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Journalism of Courage
With Michelin stars under his chefs jacket,Vineet Bhatia is doing the natural thinghe is lending his name to projects all over the globe. The Indian answer to Gordon Ramsay or Joël Robuchon in the empire-building sense,he started his role as a consultant back in 2002 with a project in Mauritius,having been awarded his first star in 2001 at Zaika in London. Back then,he was chef and part owner of the restaurant; his first solely-owned restaurant was Rasoi which opened in 2004 and gained a star in 2006.
Three years and one more star for his restaurant in Geneva later,Bhatia is finally returning to India by opening Azok by Vineet Bhatia at the rooftop of Oakwood Premier,a luxury service apartment property in Juhu; it is expected to open in roughly a month. I have my name on board,but the staff is trained by us and I havent sent any of my chefs across from the UK, says Bhatia when asked what the level of his involvement will be. He does add that the restaurant will have our ethos,quality standards and style. While Rasoi is small and exclusive,being a restaurant on a rooftop next to the pool means it will be relaxed and casual.
Asked whether he thinks it will be easy to sell Indian food to Indians,Bhatia points out that it will be a challenge but thinks that consumers are now better travelled and more open. People who have visited my restaurants have wanted me to open up here. The only factor is that the restaurant cannot be priced like Rasoi; it would be hard for people to see value in a Rs 8,000 Indian meal, he admits. Pairing with wine is important for Bhatia,and although he hasnt paired each course,the restaurant will offer a wine list that will complement the food. My food doesnt have overwhelming flavours; it has good,clean flavours that will be complemented by wine.
While the opening of his first venture in India is exciting,one might assume his churning out restaurants (he currently is associated with 10 restaurants and by 2011,that number will climb up to 16) has himself spread too thin. Bhatia says that the day I cant do it,I wont. I have to turn down offers all the time. Bhatia is on a six-year contract with Oakwood and assures us that,as with all his contracts,he keeps regular tabs on his restaurants and has the right to terminate the contract if any restaurant does injustice to his name.
Meanwhile,though,Bhatia will return to London to chase that elusive second Michelin star for Rasoi and to prepare for the launch of his first book,RASOI- The New Indian Kitchen.
The Global Bhatia
Rasoi,London
Urban Turban,London
Rasoi by Vineet,Geneva
Rasoi by Vineet,Mauritius
Indego,Dubai
Maharajah by Vineet,Al-Khobar,Saudi Arabia
Saffron Lounge,Doha (Feb 2010)
Indya by Vineet,Tripoli,Libya (May 2010)
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