UpperCrust Chefs

A pick of 20 through the years, and their recipes

With a keen eye on culinary experts across the country through 20 years, we showcase a pick of 20 super talented chefs at the top of their game, with their recipes that you must try. Here they are in no specific order, no hierarchy...

1. Vikas Khanna
Vikas Khanna is an award winning, Michelin-starred chef, restaurateur, food writer, filmmaker, humanitarian and one of the hosts of MasterChef India. He is based in New York City. Raised in Amritsar, he grew up surrounded by large family feasts, the seasonal produce fresh from the fields of Punjab, and of course, his grandmother’s traditional home cooking. It was by her side that he began to learn the intricacies of Indian cuisine. He has worked with some of the most honoured chefs in the world in New York and received glowing reviews from the press, his gastronomic peers, and also recognition from the James Beard Foundation.

2. Alex Sanchez
Chef Alex Sanchez, a top graduate of America’s most prestigious culinary academy, The Culinary Institute of America, formerly the Executive Chef of The Table currently owns Americano, Mumbai. Before his stint at The Table, he spent the last eight years refining his expertise in some of San Francisco Bay Area’s finest kitchens. His career graph has been pretty impressive and it includes cooking with culinary giants such as Roland Passot at La Folie, Michael Mina at his eponymous restaurant, and David Kinch at Manresa; with brief apprenticeships at Daniel Patterson’s, Coi and Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry. During his tenure at these establishments, they all received stars in the Michelin Guide, with both Michael Mina and Manresa receiving two stars each.

3. Sarah Todd
Chef Sarah Todd has become a household name thanks to Masterchef Australia. The former contestant is a model-turned-chef who in recent years has learnt to call India her home. By curating menus for her restaurants, The Wine Rack in Bombay and The Wine Company in Delhi, Chef Sarah has successfully created a niche for herself in the industry. Talented, intelligent, beautiful and hardworking, she has made a name for herself in the culinary world with her creations.

4. Manish Mehrotra
The title of the Culinary King currently goes to Chef Manish Mehrotra and deservedly so. Very quietly and assiduously he has been pampering the palates of the rich and the famous, catering also to the needs of lesser mortals, not necessarily the swish set, albeit, the true-blue foodies who enjoy equally, and perhaps more so, their foie gras and caviar, downed by elegant sips of chilled bubbly. Did you say bubbly? Yes that’s right, champagne and wine go well with this chef’s Indian cooking! The spin he has given to his desi menu, the twist he has added with ingredients from around the world, at Indian Accent, in Delhi, London and New York, totally justifies what he has invented and addresses as modern Indian food.

5. Vineet Bhatia
The one thing no one can ever take away from Vineet Bhatia is that he was the very first Indian chef to receive a Michelin star. This was in 2001, for his restaurant in London, charmingly named Zaika, which in Urdu means refined taste. And then he got his second Michelin star, came along in 2005 for Rasoi by Vineet Bhatia, a venture at Geneva’s Mandarin Oriental hotel, making him only the second British chef (after Gordon Ramsay) to hold Michelin stars in more than one country. He is the global Brit-Indian on the go! Undeterred, understated, uncomplicated, Vineet Bhatia is a successful man.

Beet Poppyseed Chutney

Roasted Red Beets

Duck Cranberry Kulcha

Meetha Achar Ribs

Crab Kofta Recipe

6. Ranveer Brar
His culinary journey would make most people, most envious. But Chef Ranveer seems oblivious, takes life in his inimitable stride; with panache and style. The man who is a host and judge on MasterChef India is all set. He has just launched his own App, has his own production company, his five restaurants in Boston are running successfully, being looked after by Peppino, his business partner and friend. Ranveer is a happy man. Working hard, yes, but content. Not under stress and strain. He says he is fortunate that he was in the right place at the right time. And thankful that life worked out well.

7. Ajay Chopra
Chef Ajay Chopra believes everything happens for a reason. Hard work, dedication and passion are his driving forces, while religion tends to his spiritual side. He has been the much admired face on Indian television and holds Indian cuisine close to heart, finding comfort in his mother’s moong ki dal, baingan bharta and roti, and joy in his wife’s lamb curry and rice. Today, Chef Ajay’s mother couldn’t be more proud of her son with his long list of achievements to cherish – a result of sheer backbreaking labour and unwavering focus.

8. Kunal Kapoor
‘Good food is about the right ingredients and the right attitude’ – the maxim that Chef Kunal goes by. For just as you would serve your family with the utmost attention and care, is how your diner should be treated. The charismatic Punjabi boy, with an inherent flair for Indian fare, Chef Kunal is a master in his award-winning kitchens, with seven awards for his Indian restaurants in 14 years, a celebrity chef, cookbook author and a happy father to a boy – who we hear is already in ‘training’.

9. Saby Gorai
Chef Saby, among the top 10 chefs of the country, a recipient of the National Tourism Award bestowed in 2011 by then President Pratibha Patil and the Best Chef of India honour at the Varli Awards in the US. Well-heeled, the explorer in Saby took him to several places, masterclasses in Australia and SE Asia... and through cultures that instilled in him a knack for modern culinary application which he brought back with him. Take for instance the establishment of Kitchens for Ai the Japanese restaurant influenced by his visits to Japan where his uncle runs a food business. Or the coming together of SodaBottleOpenerWala, inspired by his godmother Pervin Gunny who exposed him to the Parsi culture of sunny mornings with brun maska and chai.

10. Hemant Oberoi
For all the success that has come his way, Chef Hemant Oberoi could very well have knocked off his apron, when he retired from Taj Mahal Hotels and simply rested on his laurels. But you can’t keep a good man down, not for long. And if the man happens to be a chef, you can’t keep him out of a kitchen for long. Hemant Obeori is right where he belongs, this time in his very own state-of-the-art kitchen, his very agreeable fine dining restaurant situated at Bombay’s new corporate headquarters, BKC. We are talking about a chef who was in charge of 27 restaurants of the Taj. Who created menus like no other, who dreamed up umpteen unique recipes, who travelled the world honing his skill, putting his restaurants on the world culinary map.

Suppli Al Olio

Muttar Khoya Seekh

Grilled Whole Cauliflower

Labneh Stuffed Kibbeh

Warm Dutch Asparagus

11. Ritu Dalmia
Chef Ritu Dalmia has come a long way. What started with Mezza Luna and Vama, metamorphosed into Diva, Café Diva, Café at ICC (Italian Cultural Centre), Latitude 28, Diva Spiced, Café Diva Sangam and Diva Goa. There is also Cittamani in Milan, Italy and Stella in a boutique hotel called Linthwaite House in Windermere in the Lake District, UK. So what does that count up to? Nine restaurants and one woman! An exemplary chef…

12. Naren Thimmaiah
He thinks of himself as “chef by accident” but we know him as the exemplary chef who has shown his culinary wonders at the Gateway Hotel, Bangalore, and being at the helm of the award-winning Karavalli restaurant since its inception over two decades back. Laying great emphasis on procuring ingredients from authentic sources, and satisfaction of the diners, he has ensured that his restaurant notches up top ratings and acclaim year after year.

13. Abhijit Saha
Chef-Entrepreneur Abhijit Saha is the Founding Director of Ace Hospitality & Consulting and Avant Garde Hospitality. His bouquet of restaurants include Caperberry, Fava, Red Rhino - Craft Brewery & Kitchen and Café Cassia, in Bangalore. With an experience of over 28 years, the internationally aclaimed chef's achievements in the culinary world are inspiring. He has also authored "Caperberry: The Cookbook" commemorating 10 years of his restaurant.

14. Vicky Ratnani
Consulting Chef at Gourmet Investments, Chef Vicky Ratnani is the man behind the menus of leading restaurants like Pizza Express, The Runway Project, The Market Project, The Poona Project, Ministry of Crab and Typhoon Shelter. He also started a subscription-based healthy food start-up Hello Green. Apart from the restaurants, he has also conceptualised the menu for gourmet meals at Inox’s signature experience, Insignia.

15. Rahul Akerkar
Credited with being the first chef in India to bring a fine dining experience outside the five star hotels, Rahul Akerkar introduced his European fine-dine restaurant in Bombay as early as 1999, with his flagship restaurant Indigo. He also went on to launch several stand-alone restaurants including Tote, Neel and Moveable Feast, under the umbrella of deGustibus Hospitality. After exiting from deGustibus, he launched the critically acclaimed restaurant Qualia which has become the talk of the town.

Prawns with Spinach

Chilli Garlic Pickle

Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Green Summer Gazpacho

Steak & Egg Pizza

16. Manu Chandra
His journey in food started at an early age. While graduating from St Stephen’s college, Delhi, he wrote and designed a book on fusion cuisine, following which he went for post graduation, emerging top of the class at the Culinary Institute of America, New York. Chef Partner at Olive Cafes, he associated with crowd-favourite restaurants like The Fatty Bao, Toast & Tonic, The Monkey Bar, Olive Beach and many more.

17. Nimish Bhatia
Renowned for his role as the Corporate Executive Chef of the Lalit Suri Group, responsible for food and beverage at 11 properties. Chef Nimish Bhatia is a consultant, chef and restaurant entrepreneur with his newest offering to Bombay—Maffy’s. His creativity and innovation knowns no bounds. He takes joy in learning and experimenting with newer techniques, that result unique, innovative dishes that he has created throughout his culinary journey.

18. Farrokh Khambatta
Founder and CEO of Catering & Allied, that has exceptional restaurants in Bombay under its umbrella— Amadeus, Umame and Café at the NCPA. While he grew up eating Parsi food at home, he was exposed to Oriental cuisine while travelling with his father, and decided to introduce it to the diners of Bombay with the launch of Joss. But what his company is most known for is the bespoke catering service, coveted by the whose who of India.

19. Ashish Bhasin
Executive Chef of The Leela Gurgaon, Chef Ashish Bhasin specialises in progressive cuisine. He has been associated with hotels that are at the top of the game, where he has been part and parcel of various projects, conceptialising and executing new-age culinary evolution keeping with all the latest trends in the F&B world.

20. Mohammed Shareef
Showcasing his expertise with the Awadhi cuisine, Chef Mohammed Shareef built a fine reputation for himself as the Senior Master Chef at ITC Hotel. Bringing the slow-cooking techniques of the Lucknowi Nawabs to the fine dining tables at ITC, Chef Mohammed is most known for his timeless recipe of the Dum Pukht Biryani.