra, son of celebrity chef Jiggs Kalra, is the Founder and Managing Director of Massive Restaurants Pvt. Ltd., a venture focused on a chain of fine dining and casual smart restaurants, along with a chain of luxury mithai shops. Zorawar’s famous father previously established and successfully exited the acclaimed multi-award winning brand Punjab Grill, putting him on the map and making him a celebrity known name. Here, Zorawar shares his story of success and business philosophy. How has having a celebrity chef / restaurateur father influenced your vision? My father’s father was in the armed forces. However, coming from a family of foodies and being influenced by his mother made him interested in delving deeper into food. He has over 40 years of experience studying, promoting and redefining Indian cuisine globally, and it is his passion for Indian food that has influenced my vision over the years. Both of us believe that it is the responsibility of Indian people to showcase our cuisine to the rest of the world in a way that retains its authenticity. My father is an institution of knowledge on Indian cuisine and it is an honor for us to have him as a mentor and guiding force behind our brands. Having said that, I believe his strength lies in the cuisine itself, while my expertise is handling the business end of things. Both of us come up with some great ideas, but we spend hours discussing each of our perspectives to make sure they work from a cuisine vision standpoint as well as a business standpoint. We both have our respective strengths and complement each other really well.  “Whatever decisions I’ve made in life, personal or professional, have enabled me to become a better restaurateur, businessman, son, husband, father and above all, a better person.”  Why did you decide to focus on...

Gaurav Anand, chef and owner of three acclaimed Indian restaurants in Manhattan, has achieved unquestionable success despite having no formal culinary training and only arriving in the U.S. less than ten years ago. Born in India, Gaurav studied business and law, only discovering his love for the restaurant industry after working with his brother Saurabh. In 2006, Gaurav came to New York city and opened Bhatti Indian Grill, a restaurant that quickly became known among foodies and was an Open Table Diners’ Choice in 2012. The latest addition to his growing empire was Moti Mahal Delux, the first U.S. location of a popular New Delhi–based chain with more than 100 locations in India, Nepal, and London. The cuisine here is both rich and balanced, with complex flavors and interesting spices, and as global franchisers of Moti Mahal Delux, the Anand brothers are looking to open other locations in New York City as well as other metro areas. “You need to have a dream, and a passion to implement it.” Gaurav first came to New York City (NYC) for his 2 loves – his wife Shagun who was working there at the time, and the abundance of restaurants and interesting food. He knew that if he wanted to make it in the restaurant business, he would need to be in this incredible city where there are so many opportunities. When asked what he thought made NYC a good place to start, he expressed, “This is a good place to open an Indian restaurant because there are never enough restaurants here. New Yorkers will always want to eat out, and as long as you are serving high quality food at reasonable prices, you have a shot.” His experience, however, has been very different from what he...

Chef Sabyasachi Gorai is one of the most humble figures in the Indian culinary industry, despite having won numerous accolades such as the President’s Award, National Tourism Award, and “Best Chef in India” Varli Award. Here’s what he had to say when interviewed. What made you want to pursue a career in the food industry? When did you know this was your passion? Coming from a middle class family, it was clear in my mind that I wanted to start earning as soon as possible. My family did not approve of my plans to join the Air Force, leaving me to choose between Arts and the Culinary Academy. Since the chance of success in art is more remote, I joined a catering college in 1993 thinking it would be the less risky path. When I got there, the glamour of a managerial job in the front office was attractive to me, but I soon realised that I could put my artistic passion into food and create a niche that combined art and dining. Years later, here I am. “More restaurants should focus on making guests feel at home.” Your restaurants have won several international and regional awards. What do you think sets your establishments apart from the rest? I think having strong personal interest and passion are a huge part of a successful restaurant. I treat everyone coming to my restaurant as family and I expect my team to do the same. The feeling of comfort, being invited into someone’s home, and exceptional service are constantly viewed as priorities at my restaurants and customers can feel that difference. What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in getting to where you are today? In almost every venture I’ve embarked on, I’ve had to...

As the owner of Antuns restaurant in Long Island, 2 Benares restaurant locations, and the Minar fast food chain in NYC, Nitu Singh has certainly accomplished an impressive amount. Growing up in New Delhi, he spent endless hours in the kitchen watching his mother prepare nightly family meals and learning from his father who was already in the restaurant business. Nitu worked in the family restaurant to learn everything he could and eventually used that knowledge to open Minar in midtown Manhattan. Singh loves using all different Indian spices in his cooking, noting that every spice has its own identity and significance in making Indian cuisine unique. As an owner, he makes sure to partner with his staff and chefs to ensure each restaurant runs flawlessly and customer satisfaction remains high. The love he puts into cooking and managing every aspect of restaurant operations are two things he believes continue to drive the success of his establishments. Unlike many restaurants, Singh tries to stay true to his mission of making Indian cuisine accessible to the masses by focusing on quality and affordability over fancy décor and overpriced dishes. When asked what his favorite thing is about being a restaurant owner, Singh answered, “It’s the immense pleasure I get from cooking and providing people with scrumptious food. I like using my work as a stress relief. Cooking has been my passion for as long as I can remember and I love that competition in the industry today continues to make the cuisine better.” Singh continues to draw inspiration from his parents as his father was one of the first to introduce Indian food to the New York and his mother was a constant daily influence. But over the years, he also continues to be motivated...