DELICIOUS DUBAI

Dubai’s food scene is exploding with fine-dining establishments— some of them with global laurels—serving diverse and innovative cuisines from around the world. BAYAR JAIN speaks to two Indian chefs—Himanshu Saini and Neha Mishra—who have stormed this market with their unique styles.

- BAYAR JAIN

Himanshu Saini
CHEF, TRÈSIND STUDIO, DUBAI

TASTE OF SUCCESS

Chef Himanshu Saini's restaurant in Dubai, Trèsind Studio, bagged the second spot on Middle East and North Africa's 50 Best Restaurants 2023 and is ranked number 11 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2023 list.

Excerpts from the interview:

You trained with chef Manish Mehrotra at Indian Accent. How did that happen?

I had joined Old World Hospitality (oldworldhospitality.com), which has multiple restaurants, including Indian Accent. As part of this group, 12 of us were recruited by restaurants as trainees and circulated internally to gain experience in different kitchens. While I was training at The Manor in New Delhi, chef Manish Mehrotra had flown down from London to do food trials for Indian Accent. During that time, I helped chef in my capacity as a trainee. Two months later when Indian Accent opened its doors, he insisted on getting the same team that helped him during trials. So, in a way, destiny picked me!

Trèsind Studio is known for serving progressive Indian cuisine. How do you curate the menu and what makes it different from others?

When we opened Trèsind in 2014, Carnival by Trèsind in 2016, and finally Trèsind Studio in 2018, there was no concept of 'modern Indian cuisine.' In fact, Indian food is constantly evolving and getting modernised. Chillies and potatoes, for example, were never a part of Indian cuisine but have now evolved to become a staple.

At Studio, we create and serve flavours that we would like to eat ourselves. We cook from the heart, and avoid ingredients and dishes that we aren't comfortable with. There is no caviar, truffle, or beef in our menu. By doing this, we organically set ourselves apart from others.