The Innovator: Rajesh Bhardwaj

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Rajesh Bhardwaj, founder of the acclaimed Junoon restaurant in NYC, is our November Restaurateur of the Month for very good reason. Born and raised in New Delhi, Rajesh is seen as a pioneer in Indian cuisine with a track record of running cutting edge restaurants. After graduating from the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering & Nutrition (IHMCN) in New Delhi, he received his Masters in Hospitality Management from the International School of Tourism Sciences in Rome, Italy. With extensive experience in hospitality with the ITDC Group and Taj Group of Hotels already under his belt, Rajesh came to the United States with a definite vision.

Rajesh began with a small restaurant in Queens in 1997 and co-founded Café Spice, an establishment that grew into a chain of Indian bistros and changed the landscape of Indian cuisine in this country. When he opened Junoon in 2011, his inspiration was to create a contemporary restaurant that offered a complete dining experience in all aspects – great ambiance, service and cuisine. While he recognized that quality cuisine is the most important factor in any restaurant, he wanted to tackle the challenge of maintaining the core of what makes traditional food so tasty with the desire to break away and give dishes a modern interpretation. He thought of it as the “future of classic cuisine” and brought together a team that shared his unique vision. Rajesh emphasizes that he “constantly challenges his culinary team to be innovative and different in their approach.”

When it comes to being inspired in his own life, Rajesh credits people from all stages of his life. As a child, inspiration came from family and teachers who encouraged him to achieve his goals. Later in life as he started working and getting real life experience, he looks to role models like industry leaders who have the foresight, vision, and commitment to continuously carve out new paths.  When asked what he thinks is missing from the Indian dining scene in America today, Rajesh said “Over the years, Indian cuisine was introduced to the mainstream by early settlers who opened restaurants that mimicked the food they grew up with. But a lot has changed as new young entrepreneurs and chefs are bringing a more professional approach. I think the new breed of restaurateurs should follow the path of innovation, adopting new and modern techniques without fear of rejection. Indian food is a very classic cuisine with deep history, and all it needs is a new approach to change its perception from a strong ethnic cuisine to one that is embraced by the mainstream like French and Italian food is nowadays.”

Rajesh is humble about his accomplishments and believes that defining success is different for each individual. For him, his ventures are still a work in progress but the few things he attributes his success to are: believing in yourself, dedication to following through on every task, and respecting the team that is with you. He wisely realizes that you can only be successful if everyone on your team is set up to excel and wants to do the best they can. Rajesh also recognizes that success takes extremely hard work. He says the hardest part about owning a restaurant is maintaining the standards that are set, day in and day out, all year round. Customers have certain expectations that have to be met and achieved, and the ability of a restaurant to deliver on those is a significant differentiator. But seeing guests leave after an enjoyable experience and promise to be back again is a reward that can’t be beat.

What makes Rajesh admirable is that he practices his philosophy in his personal life as well as business. He loves to cook and finds it a relaxing therapy – and consistent with his vision, he likes to experiment with different cuisines and play around with new flavors and ingredients. In general, he views obstacles as challenges and finds ways to overcome them. His “take things as they come and move on” outlook will serve him well in this ever-changing industry and we look forward to seeing exciting new ventures from this dynamic restaurateur in the future.