From a series of modern Indian and Asian restaurants, to being a judge on the last season of MasterChef India, son of Jiggs Kalra, Zorawar Kalra is known to wear too many hats and do too many things at a time. We chat with this founder and director or Massive Restaurants Pvt Ltd about all the new ventures that await him this year.
You’ve been on a roll ever since the lockdown restrictions have eased out. Why did you think of opening so many outlets, all together?
I launched three restaurants and a delivery kitchen. In Delhi, we launched Bo-Tai Switch in December 2020 and Swan in January. Mumbai got its first Sri Lankan restaurant +94 Bombay at the Palladium Mall, so it’s a good hattrick. The year 2020 would be incomplete without the amazing home delivery services that came out of it, so in Delhi, we launched Butter Delivery. It goes back to one of my favourite cuisines in the world—Indian. Butter offers traditional, hearty and comforting Indian meals. If the lucky strike continues, we will soon launch a few more new restaurants in the coming year.
Since travel was restricted last year and this year, what has been your biggest inspiration while opening these restaurants and planning the menus?
For me, the love for trying different international cuisines and dining out in a beautiful ambient setting will never fade away. Before the lockdown, I travelled to countries like Japan and Singapore in search of inspiration. I always knew that our patrons would be ready to venture out again if the restaurants provided a safe and hygienic space. The key was to serve fresh and well-curated menus. That motivated me to push the envelope and deep dive into new concepts and food philosophies.
Why did you choose a Sri Lankan menu for Mumbai and Japanese and Italian in specific for Delhi? What’s your observation about the cities’ diners and their preferences?
We brought traditional Sri Lankan food with +94 Bombay to Mumbai because the love for coastal food amongst the diners in the city is unparalleled. The menu has Maharashtra and Sri Lankan classics like curry and hoppers, dishes that will transport the diner to the sunshine beaches of our neighbouring country. Add to that some Maharashtra staples like kothambir vadi. In Delhi, diners have a special liking for both Japanese and Italian cuisines and that inspired the launch of Swan. The bonus is that the chefs working here are globally trained at restaurants like Nobu and Zuma. We have built a team of incredibly talented chefs like chef Dipesh Shinde who will helm +94 Bombay is a talent to look out for this year. His knowledge on regional and Sri Lankan coastal cuisine is vast and it is so inspiring to see him work his magic.
What are some of your personal must-eats at these restaurants?
At +94 Bombay, we have the Kolhapuri Pandra Russa that is a slow-cooked broth with baby lamb shank. Kothimbir Vadi is a great snack. Chicken Curry with Vade and Jaffna Goat Curry for the main course.
The star dishes of Swan, Delhi are Miso Chilean Sea Bass, Tuna Tataki and the thin-as-air pizzas. There is also a robata section featuring grilled vegetables and meats. Our modern Thai Bar and grill which is BO-TAI Switch has Blue Tea Leaf Chicken Dimsums, Crispy Caramelised Prawns, Wok-Tossed Chicken and Avocado Tacos that are my ultimate crowd-pleasers.
Since you dabble with so many cuisines, what’s that one kind of food and flavour that you seek out while dining out.
My two favourite cuisines are Indian and Japanese, though they are polar opposites, the finesse and balance of flavours in each of these cuisines is intricate. I find myself drawn to the simplicity of Japanese flavours and also to the complexes of the Indian recipes. Masala Library in Mumbai is of course my favourite restaurant, and for Japanese, I will often travel to Singapore that has some of the best Japanese food in the world.
What are some of the big changes that you as a restauranteur had to go through from pre-Covid to the current times?
As a responsible restaurateur, the biggest learning for me was how I adapted to the evolving norms of dining out. We have ensured that safety and hygiene measures are in place inside the kitchen, from sanitised crockery and cutlery to contact less menus. The staff too is sensitised in hygiene protocol. All our restaurants have socially distant seating with bigger aisle spaces between tables and we are following all government guidelines to ensure that we can make dining out a hassle-free experience.
When will you launch an Indian restaurant that takes your dad’s legacy forward?
Soon! We are creating an immersive Indian dining experience that will truly be a tribute to my father. It is slated to launch in the city of Bangalore but more on that closer to the opening. It will be a modern and innovative twist to regional Indian cuisine.
Also read:
With restaurants and bars opening up again in India, what is it like to eat out?
Vogue’s edit of all the cool new menus, dining spots and reopenings in your city
