He’s one of the UK’s most famous Indian chefs, gaining Michelin stars for his modern and innovative take on the subcontinent’s classics. Now Atul Kochhar has finally found his way to the UAE, where he hopes to please Dubai’s notoriously choosy taste buds with Rang Mahal, a fine-dining Indian restaurant at the newly-opened J W Marriot Marquis that is expected to open this month. tabloid! chatted to the chef about his style, what not to miss and why his curry experience is different from Karama’s.
Q: You’ve been a regular visitor to the UAE, but this is your first restaurant here. What took so long? How did the restaurant at the JW Marquis come about?
A: The reason it has taken me so long to open a restaurant in Dubai is because I had to find the right team to work with and also the right venue and the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai provided both of these elements. Not only do we share the same ethos - to push boundaries in everything that we do — but we also both believe in authenticity, which means this collaboration is something we both really believe in. In terms of timings, I believe that Indian cuisine has now reached a point where it is appreciated and recognised internationally, particularly in Dubai which is such an established culinary capital where Indian food is very well received.
Q: Rang Mahal means “palace of colour”. Why did you choose this name and how will its meaning be reflected in the food and interior?
A: India is full of colour and this is one of the main inspirations behind Rang Mahal. These colours will present in the modern, authentic food as well as in the interior of the restaurant, with authentic Indian murals and Indian artefacts which will really bring out the true essence of India.
Q: What’s your approach in Indian food?
A: I strongly believe in using fresh, seasonal, and sustainable produce and ingredients in my recipes and menus. I would say my style is modern Indian cuisine and I gain inspiration from my travels from around the world, specifically India. I use inspiration from all different parts of India, north or south.
Q: For fans of your London restaurant Benares, will there be similarities?
A: There will be some similarities, however, Rang Mahal will have a different feel and the cuisine will be slightly more traditional. Although they are both considered fine dining restaurants, Benares is more modern. I always say at Benares that I cook Indian food with British ingredients which I proudly use but this is obviously not the case in Dubai due to availability. The Rang Mahal menu will also be focused more on a sharing concept where at Benares it is more of an individual dish concept.
Q: What are the dishes on the menu that we should not miss?
A: There are too many to list! The menu is created in such a way that guests can order multiple dishes and share them amongst the table.
I recommend ordering a couple of dishes from each section on the menu, that way they are able to try dishes such a curry but also have a chance to try something from the tandoor or tawa. There are also a couple of my favourite dishes such as the konju moilee which is Scottish lobster, fricassee of okra and mango and my signature moilee sauce; or I recommend the changezi champen, which are lamb chops in fennel with Tellicherry pepper marinade.
Q: What makes your food Michelin-star worthy?
A: I’ll leave that decision up to my guests. The most important thing for me is to make sure that all my food, and the chefs who I work in my kitchen, understand the importance of consistency and using the best ingredients possible.
Q: What is fine-dining Indian food? Some of the best Indian food is pretty inexpensive. So why should someone go to a fine-dining restaurant when the biryani in Karama is excellent? How do you compete with that?
A: This is true, there is some fabulous and inexpensive Indian food out there — I grew up on it! However, guests choose eat at Rang Mahal for the experience. Whether it is because they are at the world’s tallest hotel (the JW Marriott Marquis), or because they tasted authentic Indian food for the very first time.
I want guests to try Rang Mahal for the interest in the food but I want their desire to keep coming back to be based on our service and how you feel after you leave the restaurant or even a week later when you’re telling a friend about your meal. I’m offering more than a curry. My team and I really try to change the way you perceive Indian food, from the wine that is paired with each course to the petit fours that you receive at the end of your meal.
Q: Who do you expect the clientele to be?
A: Dubai is a hugely cosmopolitan city with influences from all the surrounding countries and people that live there — whether local or foreigners. This creates a clientele with very adventurous taste buds always looking for something new.
Q: You also have a restaurant on board a cruise ship. What are the challenges of serving food on a ship?
A: Sindhu on P&O’s Azura cruise ship is a fantastic restaurant and the concept is something that we worked very closely together on incorporating ethos that both P&O and I believe in. The biggest challenges on a cruise ship are constantly ensuring fresh produce. On Sindhu the best quality of ingredients is a must so we overcome this by working very closely with our suppliers that are located around the world at different ports. This ensures that we can plan exactly when we will receive all the ingredients and produce that we need. This planning also ensures lower food wastage. For example, if we’re travelling to a specific port where you know they have a sustainable and wonderful fish or seafood it is excellent to plan your menu around that and know that you’re using ingredients that were caught this morning.
