Twice decorated Michelin-starred Chef Atul Kochhar has announced the start of his 2017 Chef Season in which he will welcome a list of fellow chefs into the kitchens of Sindhu and Indian Essence.
Once a month diners will experience a collaborative six-course Tasting Menu created by Atul and some of the most celebrated names in the culinary world.
Each chef will present three dishes alongside Chef Kochhar’s three that will promise to delight the palate and awaken the senses of guests.
Commenting on the specially curated season, chef Kochhar said: “I am excited to welcome such a variety of talented chefs. The mix of skill, passion and creativity is outstanding. Here are chefs who, like me, promote and encourage seasonal British ingredients as well as Indian, Italian and South Asian. It’s important for me to adapt and adopt – cultures, cuisines, ingredients, everything. To bring diverse cultures closer, this is what food is about and these chefs understand and demonstrate these same important principles. So let’s get cooking!”
Chef Season Diary
Jane Devonshire
When: 26th April at Sindhu Restaurant and 27th April at Indian Essence
Jane Devonshire comes from a family of cooks and her talent, skill and energy for food was demonstrated when she won the MasterChef title in 2016. From a very young age her passion for food was evident and it was this drive and determination that caught the eye of John Torode and Greg Wallace. Janes’ passion for food thrives as she continues her extraordinary culinary journey creating fuss-free recipes and delicious meals for the home cook.
She said: “I’ve had a life-long passion for food but appearing on MasterChef meant stepping out of my comfort zone. Food is an absolutely solid and integral part of my family life, both growing up and now. It represents so much more for me than just food; it’s family and friends – the best times are always when good food, family and friends surround you.”
Dominic Chapman from The Beehive Pub & Restaurant
When: 9th May at Sindhu Restaurant
As a self-confessed traveller at heart Dominic Chapman has a love of world cuisine, with Indian food holding particular significance. Every year the chef travels to India and spends two weeks cooking in the kitchen of an existing restaurant. Once head chef for Heston Blumenthal, Chapman has a less molecular style than his former mentor, instead serving up beautifully prepared, comforting dishes made with quality local ingredients. He won a Michelin-star at The Royal Oak in Maidenhead before becoming chef proprietor at The Beehive in White Waltham. With his love and appreciation for Indian cooking, Chapman was a natural selection to join chef Kochhar for Chef Season.
He said: “I use traditional cooking methods to create seasonal and delicious dishes. I’m passionate about seasonal ingredients cooked simply. British ingredients where possible, but I don’t want to be restricted by them.”
Cyrus Todiwala of Café Spice Namasté and Mr Todiwala’s Kitchen
When: 29th June at Sindhu
Cyrus Todiwala is a chef, restaurateur, author and TV personality. The Bombay-born Parsee chef is recognised for his hallmark style of blending traditional Indian culinary techniques and flavours with more unexpected ingredients, as well as his hand-made line of pickles and chutneys (Mr Todiwala’s Splendidly Spicy and Deliciously Hot Pickles and Chutneys) which are food festival favourites. He is Proprietor and Executive Chef of Café Spice Namasté and Mr Todiwala’s Kitchen in London and is known for his innovative and fresh approach to Indian Cuisine.
He said: “I always think to myself ‘How can I do something different this time?’, that’s how you can create something completing out of the ordinary. The best inspiration comes through trying new things.”
Romy Gill of Romy’s Kitchen
When: 20th July at Sindhu – 21st at Indian Essence
Romy is one of the rare female Indian chefs in the UK who cooks, teaches and promotes the Slow Food movement. Her cooking combines the traditional flavours and spices of India with the new ingredients she was introduced to when arriving in the UK, such as gurnard, apples, cabbage and poppy seeds. Her cooking style differs from most Indian restaurants and avoids the use of unnatural food colourings. In 2016 Romy was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for her services to the hospitality industry, being one of a few female Indian chefs in the UK to both own her own restaurant and run the kitchen.
She said: “Indian food doesn’t have to be bad for you! It’s easy to accentuate it with spicing and powerful flavours, without excessive amounts of fat or sugar. I’m still enjoying all the same dishes I used to, but have modified my ingredients and methods, deconstructing Indian cuisine to suit my needs.”
