CHEF SPOTLIGHT:
JASPREET SINGH AND PARMINDER BHATTI of Red Fort
By Kyley Jolna
While there’s meat on the menu at Meridian’s Red Fort, Jaspreet Singh and husband Parminder Bhatti are quick to guide guests toward the vegetables. “We are all vegetarians and want to promote these dishes because they are always so [overlooked and] underrated!” Jaspreet explained. Other must-try items on the menu include the Vegetable Coconut Korma, the Mixed Vegetable Curry, and the Mali Kofta, all delicious on their own or served family-style around the table. The Red Fort is, after all, a family business. Jaspreet handles communications, and her husband is the head chef. As if to prove a point, Jaspreet’s brother, Pinder, enters through the front doors. He handles the other Utah-based Red Forts along with their father, Shamsher, and is in town visiting for the moment. Their family has been involved in restaurants for over 30 years, opening the first Red Fort location in St. George, Utah in 2018. A “typical” Indian food menu has numerous dishes to order, which can leave the customer feeling overwhelmed. “We have actually shrunk the menu from other Indian restaurants,” Parminder said. “They have a huge menu, but on ours, you can try any dish and you will love it. Whatever is on the menu is 100%!” Whether you're in Utah or Idaho, expect a consistent experience, as the menu is the same. “Growing up, my dad used to be a chef in the kitchen and would feed all of us paneer masala,” Pinder recalled. All three unanimously agreed that is the favorite dish and should be served with warm naan bread with a mango, strawberry, or rose lassi. Of course, all are on the menu. “I moved to Sandy, Utah in 2016 and they hooked me with that Paneer Masala!” Parminder added. This family is just beginning to get settled in Idaho and build relationships with local farmers and suppliers here. Nonetheless, there are already big plans for community building with Langar, a free community kitchen of a gurdwara, which serves meals to all free of charge, regardless of religion, caste, gender, economic status, or ethnicity. Jaspreet emphasized, “Cooking is in our culture. We are planning to build a temple where we can serve free food as well as collaborate with other volunteer services [here in Meridian]. There is a desire to serve our community and take care of who we are serving.” Besides its location, which is the first Red Fort in Idaho, this specific restaurant is unique for the family with its expansive outdoor space that includes a patio, a banquet, and a full bar. Plenty of room for all of the community gatherings and social meetings to come.
PHOTOS BY KAREN DAYDAY PHOTOS BY KAREN
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