Placing Chennai and South Indian food on the global culinary map

The senior executive chef at the hotel, Chef Ajit Bangera, and his team, however, had a clear vision in their heads — that their food was going to keep the South Indian flavours intact and only give a modern twist to the way it is presented. As soon as their restaurant doors were thrown open, their tomato rasam in a French press and vatha kuzhambu in a test tube quickly became the talk of the town for their authentic flavours.

Two years down the line, the chef and his crew are bolder in their creations and food combinations. Marking their second anniversary, their most popular 11-course Jiaa (Soulful) in their set course menu has been renewed with some exquisite flavours. The new menu addition features braised lamb cheeks with tempered semolina (upma), which is a South Indian take on sous vide lamb and polenta, and chicken rice with okra yogurt, which reminds one of a comforting Thai green curry, but made with Indian star herb, coriander, while the okra yogurt brings flavours of Andhra’s summer saviour, perugu pachadi. 

“We want to create memories and let South Indians connect our dishes to something they might have eaten at their homes. The essence of the restaurant is very South Indian, while taking in techniques like sous vide, spherification, etc. from international cuisines. Familiar flavours tend to pique the interests of South Indians, and at the same time, we wanted the food to be simple so it can be understood by other diners, including expats,” Chef Bangera tells DT Next. 

For instance, the new menu’s cracklings served with mango mush shows how commonly available ingredients such as lotus stem, sorrel leaf and potatoes can be elevated for a fine dining experience by using food techniques that can hero these humble elements. To serve a batter fried sorrel leaf and retain its original shape and taste intact takes mastery and immense respect towards each ingredient. 

The degustation relies on about 98 per cent of the produce available locally, in and around Chennai and Tamil Nadu. It also contains all the flavours as in a meal served over banana leaf in any typical South Indian home — except that their ingenious tomato rasam is served in a martini glass after soaking in the coriander flavours in a French press and the curd rice, an unmissable end to every South Indian meal, is just as creamy but made out of vermicelli.

“We are always working on new creations and encourage even the junior most in the team to share their ideas. While some dishes like the rasam in a French press occur like a spark, most others require months ofresearch and weeks of trials and errors. But when we see diners from TamilBrahmin households appreciating our food, we know we have hit the right chord with the locals,” recalls Bangera, who has a team of 18 people, constantly trying to reimagine SouthIndian food.

Over the past two years, the restaurant not only became a hot topic across food circles inthe country, but also among Indian food experts abroad. DuringMukesh Ambani’s son Akash’s wedding a few months ago, which was attended by who’s who from around the world, food from Avartana was one among the cuisines served.

Having lived in Mumbai, and then in Hyderabad, Chennai, Kathmandu, Agra and for a few years in Australia, the chef says his exposure to good food around the world got him prepared to ideate for the restaurant.

“Growing up in Mumbai, I had eaten some amazing food cooked by my mother. My mother-in-law is also an amazing cook. When you grow up eating exceptional food, you raise thebar for the food you make yourself,” he says, adding that he is keenon bringing out newer creations through the restaurant.