Tag: Indian food in London

Meet the Man Behind Papa-dum London

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 7 June 2021
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Asian Lite’s FnB columnist Riccha Grrover in conversation with chef Vishnu Natarajan. “Inspired by heritage and with a passion for Indian culture and cuisine, the food I cook at Papa-dum is characterised by its colours and use of aromatic herbs and spices to give a rich, heavenly flavour”

RICCHA GRROVER- Tell us about your cuisine and concept at Upper Street Kitchen by Papa-dum? Where does it take its inspiration from?

VISHNU NATARAJAN– The street kitchen by Papa-dum in Islington was born out of Covid. The core brand is focused on the grab and go market and is heavily reliant on office and commuter traffic. The street kitchen celebrates the Home Style street food of Indian Families. Nothing fussy, nothing complicated just tasty food. We had a vision of childhood memories of leaning over the fryer as kids and eating the fried delights from our mums. We are not claiming we are healthy, internally we say unapologetic street foods. The street kitchen is short dwell and all of our food is perfectly paired with our exciting Indian cocktail menu.

@Papa-dum, London

RG- What have been the challenges to the FnB industry in Covid times and what difficulties have you overcome as a chef in these times.

VN– FnB sector has been brought to its knees during these Covid times. Many businesses have closed for good. Just some employers were able to support their chefs both financially and emotionally. Even facilitating government support not every employer was willing to do it. So many chefs went to seek job opportunities in other industries to bring daily bread to their family. As a result, now we see shortage of hospitality staff. Staying resilient in these times has been a sure victory.

RG- How is a meal from your restaurant kitchen different from other Indian restaurants serving street in London? What makes it unique. What are the top 5 dishes you recommend a first time diner to try from your menu.

VN- I honestly would say the biggest difference is that all of the dishes are family recipes of the owners that have been kept in the family for decades. We have created dishes that they and many of us growing up would eat with our families and friends at home. Due to this there is distinctive flavour and home style that comes to our dishes which you won’t find anywhere else in London.

Top 5 from the menu would be :

1. House Masala Chai

2. Paani Puri

3. Pau Bhaji

4. South Indian Prawns

5. Indian Fried Chicken (IFC)

RG-What does your menu take its inspiration from? Do you have seasonal specials too? Tell us about your lunch menu in the week and weekend menus. Do you cater to varying dietary requirements too?

VN– Our Lunch menu is taken from our core concept and we serve curry boxes. All of our curries are regionally inspired and are served with rice and mini Papa-dums. In addition, we serve a Dal of the Day, Wraps and Indian inspired salads.

@Papa-dum, London

As we move through the seasons, we will ensure that our menu will rotate. We have an exciting Autumn and Christmas Menu too. In our kitchens we are 70% Vegetarian or Vegan, always Nut Free and Halal. We have a good balance of Gluten and dairy free options too.

RG- Did you always wish to be a professional chef or did you dabble into it as an extension to a hobby? What words of advice would you give to budding chefs?

VN– Yes, I decided during my GCSC equivalent days to become a Chef. Just a few words for budding chefs, learn thoroughly with hearts content. Ask questions on products, procedures and practice the recipes. Gain in depth knowledge of cuisines and when you can translate that for discerning diners then the world awaits your skill.

RG- What kind of experience can diners expect when coming for a meal at Upper Street Kitchen by Papa-dum?

VN– It’s a very laid back environment, informal eating in a relaxed setting. Diners can expect fresh, fast Indian food full of authentic flavours. Inspired by family home recipes and Indian street food. The food will not only satisfy the craving for something delicious, but will leave you with the feeling that only a heart-warming, home-cooked Indian meal can.

Vishnu Natarajan

Papa-dum is a modern style eatery which takes the spirit and essence of authentic Indian cuisine. They bring a variety of food creations from India for the very first time to London with a twist. From flavoursome, delicately spiced curry to freshly prepared Indian wraps and snacks, every dish has deep, complex flavours and mouth-watering spices.

Tags Asian Food in London, Indian food in London, Papa-dum, Vishnu

Business Food Lite Blogs

Modern Indian Food With A London Touch

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 10 May 2021
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Shilpa Dandekar Modern Indian Food With A London Touch

Asian Lite’s FnB columnist Riccha Grrover in conversation with chefpreneur Shilpa Dandekar. Trained with the famed Taj group in India, Shilpa has been fortunate enough to have worked in modern British pubs to going on to the kitchens of London’s Michelin-starred Quilon restaurant

Shilpa Dandekar’s uniqueness as Head Chef and co-owner of PURE Indian Cooking doesn’t just stem from her being one of the few Indian women chefs working on the Indian restaurant scene in London, but also from her passion for cooking and her background. Trained with the famed Taj group in India, Shilpa has been fortunate enough to have worked in modern British pubs to going on to the kitchens of London’s Michelin-starred Quilon restaurant.

Shilpa Dandekar

However, where her fortitude and insight into eclectic cooking techniques and varied ingredients really came into its own is when she worked for Raymond Blanc OBE, as the Head Chef of London’s first Brasserie Blanc, before moving on to open PURE with Faheem.

Pure Indian Cooking (PIC) prides itself in being a family run restaurant and one with impeccable credentials.

Owned by the husband and wife team of Faheem Vanoo and Shilpa Dandekar, both of whom started their careers with the famed Taj group in India, Pure Indian Cooking (PIC) opened in 2015.

RICCHA GRROVER- Tell us about your cuisine and concept at Pure Indian Cooking? Where does it take its inspiration from?

SD– We do Modern Indian food with a blend of traditional and modern dishes.

Lot of recipes are my own creations influenced by French cooking experience with Brasserie Blanc but keeping the taste and essence of Indian food. Making creative recipes inspires me to do better at my restaurant.

RG– What are the top 5 dishes you recommend a first time diner to try from your menu. What makes the meal experience from Pure Indian cooking unique?

SD– The Top 5 dishes are

Patra chaat colocasia leaves served with yoghurt, date and tamarind chutney, pomegranate, onion, tomato and sev.

Orange and tamarind chicken tikka

Chicken marinated in orange and tamarind sauce cooked in the clay oven.

Tandoori duck – barbary duck breast with spiced apricot chutney and tamarind sauce

Lamb sukke

Maharastrian style lamb preparation cooked in dry spices

Halibut fish curry

The meal experience is unique because the food that we do is not available at any other Indian restaurant or delivery menu in London so its Unique since its my own creations.

RG- Do you do seasonal specials too along with your ala carte menu ? Do you cater to varying dietary requirements too? Tell us about your tasting menu option that you offer?

SD-We keep on changing the dishes from the menu every 3-4 months hence our regulars always find something new on the menu.

We do a lot of Vegan dishes in the menu and cater to various dietary requirement, our front of the house team is always there to assist with the Dietary needs. The Tasting menu gives an opportunity to try the signature dishes of the restaurant.

RG– How would you describe the meal experience from pure Indian cooking that diners can expect in five words?

SD– The meal experience would be Fresh, Unique, Flavourful, creative and compelling (to make everyone return again!)

RG– What have been the challenges to the FnB industry in covid times and what difficulties have you overcome as a chef in these times.

SD- It has been very challenging times for everyone around the world, we have managed to survive during these times, our local guests have been very supportive towards Pure Indian Cooking. We have spoken to many when we were doing Home Deliveries and they all wanted us to stay open and do what we do best around.

RG– Did you always wish to be a chefpreneur or did you dabble into it as an extension to a hobby? What words of advice would you give to budding chefpreneurs?

SD– I am trying to be one now, cooking has always been a Profession which turned out to become my passion.

Shilpa Dandekar: Modern Indian Food With A London Touch

Cooking can be a great hobby, but it has its own limits. A hobby does not make you a professional in my view, it is just an addition to your daily routine. Fine Dining restaurants cannot be run by someone who is looking to cook as a hobby. It requires time, training and education related to cooking to get the final product right. Cooking the food from scratch, making different sauces, creating dishes, perfecting the method of cooking, standardizing recipes needs experience working under some fine Chefs in the Restaurant Industry and absorbing the skills from them.

Working under Blanc combined with her other experience, has given Shilpa ‘the kind of understanding and knowledge that few Indian chefs, let alone Indian female chefs, can muster’ she says. The resulting dishes which she prepares – whether its Achari Broccolli or her creation’s like Scallops with fresh Strawberry and Mint, Patra chaat or Kalimirch ka Murgh the next – are all rendered with fresh, British produce along with Indian spices and her imagination. Partnered with subtle spicing, a level of refinement and presentation, which is eye-catching without being glaringly showy, the result is self-evident in its intensity and depth of flavour.

Since the opening of Pure Indian Cooking, with Faheem managing front of house and Shilpa, who has worked with such masterchefs as the legendary Raymond Blanc OBE and Sriram Aylur of the Michelin starred Quilon, heading the kitchen, the restaurant has amassed a strong following as a refined as an exceedingly good local restaurant, with many clientele calling it a London “West End restaurant in Fulham!”

“We would be delighted to see you at Pure Indian Cooking (PIC) so please come and share in our warmth, fabulous food and drink and wonderful hospitality”, Shilpa signed off on this note.

Shilpa Dandekar: Modern Indian Food With A London Touch

Tags Indian food in London, Riccha Grrover, Shilpa Dandekar

Columns Food Lite Blogs

‘I cut no corners at Curry Singh Kitchens’

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 28 April 2021
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Chef Reetika Gill

Asian Lite’s FnB columnist Riccha Grrover in conversation with Chef Reetika Gill on her art of cooking authentic Punjabi cuisine

Chef Reetika Gill is the owner-chef of Curry Singh Kitchens-with a professional chef degree from New Zealand under her belt. She continues to explore and grow as a chef with her initiatives in promotion of sustainable food, heritage recipes, local and seasonal produce.

Chef Reetika Gill with father Manjit Singh Gill

Reetika says she “cuts no corner at Curry Singh Kitchens” – her food is entirely free of cream and nuts, and she only uses the traditional ghee and mustard oil for her dishes. The result is flavourful crowd-favourites like Dhein chicken (a chicken preparation with yoghurt) and Makhani dal.

Inheriting the legacy of Indian cooking from her father – the iconic Chef Manjit Singh Gill – has given her a keen understanding of food. Her style of cooking can be described best as ethnic style Punjabi dishes made tasty with understanding through mentoring.

In her efforts to make the world a better place, Chef Reetika endorses and supports humanitarian initiatives like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of #Zero Hunger where she is a signatory and promoter of the Chef Manifesto. Her kitchen from day one has been a zero waste kitchen.

Soya-Chaap

RICCHA GRROVER- Tell us about your brand Curry Singh Kitchens- what cuisine do you specialise in cooking and what part of India does your food take its inspiration from?

REETIKA GILL-Growing up in a family surrounded by enchanting taste and aromas, even as a young girl, I had envisaged opening my own restaurant someday. I drew inspiration from my father Chef Manjit Singh Gill, and my mother Sally Gill, who had a four-year-stint of running a takeaway joint with a small number of traditional dishes in the menu.

On my own culinary journey as an entrepreneur, I was clear about two things – that I would cook only what I loved and also would share the Indian food philosophy with the world. The result was Curry Singh Kitchens, a small restaurant with a selective menu based entirely on my time tested family recipes. In my endeavour to introduce diners to the little-known elements of Punjabi Cuisine, I ensure quality, consistency and a timely delivery while providing a fine taste in food served with warmth to my diners.

Taking old domestic favourites like tindas (apple squash), karelas (bitter gourd) and methi (fenugreek), I have strived to turn them into restaurant-worthy experiences.

I cut no corners at Curry Singh Kitchens – my food is entirely free of cream and Nuts. I specialise in Traditional Punjabi Food. My inspiration is from Punjabi Food and Indian Food Philosophy.

RG-Did you always want to be a chef or dabble into it as an extension of a hobby? Where did you train to be a professional chef?

ReG- I was always fond of cooking but I did do my professional training to be a chef from New Zealand in 2013 as I always wanted to be professionally qualified. I believe that you should dream every day as those who dream convert them into thoughts and thoughts are powerful enough to spur one into action sometime.

I had always dreamt and imagined that one day I would be starting a venture of my own. The dream was there and the vision was in place. I reached rather reluctantly to my family and was pleasantly surprised at the quantum of encouragement that came my way and I decided to create this brand called Curry Singh Kitchens as a testimonial and tribute to our family’s culinary heritage and thus started my journey of Curry Singh Kitchens. This venture was conceptualised with passion and culinary integrity as my brand is a collection of limited recipes redolent with love and passion, reflective of my culinary genes & reminiscent of all my childhood aromas of the house i grew up in.

RG-What can diners expect when they eat a meal cooked by you? What are your top 3 dishes you recommend a first time diner to try?

Chef Reetika Gill

ReG- Diners expect the ethnic taste and flavour of Punjabi cooking. Our menu at Curry Singh Kitchen is small purposely to maintain quality, taste, hygiene and it’s a zero waste kitchen and also our kitchen is Trans Fat Free. We do keep adding seasonal dishes.

Top three dishes that I recommend:

1- Dal Makhni

2-Meat Curry

3-Murgh Makhna ( Our take on Butter Chicken)

RG- What have been your biggest highs so far in your career?

ReG-The biggest high is yet to be achieved! For now I am working hard and everyday is a challenge I look forward to.

RG- What is your mantra of success? What keeps you inspired as a chef? What are your future aspirations for yourself as a chefpreneur?

ReG- My Success Mantra is to keep ethical practices and transparency in food. Every day I get 2 -3 new guests and their smile on their face after food is my biggest reward. My future aspiration is to serve great food and that my next plate is even better than the previous one.

RG- What words of inspiration would you like to share with budding chefpreneurs?

ReG- Keep learning always and have the spirit to imbibe like an eternal apprentice.

Chef Reetika Gill signed off by saying “My father Chef Manjit Gill inspires me as he is my mentor and my guru.

What I’ve learnt from him as a chef is:

– To be honest and sincere in whatever I do (and cook)

-You don’t need rich ingredients to make soulful, sumptuous food but you need to prepare food with knowledge, skills and practice.

-Do read recipies couple of times before attempting it. Timings are always just guidelines , do add more or less water based on your own intelligence.

-Tasty food is the result of mindful cooking done with positive energy and simplicity.”

Chef Reetika Gill with father Manjit Singh Gill

Tags Chef Reetika, Grrover, India, Indian cuisine, Indian food in London, Manjit Singh Gill, Riccha, Richa

Business Food London News

Saransh Brings ‘Goila Butter Chicken’ To London

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 22 April 2021
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FnB columnist Riccha Grrover in conversation with Chef Saransh Goila to know more about his GOILA BUTTER CHICKEN in London and launching meal-kits & a nationwide delivery system in the UK

One of India’s most widely respected chefs, Saransh Goila has developed a cult-like following for his eponymous butter chicken recipe globally. Having garnered a legion of high profile followers after the opening of his restaurant Goila Butter Chicken in Mumbai in 2016, Saransh was flown to be a guest judge on Masterchef Australia in 2018 where he judged contestants’ iterations of his signature dish. In 2019 his Goila Butter Chicken won the ‘people’s choice’ prize at India’s famed food festival, World on a Plate (WOAP); and in February 2020 Saransh teamed up with the Templeton brothers for a sell-out fortnight-long residency at Carousel (Marylebone), before setting up a London-wide hot meal delivery service in November last year. He has been in the Forbes 2019 Celebrity 100 list and amongst Facebook’s 100 Future Tycoons of India.

Saransh Brings ‘Goila Butter Chicken’ To London

RICCHA GRROVER- Tell us about your journey as a professional chef, across kitchens and FnB set ups from India to London. Did you always plan to be a chef or did you dabble into the profession as an extension of a hobby?

SARANSH GOILA- I grew up in Pitampura near Delhi. From a very young age, I had an inclination towards cooking. By the age of twelve, I started experimenting and cooking in the kitchen with my mom and granddad. Soon, I started cooking for my uncles and aunts and neighbours and my grandpa wanted me to pursue a career in cooking looking at my aptitude and interest. I believed in his vision of converting my hobby into profession and someday being a chef like ‘Sanjeev Kapoor’ and decided to pursue culinary arts from Institute of Hotel Management- Aurangabad, India.

After completing my professional studies and work at the Leela Hotels in Bengaluru for a couple of years I wanted to try something different. I wanted to be on television in order to teach people more about India Cuisine. After many failed attempts, I secured a spot as a contestant on Bollywood celebrity Madhuri Dixit’s comeback show, Food Food Maha Challenge, which was being hosted by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor. I went on to win the show and that got me what I wanted a food travelogue that made me travel 100 days of India by road is search of lost regional recipes and street food artistes. It was called Roti Rasta Aur India (which meant – Bread, Roads and India).

After the show, I found my space in the FnB industry in Mumbai (the city of dreams!). I came up with my version of butter chicken by a happy accident. I wanted to make a dish that tastes exactly like butter chicken but without the chicken as I wanted my vegetarian parents to be able to taste it. For that made few tweaks to the classic recipe and balanced it out in a way that the base gravy would have all the tasting notes of butter chicken enhanced and well balanced. When my friends in Mumbai first ate it when I moved to Mumbai, they loved it so much that they started a Twitter hashtag, #GoilaButterChicken.

This soon became my signature dish, which I started serving through my outlets and pop-ups in 2016 and it was later also seen on the epic TV show, MasterChef Australia in 2018. It was after this show we got a lot of international acclaim which led us to do a pop in London at Carousel. Post which we built a great relationship with the Templeton bros (founders of Carousel) and that took Goila from Mumbai to London.

RG- How is your butter chicken brand different from all the other Indian restaurants in London in terms of what unique food experience you offer?

SG-The secret to my recipe is the tomato to dairy ratio (80:20 as opposed to the usual 60:40), the all-important infusion of smoke and insistence that only the absolute best ingredients make it into the pot.

It all begins with fantastic tasting, ethical ingredients. That means truly free range, slow-grown, herb-fed chickens from Yorkshire, the creamiest French butter and eco-friendly charcoal from FSC-certified forests.

With less butter than the classic recipe calls for and absolutely no colouring, sugar or fluorescent orange additive, Goila Butter Chicken is made fresh each day by chefs who take pride in turning curry into an art form.

RG- Where does your menu take its inspiration from?

SG- Inspiration for this menu comes straight from my home kitchen in Delhi. It’s what my mom and dad find comforting and they’d eat for dinner almost every weekend. Sometimes less is more. There are six elements to the quintessential Goila meal experience: Butter Chicken, Dal Makhani, Jeera Rice, Sourdough Naan, Pickled Shallots and Coriander Chutney. I do believe… too much choice is overrated.

RG-Tell us about some of your highs and lows in the journey as a chef. What keeps you motivated and what’s been your mantra of success? What advice would you give budding chefs?

SG-Before I set out on my entrepreneurial sojourn, I was working as a chef at The Leela Hotel – Bangalore. I felt like a misfit although I had a stable and a well-paying job. The decision to quit that path for a road of uncertainties where the stakes were high, lack of staunch financial support and inadequate operational experience to run a business has been the most difficult yet rewarding decision of my life.

To have been able to make a self-funded homegrown brand in Mumbai to Masterchef Australia and then opening an outpost in London is a definite high which keeps us motivated to keep innovating and pushing the boundaries further to grow the brand and make Goila Butter Chicken a global brand. What keeps me motivated is to keep promoting Indian cuisine across the globe, our cuisine is so diverse and full flavours and we need to make sure that the world knows about it!

My basic quote for all the young chefs out there – Be true to yourself! Do not replicate a recipe fully. Add your personal touch to it and make it unique to yourself. Your own rendition of the dish will make it a memorable one. For all you know, you may just be able to do more justice to it than the original creator of the recipe! Cooking is an amalgamation of science and art – so experiment and express your inner-self through your food, don’t forget to infuse love into it!

RG- What is your vision for your food brand in the UK- do you have plans of expansion?

Saransh Brings ‘Goila Butter Chicken’ To London

SG-We envision Goila Butter Chicken to be available all across the UK at your doorstep in the next future. Meanwhile our meal kits are already doing that! We plan to expand our cloud kitchens all across UK and will also be indulging in some pop-up stores that will reflect more diversity and innovation in the menu. We really want Goila to be the first choice for people in the UK, whenever they think of curry!

……………………

Chef Saransh Goila’s world-renowned butter chicken is now available to diners nationwide in the UK, for the first time ever, through the launch of Goila Butter Chicken meal kits. Along with the butter chicken, the feasting meal-kit box is complete with Dal makhani – developed by Saransh to be the perfect accompaniment – as well as Sourdough naan fired in a pizza oven, crunchy and tangy Pickled shallots, Coriander chutney and Jeera rice. Vegetarians can replace the chicken with paneer.

Saransh Brings ‘Goila Butter Chicken’ To London

Tags Butter Chicken, Cuisine, FOOD, Goila, Indian food in London, London food, Saransh