Ranveer Brar on the Taste of Success

Having been born in Lucknow, it was inevitable that Ranveer Brar would be fascinated by the city’s kebab vendors. After roaming the streets of old Lucknow, when he was 17, Ranveer met kebab ustad Munir Ahmed. And, it was when Ahmed took him under his wing, Ranveer found his true calling.

Since then, the chef has opened numerous restaurants at several hotels, including Taj Palace, New Delhi. In Goa, he opened Morisco (a seafood restaurant), II Camino (an Italian restaurant) and Fishtail (an open-air barbecue eatery). Of this, he states, “Hailing from the north and opening a seafood restaurant in the country’s seafood capital remains the biggest challenge I have faced. I would spend days on trawlers and in markets, to absorb the essence of the culture.”

An honorary member at the James Beard House, NY, Ranveer has made his mark in the world of television, with shows like Great Indian Rasoi, Breakfast Xpress, and now, MasterChef India. Ask him what’s hot in gastronomy today and he opines, “Food exploration and discovery is a trend and trait that is visibly surfacing and one that will define us in this decade.”