Vineet Bhatia needs no introduction in the world of gastronomy. He is the first Indian chef to receive a Michelin star for his contribution to Indian cuisine. Vineet was born and brought up in Mumbai, but has made a name for himself in London, where he now lives with his family and operates his restaurants. He also was a contestant on Netflix’s culinary competition, The Final Table.
Over the last two decades, he has helped push the envelope in modernizing and adapting Indian cuisine for contemporary western tastes. He was also the driving force behind a range of renowned restaurants. From a diffident, almost reluctant beginning, Bhatia has had quite a journey to becoming a brilliant chef who has transformed the industry and the way it looks at cuisines.
Who is Vineet Bhatia?
55-year-old Vineet Bhatia is a British restaurateur and chef who owns several restaurants all around the world. These include Rasoi (Switzerland and Bahrain), Amari (Mauritius), Indya (Dubai), Maharaja (Saudi Arabia, Riyadh), Saffron Lounge (Qatar), and Ziya (Mumbai). He is also an author and media personality. Bhatia has also worked with Qatar Airways and British Airways on their business class meals and in-flight meals. He has written two landmark cookbooks, Rasoi: New Indian Kitchen, which was published in 2009, and My Sweet Kitchen, which was published in 2016. That's the business card descriptor. However, Vineet has a fascinating backstory.
His journey through the culinary world
Vineet grew up in Santacruz, Mumbai. He wanted to become an engineer, but his grades were too low for it. He then tried his hand at NDA and textile designing before settling on hotel management. He recalls that his family was unhappy and not very encouraging. Despite their disapproval, in 1988, Bhatia joined the Oberoi Hotel as a trainee. In 1993, he was named chef de cuisine at the Oberoi’s Kandahar restaurant in Mumbai.
In catering college, for the first three months, he and the rest of the trainees had to unlearn everything they had learned. He was assigned to the continental section but frequently sneaked into the Indian kitchen. He was in his early twenties when he was given the charge of running the Indian parts of both Oberoi hotels in Mumbai.
In 1998, Bhatia attempted to open a restaurant with a partner. However, the attempt was unsuccessful because of permission delays. For a year, Vineet was forced to cook for the public out of his own home. He later partnered with Zaika in London's Chelsea neighborhood. In 2001, Zaika received a Michelin star, making Vineet Bhatia the first Indian chef to accomplish the feat.
Vineet's unique cooking style
At his popular Rasoi restaurant on Lincoln Street in Chelsea, diners can savor gourmet Indian cuisine. With an overstocked award shelf, plush interiors, and some truly delicious Indian food, this eatery has been serving signature dishes that are renowned for their sophisticated and balanced flavors since 2004. Bhatia’s culinary wizardry and expertise can be experienced with the smoked salmon, tamarind, and cumin-glazed quail. His two Michelin stars achievement for Rasoi in London (2006) and Geneva, Switzerland (2009) make him the first Indian chef to receive the illustrious culinary recognition.
His accomplishments over the years
A master of Indian cuisine, Bhatia has crafted an extraordinary reputation for creativity, boldness, and accomplishment thanks to his constantly changing plates featuring meticulously designed traditional and modern fare that have been created with his love for the food of his homeland. Bhatia has attracted international acclaim by opening 11 locations in addition to his UK and Switzerland establishments: Mauritius, Los Angeles, Russia, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. His work has appeared on the Netflix programs The Final Table, MasterChef India, and My Sweet Kitchen.
Vineet Bhatia's signature dishes
Bhatia believes in advancing his profession and eating, as well as presenting, Indian food in a progressive manner. He emphasizes using genuine ingredients for his acclaimed menus. Some of the items on it are spice-seared foie gras with wild mushroom naan and fennel-mango chutney; grilled sea bass with crisp okra fingers; coconut rice, dhal sauce, home-smoked lamb rack with lamb jus; apricot-walnut couscous; blue cheese-lamb tikki, rosemary chicken tikka, chili pipette, and black olive khichdi.