Down the years, the Taj has been at the forefront of gastronomy in India. It has brought the world to India’s table through the Golden Dragon, the Zodiac Grill, Souk and Wasabi by Morimoto, causing a stir with each new idea. The Masala chain of restaurants including Masala Art at Taj Delhi, Masala Kraft over a year ago at the Taj Mumbai and Masala Bay at the Land’s End in Bandra are the realization of an eight year old dream, that of carrying Indian food to the world in a more contemporary avatar. Not surprising since India is the new flavor around the world.
Says chef Oberoi, who is the man behind all the initiatives, “I think every restaurant I ever opened had people saying ‘this will not work’ but if you are not ahead of the times you’re out or labeled a copycat!”
“About 90% of Indian food served around the world is rubbish and 5% is slightly better than rubbish. Very few – just a handful of restaurants serve good Indian food. We wanted to break the myth that Indian food is heavy, spicy and oily.” He further said.
The Masala Chain does not believe in spoiling classic dishes, so the food at Masala restaurants is Indian food presented in a more contemporary fashion. The chef draws on innovative approach to present food. The gourmet ‘dabba’ service displays the fast paced culture of Mumbai serving Gujrati, Maharashtrian, Bohri and Parsi meals in actual custom made tiffins allowing patrons to order their choice of food and serve themselves a quick lunch – the roti trolley rolls out hot phulkas for guests just like Indian homes and the dal trolley wheels around five different kinds of pulses, to present an opportunity for non Indians to learn about the sheer variety of Indian food. Oberoi nurtures a dream of opening Masala restaurants in at least six international cities. He made a beginning in 2006 when shared a kitchen table with celebrated international chefs such as Tommy Wong, Charlie Trotters, Michelle Nishan and Nobu, at the Rockfeller Foundation dinner in New York.
Says chef Oberoi, who is the man behind all the initiatives, “I think every restaurant I ever opened had people saying ‘this will not work’ but if you are not ahead of the times you’re out or labeled a copycat!”
“About 90% of Indian food served around the world is rubbish and 5% is slightly better than rubbish. Very few – just a handful of restaurants serve good Indian food. We wanted to break the myth that Indian food is heavy, spicy and oily.” He further said.
The Masala Chain does not believe in spoiling classic dishes, so the food at Masala restaurants is Indian food presented in a more contemporary fashion. The chef draws on innovative approach to present food. The gourmet ‘dabba’ service displays the fast paced culture of Mumbai serving Gujrati, Maharashtrian, Bohri and Parsi meals in actual custom made tiffins allowing patrons to order their choice of food and serve themselves a quick lunch – the roti trolley rolls out hot phulkas for guests just like Indian homes and the dal trolley wheels around five different kinds of pulses, to present an opportunity for non Indians to learn about the sheer variety of Indian food. Oberoi nurtures a dream of opening Masala restaurants in at least six international cities. He made a beginning in 2006 when shared a kitchen table with celebrated international chefs such as Tommy Wong, Charlie Trotters, Michelle Nishan and Nobu, at the Rockfeller Foundation dinner in New York.
