London's masterchefs

Trend 2014: Rise of Indian chefs
Indian chefs curried favour in London in 2014 and won big awards. Our cover story highlighted this trend through the stories of top Indian chefs redefining this cuisine in England.

What is going on with Indian cuisine in London? It is not just at the popular level that Indian cuisine has taken off in London. Gymkhana, which celebrates the cuisine of the Raj clubs of the subcontinent, was recently voted the top restaurant in Britain in the National Restaurant Awards, Restaurant magazine's annual count down of the top 100 restaurants in the UK.

It also got its first Michelin star when the new list was announced at the end of September. A few years earlier, Trishna, which is owned by the same proprietors and specialises in west Indian coastal cuisine, got a Michelin star. The latest Michelin Guide to Britain has seven Michelin-starred Indian restaurants in London alone, which is second only in numbers to those for French restaurant.

The Gymkhana phenomenon is extraordinary. Located in the heart of Mayfair, it serves dishes which are authentically spiced, which means they might challenge the palates of most of the non-Indian patrons. One of the most popular dishes is kid goat methi keema, which for a small charge, can be accompanied with bheja or goat brains. Gymkhana has been embraced by critics and everyone else and it is impossible to get a reservation for weeks on end. The Times food critic gave it a perfect score and went three times in five days to try more dishes, while others have shown similar pop star like fervour.

Karam, 31, is the chef-proprietor of Trishna and Gymkhana, along with his brother Jyotin, 35, who looks after the business, and sister Sunaina, 27, the sommelier for the group. The Sethis are also involved in several the menus. I have always tried to think out of the box and offer a completely new gastronomical experience such as roasted lobster with broccoli khichdi. It's all about staying connected with my roots, exploring our rich culinary heritage and presenting it in a contemporary fashion."

Atul Kochhar, the first Indian chef to gain a Michelin star, is the chef-proprietor of Benares in Mayfair and the godfather of innovative Indian cuisine in London. Some Indian based critics accuse him of virtually inventing "Frenchified" Indian cuisine, a charge which strikes him as absurd. "There are 36 distinctive cuisines within India so it is impossible to talk in a singular sense about Indian cuisine. It is as ridiculous as suggesting that all food in Europe is similar because everybody uses salt and pepper," he says. This is a thought echoed by other chefs as well.

He adds, "The idea that including non Indian influences makes cuisine inauthentic comes from within India. Those critics forget that there are tens of millions of Indians who live outside the country and have a very different point of view. I am cooking for them and Europeans, not people living in India and I certainly don't believe I am doing anything wrong. In Bengal, he points out, people like eating fish head curry but if you gave it to a Punjabi, he would revolt. He doesn't call it Frenchifying, he calls it using different techniques. If you cook some meats sous-vide, it enhances the flavour. It may not gel with Indians in India, but as he says, he is not in India. He is a big fan of tradition but not of authenticity, as that.

Top cover
Indian chefs were the new flavour in the UK in 2014 as exemplified by this cover, featuring Karam and Sunaina Sethi of Gymkhana London. Shot by London-based Pal Hansen.

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