FUN WITH FUSION

MANAV SURI, 27 Chef and Co-owner, Dastaan-A Progressive Affair

During his school days, Manav Suri would often get bored with his tiffin. One day he decided to make his own lunch and carried salami sandwiches. Since then, there was no looking back for this young chef who has done his B.A. Hons in Culinary Arts from IHM, Aurangabad and has worked with brands such as Taj, ITC and Marriott. He says, “The journey got better when I left the comfort of five-star hotels and started working at standalone restaurants in Mumbai, Goa and Bangalore. This gave me the strength and motivated me to open my restaurant—Gusto Kitchen and Kaffe in 2013.” The latest addition to Suri's culinary career is the opening of Dastaan, which serves modern Indian food.

Bumpy Ride Suri says the biggest problem he faces is sourcing. “There are a lot of unexplored ingredients that are yet to be brought to the attention of people in the city.”

Chef 's Speciality At Dastaan, Suri mixes ancient cooking with modern techniques. He has given a twist to age-old Indian recipes, blended them with global ingredients and infused them with molecular gastronomy.

The Dish on My Plate No prizes for guessing, it's rajma chawal. My Kitchen Idol “At a personal level, it’s my mom, dad and my sister. They have been my most willing guinea pigs, even while I was still in culinary school and are now my truest critiques. On the professional front it is Chef Grant Achatz of Alinea, Chicago.

Love to Cook For Sachin Tendulkar.