MICHELIN STARRED CHEF SURENDER MOHAN INTERVIEW

1. Please introduce yourself

My name is Surender Mohan, and I’m the Culinary Director & Executive Chef of Jamavar London and Bombay Bustle. Growing up in Amritsar, one of the leading culinary capitals of India, I was surrounded by a family that loved to cook with creativity and innovation. Today, my culinary career spans almost three decades, and my passion for authentic Indian cuisine continues to grow.

2. Who was your inspiration to become a chef

As children, we would always watch my mother cook for our entire family, and we would help her in turns. With time, I gradually learned from her that cooking also worked as a way to convey love. One should always cook with love and compassion. Since then, my devotion and passion for food have grown exponentially.

3. what was your favorite dish where you grew up in Old Delhi in a city known as the culinary capital of India

Old Delhi is home to a variety of cooking styles. Places such as Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk, Darya Gangh, Sitaram Bazar, Naya Bans, Chawri Bazar became famous for their food across India, and it’s these places that inspired my cooking from a young age, however Butter chicken has always been my favourite dish.

4. Tell us about your cooking journey and your passion for food.

Food is and has always been my passion. I decided to turn my passion into a career and completed three years at Catering College. After completing my studies, I started working with renowned chefs to learn the trades and gradually made my way up. I never took shortcuts when it came to learning or working; I spent extra hours after my regular shifts to learn even more. I was eventually handpicked by Mr. Dinesh Nair to work with his group of hotels at The Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts. I worked very closely with him and became instrumental in opening the signature restaurant, Jamavar, across India.

5. You are the Culinary Director of Michelin Starred Jamavar in Mayfair and Bombay Bustle, share with us your success story

On moving to London in 2018, I took over as Culinary Director & Executive Chef at Jamavar London and Bombay Bustle. Being well-versed with the Nair family and having been taught many recipes by the family matriarch, Leela Nair, coupled with my in-depth knowledge of Indian cuisine, made it a really wonderful opportunity to showcase my food to an international audience. Although Indian, both restaurant’s concepts are complementary. The former focuses on a holistic approach to Indian cuisine as a homage to India’s royal heritage and palatial past, while the latter represents the regional cuisines that are reflected in the melting pot of erstwhile Mumbai. Both concepts are unique and have been well received and loved by so many at large, which for me, is the true metric of success.

6. Can you tell our readers what is your signature dish? what are the twists you use to create your menu?

At Jamavar London, we’ve been inspired by India’s culinary heritage, from the Royal kitchens of the North and the South to the street food of modern India. In keeping with this, our menu features signature favourites such as our Chandni Chowk Aloo Tikki and Hyderabadi Haleem alongside our Old Delhi Butter Chicken, Jamavar Dal and Dum Nalli Biryani. Some of my favourites include our

Bhatti Ka Octopus with black pepper, coriander seeds, Kashmiri red chilli, corn salad & peanut chutney and our Malai Stone Bass Tikka with mace, green cardamom, avocado & mint chutney, which needs delicate refinement and a unique feature on an Indian restaurant menu.

7. Over three decades, you have accumulated numerous awards over your career, what is the new goal you are looking to achieve?

I’ve been very fortunate to have won many awards and recognition within India whilst working at The Leela Palaces Hotels & Resorts. Internationally, at LSL capital, working tirelessly alongside Samyukta Nair and my culinary team at Jamavar London, I was honoured to be awarded one Michelin star last year. This has been my lifelong dream, and I am incredibly grateful to have been bestowed with this award. My aim is to constantly work towards maintaining quality standards while innovating and growing Jamavar into a world-class collection of restaurants.

8. Jamavar Doha is a multi-award-winning pan-Indian restaurant, you are launching a new summer menu, can you tell us about the menu?

Jamavar Doha has come to be recognised for its enticing and elaborate menu, featuring dishes from almost every authentic Indian cuisine. The new Summer Menu, which we’ve recently launched at Jamavar Doha, is an exquisite flavour-packed offering inspired by India’s rich heritage and culinary culture. The menu predominantly reflects my profound passion for Indian cuisine through an emphasis on authenticity and tradition whilst also incorporating a contemporary twist. In keeping with this, our menu features dishes such as Mahi Malai Tikka with local hamour, enriched cream, coriander stem & cream

The Leader

cheese, Ajwaini Jheenga with tiger prawns, hung curd, carom seed, peanut & coriander chutney or our decadent Lucknowi Bhuna Gosht with lamb, green cardamom, black pepper, fried onions & ginger.

9. What do you promise our readers for your new summer menu at Jamavar Doha?

Jamavar Doha is an exquisite Indian fine dining restaurant located in the Sheraton Grand Doha that is known for its exquisite and authentic Indian cuisine. Taste, quality and authenticity are always at the forefront of my cooking, and our new Summer Menu at Jamavar Doha significantly accentuates India’s colourful and vibrant flavours whilst keeping in with their original essence. Our dishes particularly pay homage to the diverse Indian palate by taking inspiration from India’s royal history, additionally adding another layer of authenticity by incorporating traditional methods of cooking that have been largely forgotten in Indian households.