How did it all start? Share your culinary journey with us

My earliest childhood memories are of food, what I ate and when. Like the samosa I ate at an aunts wedding, I was 3 and my brain retained that memory. However, I chose to study law, thanks to John Grisham's novels. Thankfully, food-obsessed that I was, I packed my bags to study French Cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu, London. And there’s been no looking back since. Food Delivery, Catering, Consultancy, and Restaurants – I have dabbled in all formats of the industry. 

What are your earliest memories of the kitchens you worked in?

The first kitchen I worked in was after I returned from London. It's a very popular restaurant & the weekends used to be crazy. Most days we could catch our breath only around 6 pm and have some food. It was exhausting but so exhilarating. 

A dish your patrons/guest love

Our Jalebi Chaat from the 'Savoury Desserts' section of our menu. It takes some convincing to get guests to order it, but once they have their first bite, they are hooked. But what I really aspire for is to make my Tinda iconic. It’s a dream that one-day articles will be written about it. 

A dish that you love but do not have on your menu?

Butter chicken & tandoori aloo! These 2 dishes would be my death-row meal if it ever came to that. My mind is incubating an idea, to put an interesting spin on it (but haven't been able to come up with anything yet), maybe a decade down the line I will wake up one morning with a great idea. 

What according to you does it take to become a successful chef?

Patience, consistency, relentless hard work, being a team player & have a good palette. 

What advice would you give to a young culinary student?

Be patient, keep your head down, work hard & learn from whoever you are working with, everyone has some skill to impart. Also, experiment with cooking & eating as much as you can.

Lastly – stop smoking – it kills your tastebuds. 

You have been experimenting with lesser-known ingredients. Tell us why this attracts you so much? and your favourite ingredient is…

I have always wanted to do something different, something out of the ordinary. I am also a big one for supporting indigenously grown produce. I am passionate about showcasing the lesser-known ingredients found in our country.

My current favourite ingredient is the Bengali Gondhoraj Lebu. Compared to other lemons, it has so many layers, flavour-wise - it always blows my mind! 

Indian Tapas! Share with us what makes it so unique and where did the idea germinate from?

We came up with Indian tapas because we realised that's the only way, we can make people taste the diversity of flavours that our country has to offer. Traditionally, Indian food is meant for sharing, invariably our portions are so large that one can only have a couple of dishes before they are full. Also – people are mindful of their health; we are eating lesser now than before, and small plates are the only way we can tantalize tastebuds.