FIRST CLASS INDIAN COOKERY
Experience tongue-tingling North Indian dishes at Sofitel’s Spiral with its newest chef, Afsar Rahaman
If you want a worldwide gastronomic experience in one sitting, visit Spiral at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila where it features 21 dining ateliers – Filipino, French Stove, Sushi Sashimi, L’Ecailler – to name a few. Recently, one of its ateliers got a revamp not in terms of design but its taste. The North Indian atelier is now led by Chef SK Afsar Rahaman. He is expected to curate Indian menu for banquets and opulent weddings for the interactive dining destination.
Chef Afsar's passion for cooking developed from watching his mother cook in the kitchen at home in Kolkata, India. “It was the biggest influence for my wanting to become a chef as a kid—watching my mother cook her very own recipe of biryani and enjoying every time she prepared food for our family,” Chef Afsar fondly shares. From the four corners of their home kitchen, his passion took him to an actual hotel kitchen at the young age of 18 and started working as a Commis Chef then rose up the ranks to become a Jr. Sous Chef.
Now with more than 15 years of expertise in culinary arts, he is considered a well-rounded chef where he is able to master his craft around and outside India specializing in biryani, kebab, and curry. He worked at Koala International Fine Dining Restaurant in Saudi Arabia, and in several hotels and resorts all over India including The New Kenilworth in Kolkata, Fariyas Resort in Pune, and Fortune Select JP Cosmos and DoubleTree by Hilton in Bangalore.
On his first stint in the Philippines, Chef Afsar sets out to reintroduce the well-beloved Indian cuisine to Filipino gourmands with his own signature take, reimagined recipes, and elevated menu line-up at Spiral’s North Indian Atelier.
One of the most popular destinations among the 21 ateliers at Spiral, the North Indian Atelier features a treasure trove of richly flavorful dishes with exotic spices that define Indian cuisine. Now with Chef Afsar taking its reigns, he promises to “transport guests to the culinary landscape of India that are sure to excite the adventurous Filipino palate.”