Balancing it All: Atul Kochhar
Our February Restaurateur of the Month, Atul Kochhar, is a man of many talents. An Indian-born, British-based chef, Atul is also a successful restaurateur, cookbook author and television personality. Most notably, his modern and fresh take on Indian cooking has had a tremendous influence on changing the way the British – and the rest of the Western world – view Indian cuisine.
Atul came from a humble background in Jamshedpur, India. Both his grandfather and father were in the food business, running a bakery and catering operation, so food was always a big part of his life growing up. From as early as he can remember, Atul was in love with the industry and knew he wanted to pursue a career as a chef and restaurateur. Furthermore, his roots instilled in him a respect for the products and ingredients he works with, reminding him of the care, thought, and precision that quality dishes require.
At just 31 years old, Atul became the first Indian chef to receive a Michelin star in 2001 during his tenure as Head Chef at Tamarind. He left the following year to embark on his first solo venture in London, Benares, which has been touted as one of the world’s best Indian restaurants since its opening in 2003. The focus here is on using seasonal ingredients from “all corners of India” and combining tradition with modern approaches. The restaurant also features a “grazing menu” in which Atul provides guests the opportunity to sample his signature items. As a testament to the quality of food, Atul won a second Michelin star for Benares, putting him in a league that few other chefs have been fortunate enough to be a part of. When asked how it feels to have been awarded a Michelin star twice, Atul said, “Once I realized it was the highest accolade in the industry, I knew I wanted to receive one. When I became the first Indian chef to receive a star, it was definitely one of the highest moments in my career and I still get emotional thinking about it today.”
While Benares may be his flagship establishment, Atul has opened several other restaurants in recent years, including Ananda in Dublin, Rang Mahal in Dubai, Simply India at The St. Regis Mauritius Resort, and a restaurant on board P&O cruise ships. With Ananda, he already knew what people in London liked from his experience at Benares, and wanted to open in Dublin because it is such an exciting city for foodies. “I was really excited by the opportunity to source brilliant meat, vegetables and seafood from small independent suppliers in the region. I’ve tried to stick to my principles with this restaurant and be true to the concept of combining amazing local ingredients with Indian spices and techniques. The end result is dishes presented in a modern, clean and visually arresting way.”
Atul’s philosophy at Ananda is exactly the type of thinking that has propelled him to the forefront of the Indian culinary scene. He takes inspiration from native India and continues to push the boundaries by juxtaposing great British ingredients with Indian cooking styles. Unlike other chefs, he isn’t afraid to throw meats like venison and duck into the tandoor, allowing him to play with the notion of “Indian food” and create something truly innovative. A big part of his success is likely being able to understand the role of both chef and owner. Combining business knowledge with creativity has enabled him to push his teams, think about customer needs, and balance the bottom line to create restaurants that satisfy all sides of the equation. Although in the comfort of his own home, Atul appreciates the beauty of a simply cooked meal. “A beautifully made dahl is a perfect dish for me. Followed closely by a cheese sandwich with white bread – I have such a soft spot for them!”
Interestingly, chef and restaurateur are just two of Atul’s many titles. He’s already written three cookbooks, and appeared on television shows like BBC’s “Great British Menu” , “Masterchef Goes Large”, “Saturday Kitchen”, and his own series, “Atul’s Spice Kitchen: Malaysia” and “Curry on with Atul Kochhar”. In addition, he is actively involved in charitable organizations such as Find Your Feet, Action Against Hunger, Great Ormond Street Hospital and many more. Although improving the lives of children is close to his heart, he strongly believes there are so many brilliant charities that getting involved in whatever capacity possible is the most important thing.
So what’s next for this ambitious entrepreneur? He’s working on some new concepts right now, but says that he can’t imagine opening anything that doesn’t have an Indian influence. It seems like that recipe has certainly served him well thus far so we can’t wait to taste his future creations.