From Kashkan to Kissaghar: A new chapter in modern Indian dining

Chef Ranveer Brar’s relationship with food has always been personal, but his newest restaurant in Dubai, Kashkan Kissaghar, takes that intimacy a step further. Perched inside H Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road, the space feels less like a restaurant and more like a storyteller’s stage, one where food speaks the language of emotion.

“I think the brand is growing with me,” he says. “We always felt the need for a more nuanced version of Kashkan, something smaller, more intimate, where we could hold the audience longer. This is a more layered theatre of food.”

That theatre, now named Kissaghar, or “house of stories”, marks the evolution of Brar’s Kashkan, which first opened at Dubai Festival City. The original, larger space introduced Dubai to his interpretation of modern Indian dining, blending nostalgia with innovation. Kissaghar now deepens that narrative, reflecting Brar’s personal and creative growth.

“This isn’t just another Kashkan,” he explains. “This one is Kissaghar. With it, we’re expanding in two directions, Kashkans and Kissaghars. Kissaghars will be more intimate spaces with bars, while Kashkans will remain family-style venues.”

Through this expansion, Brar has also launched a movement he calls Kissaghar by Kashkan. The name hints at a return to creation, a more mindful approach to cooking and dining. “When I say food is a cure, I’m the biggest example of that,” he says. “As a brand, Kashkan entered Dubai with questions and a bit of hesitation, and the city gave us all the answers. Dubai gave Kashkan its true identity. It was only right that we gave something back, and Kissaghar is that gift.”

To Brar, the connection between his restaurant and Dubai is inseparable. “Honestly, there can’t be a Kashkan without Dubai,” he adds. “Everywhere we go in the Middle East, we’ll carry a piece of Dubai with us.”

At Kissaghar, the storytelling continues through design. Every visual detail carries meaning, from the textures on the walls to the light filtering through the space. Brar personally conceptualised each installation, the result of months of planning and hands-on involvement.

“The banyan tree hanging over the bar is inspired by the Tree of Life,” he explains. “It represents shelter and energy. In India, we call it the banyan tree; in the Arab world, it’s the Tree of Life. It’s a shared symbol of resilience.”

That symbolism runs deep. The restaurant’s art celebrates traditional Lippan work, a craft from Gujarat that uses mirrors, clay, and recycled materials. “It’s about finding beauty in what’s available,” Brar says. “Whether it’s broken glass or old bangles, it’s about creating something meaningful.”

Another design element, the Wishing Wall, draws inspiration from Indian dargahs, where people tie threads to express their hopes and prayers. “We wanted this space to hold that same spirit of connection,” Brar says. “Between India and the UAE, between emotion and craft. That’s what Kissaghar is about.”

The menu reflects Brar’s ongoing dialogue between tradition and innovation. “Many dishes tell our story,” he says. “But Dal Kashkan will always be special. It’s become known as the 24-karat dal of Dubai and really built the brand’s reputation.”

For Kissaghar, Brar draws inspiration from the quarter bars of Mumbai, intimate neighbourhood spots where stories unfold over small plates and drinks. “That’s the story closest to my heart,” he admits.

The menu travels across India’s regional diversity, offering dishes that reimagine the familiar. The Kaddu Kachori Pie takes a sweet-sour pumpkin filling and folds it into a buttery crust, finished with whipped feta and a spiced lentil crumble. The Saag Burrata marries the depth of North Indian saag with the creaminess of Italian burrata. And the Naga Black Chicken Curry celebrates the fiery flavours of Nagaland, cooked in a paste of sesame seeds and chillies, served with sticky rice and bamboo pickle.

Each dish bridges old and new, but Brar insists that innovation must always honour its roots. “I believe all classics should be preserved, even through reinvention,” he says. “When you reinterpret something with respect, you give the original story a new language. Any reinvention that takes away from the original essence isn’t true reinvention.”

This philosophy also shapes Kissaghar’s bar programme, which mirrors the food’s storytelling. Cocktails are designed around spice, seasonality, and nostalgia, a liquid extension of Brar’s idea that every ingredient has a tale to tell.

Brar’s brand of storytelling isn’t limited to plates and glasses. It’s rooted in a sense of gratitude, for the food, for the city, for the people who make the experience whole. “Conscious dining isn’t just about what’s on your plate,” he says. “It’s about gratitude for it. And Dubai, to me, is a city of gratitude, it gives back in so many ways.”

At Kissaghar, diners can give back too. The Wall of Hope features QR codes linked to local charities, allowing guests to donate directly. “Sustainability and responsibility go hand in hand,” Brar says. “To be a conscious diner, gratitude comes first.”

That philosophy ties into his work beyond the kitchen. As an ambassador for millets and sustainable cooking, Brar collaborates with global organisations like the World Wide Fund for Nature and the International Crops Research Institute. His advocacy for mindful sourcing is reflected in every layer of Kissaghar’s design and menu.

Chef. Author. Actor. Entrepreneur. Brar moves easily between worlds, but he insists there’s one ingredient that ties them all together. “Wanderlust,” he says simply. “There’s a nomad in me, a vagabond who loves to explore. That curiosity is the common thread.”

That wanderlust seeps into his storytelling. He imagines Kashkan Kissaghar as a film, one that opens with “winds across the Himalayas, Tibetan monks playing drums and flutes, creating mandalas like the ones on our wall.” The closing scene? “A snake boat race in Kerala. That’s it. Simple, rooted, full of life.”