Indian chef
Manish Mehrotra is one of the India's highly esteemed chef, widely recognized as one of the most dynamic figures in modern Indian cuisine globally. Serving as the Culinary Director of Indian Accent Restaurants located in Delhi, Mumbai, and New York, as well as at Comorin in Gurugram, Mehrotra has garnered acclaim for his innovative approach to Indian gastronomy.
Manish is credited with creating an innovative cuisine combining authentic Indian flavours with pan- Asian and Western techniques and ingredients.
Chef Manish is described very aptly by Vir Sanghvi for Hindustan Times Brunch, “Manish Mehrotra is the most exciting modern Indian chef in the world today. He cooks for the toughest audience of all – Indians who understand Indian Food – and he never fails to wow us, time after time, meal after meal. The Indian Accent Chef (Manish Mehrotra) deserves a whole school of cooking named after him.”
Manish started his career in Mumbai as part of Ananda Solomon’s team at the Thai Pavilion of the Taj Group of Hotels. He joined Old World Hospitality in 2000 where he soon turned Oriental Octopus at Delhi’s Habitat World, India Habitat Centre, into the place to be seen at. He has spent over two decades with the company opening several restaurants while travelling the world and honing his culinary skills.
Manish travels extensively between the three Indian Accent restaurants and for events across the world. Manish is passionate about his craft and his knowledge of ingredients, their origins and the food and beverage world is formidable. Inspired by Chef Rick Stein because he prepares ‘out-of-the-world recipes which, though not fancy, are delicious’, Manish is an inspiration to aspiring young chefs today.
He is the author of Indian Accent Restaurant Cookbook. Two editions of the coffee table book were published by Penguin Books. More recently the paperback version has been published by Hachette Books.
Manish is an avid reader of cookbooks and owns over 1500 cookbooks. He has acted in films and is one of the most sought after celebrity chefs for TV shows, TED Talks, Cooking Demonstrations, Chef Interactions, etc.
Manish lives in New Delhi with his mother and his daughter, Adah who hopes to be a chef herself, one day.
Early life and education
Mehrotra was born in Patna, Bihar in 1974. He spent most of his childhood in a completely vegetarian household. The family didn’t even consume onion and garlic.
Manish did his schooling from St. Xavier's High School, Patna where he was the President of the Student Council. After his high school from New Era Public School, New Delhi, he moved to Mumbai to study Hotel Management from Institute of Hotel Management, Mumbai.
Deciding to opt for hotel management was a conscious decision for Mehrotra and during the course he developed an extreme liking for food production. This is when he realized that a kitchen is the most innovative place and that is exactly where he wants to be.
Career
After completing his college in 1996, Manish Mehrotra joined the prestigious Taj Group of Hotels as a Hotel Operations - Management Trainee. He was posted at the Thai Pavilion restaurant where he worked under the guidance of Chef Ananda Solomon at the President Hotel in Mumbai. This is where he mastered the art of Pan-Asian cuisine in the span of four years.
Soon after, in the year 2000, Mehrotra moved back from Mumbai to Delhi and joined Old World Hospitality which at that time managed the hospitality facilities at Habitat World, India Habitat Centre. He was posted at Oriental Octopus, a Members’ only restaurant at Habitat World. Within a span of six months, he became the Chef In-charge of the restaurant.
During his time at the Oriental Octopus, Mehrotra travelled the South Asian region extensively and visited countries including China, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore where he mastered his skills and learned extensively about South East Asian cuisine.
In 2006, Mehrotra moved to London and opened a Pan Asian restaurant for Old World Hospitality to rave reviews. He spent three years in UK and came back to India.
In the year 2009, Mehrotra’s career took a turn as he changed his path and started experimenting with Indian cuisine. This change of events turned in his favour and established him as the pioneer of ‘Modern Indian Cuisine’. In March 2009, he became the founding chef of Indian Accent at The Manor Hotel, New Delhi
Indian Accent, an Old World Hospitality concept, offers an inventive approach to Indian cuisine. The original restaurant in New Delhi opened in 2009 to significant acclaim for its path breaking approach to contemporary Indian food. The menu explores progressive ideas in Indian cuisine while maintaining traditional integrity. Mehrotra reinterprets nostalgic Indian dishes with openness towards global techniques and influences.
Indian Accent in New York opened in 2016 to critical and popular acclaim, including being ranked among the Best Restaurants of the year by several media outlets including Zagat, Time Out, Eater, The Village Voice and Thrillist.
In 2018, Mehrotra designed a menu of comfort dishes and unusual food combinations from across the country for Old World Hospitality’s (now a group company of EHV International) Comorin, Gurugram. The restaurant won several awards and is currently amongst the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Fourteen years after the Delhi outpost, Indian Accent opened in Mumbai in 2023 at NMACC. For the new branch, Mehrotra re-created an elaborate and unique menu keeping in mind the Mumbaikar’s palette.
Indian Accent in New Delhi has won several awards and global recognition, including being on the World’s 50 Best list from 2015 to 2023. It has been awarded the San Pellegrino Best Restaurant in India on Asia’s 50 Best list from 2015 to 2022. It has also been rated the No.1 Restaurant in India by Trip Advisor for several consecutive years. It is also part of the Time Magazine, 100 Great Destinations in the World.
Manish himself has won several awards during his career.
Personal life
Manish Mehrotra met his wife Vindhya who was also a chef, back in the day when he was working for the Taj Group of Hotels. Although the two were working in different kitchens, destiny brought them together. They got married in 1999. Unfortunately, Vindhya passed away due to cancer in 2020.
Mehrotra currently lives in New Delhi with his mother and daughter. He enjoys watching movies, cricket matches and cooking for his daughter, Adah, who is a foodie and loves prawns.
Films, TV and Guest Appearances
Apart from being a path breaking chef and Culinary Director of Indian Accent, Mehrotra is a notable Television personality as well. As a child artist, Mehrotra has acted in the 1983 film ‘Doosri Dulhan’ that stars Shabana Azmi, Sharmila Tagore and Victor Banerjee in lead roles. Apart from this, Mehrotra also played a part in the 1984 film “Apna Bhi Koi Hota”.
Mehrotra is also a well-known TV personality who lifted the trophy of ‘Foodistan’ a reality cooking show by NDTV Good Times.
Apart from this he has also been invited as a guest on several shows like
• Master Chef India Season 8 (2023)
• Master Chef India Season 7 (2022)
• Master Chef India Season 4 (2015)
• McCain Star Chef Season 1 (2022)
• McCain Star Chef Season 2 (2024)
• We The People
• Jab we met, India Today
• The Journey of India, Discovery
• Diwali Delights with Indian Accent, NDTV
• Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2022
• TED x NITW
• Good Earth's Chef's Table
• UNICEF India For Children
• GlenfiddichIN India
Cookbook
Manish Mehrotra is the author of ‘Indian Accent Restaurant Cookbook’, which was published by Penguin Books.
The Coffee Table book has pictures by ace photographer Rohit Chawla. The book was launched on January 21, 2016 at the prestigious Jaipur Literature Festival by Shobhaa De. Two editions of the book have already been published.
In 2023, the paperback version of the Indian Accent Restaurant Cookbook was published by Hachette Books.
Manish’s recipes have featured in several cookbooks, magazines, newspapers as well as blogs
Testimonials
‘Indian Accent is the cuisine phenomenon of this decade . . .Once again, RohitKhattar made the right decision. Indian Accent has been a success since the day it opened. I certainly have never eaten anything like it anywhere in the world. Chef Manish’s innovative, ambitious cuisine has an identity of its own and Indian Accent has won nearly every award there is to win. Manish Mehrotra is the most exciting modern Indian chef in the world today. He cooks for the toughest audience of all–Indians who understand Indian food–and he never fails to wow us, time after time, meal after meal.’ Vir Sanghvi, Hindustan Times Brunch
‘Maestro Mehrotra makes art copulate with science to produce modern Indian masterpieces of tantalizing textures and flavors. I love the way his food teases the mind and pampers the palate and has been doing so with consistency, over the years. No wonder Indian Accent has been showered with awards and been on the national and international gourmet maps. This is one Indian Accent we are very proud of. Jai ho!‘ Rashmi Uday Singh
‘World Gourmand Cookbook Award-winning Author and Food Critic
‘The food at Indian Accent is exceptional. A real definition of out of the ordinary.’ Fay Maschler, Evening Standard
‘If food is about memory, Mehrotra is a master at creating memorable flavours. He changed the way we eat Indian food by turning popular recipes from homes and streets into detailed, layered gourmet dishes. Indian Accent is widely regarded as the standard bearer of Indian dining.’ Anoothi Vishal, The Economic Times.
‘Inventive Indian cuisine at its best . . . At Indian Accent it has been refined into an edible art form . . . Mehrotra is a culinary alchemist constantly discovering new ways of making old dishes taste different.’ Sourish Bhattacharyya, Mail Today
‘A path-breaking restaurant because it is a taste of Indian food fifty years from now . . . the menu is one-of-its-kind.’ MarryamReshii, The Times of India
‘Indian Accent’s delightful fare proves the value of keeping it subtle yet distinct . . .it is a satiating mix of excess-and-excess!’ Reshmi R Dasgupta, The Economic Times
‘Indian Accent is THE finest representation of the unique, complex and amazingly diverse flavors of Indian food. Chef Manish effortlessly blends the flavors of home with the legendary street food of India. Then he presents his creations in beautiful settings that look and taste delectable. The world awaits this revolution in Indian food!’ Rocky Singh and Mayur Sharma, Anchors and Authors, Highway on My Plate
‘Indian Accent and its chef Manish Mehrotra are to international culinary awards what Meryl Streep is to Oscars.’ New York Magazine
Awards and accolades
• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) – Manav Rachna International Institute of Research & Studies, 2023
• Hall of Fame - Food Superstars - India’s Top 30 Chefs 2023
• Culinary Icon of the year, Travel & Leisure, India 2023
• HELLO! 100 Most Influential: Manish Mehrotra, 2023
• Best Chef In India - Food Superstars - India’s Top 30 Chefs 2022
• Most Admired Chef, World Leadership Congress Awards 2022
• Fellow of the International Institute of Hotel Management, 2021
• Fabelle Chef of The Year, Food Food Awards 2018
• Culinary Excellence - Hello Hall Of Fame 2018
• Chef of the year, Eazy Diner Foodie Awards 2017
• Chef of the year, Powerlist Awards, Living Foodz, 2016
• Jiggs Kalra, Best Chef of the year, Manish Mehrotra
• Excellence Award for Shining The World's Spotlight On India - Condé Nast Traveller India Readers’ Travel Awards 2014
• Disciples of Escoffier International, 2014
• Winner – NDTV Foodistan (India Vs Pakistan) 2012
• Chef of the year, Indian Restaurant Awards 2012
• Chef of the year, Vir Sanghvi Awards, HT City, Hindustan Times, 2012
• Gourmet Guru of India, Food & Nightlife Magazine 2011
• American Express - Best Chef Of The Year 2010
• No. 1 Chef In India - The Economic Times, 2010
• Chef of the year, Vir Sanghvi Awards, HT City, Hindustan Times, 2010
• Teacher’s Golden Thistle Awards
• Better Kitchen Awards - Promoting Indian Cuisines Worldwide
References
4. Chef Manish Mehrotra Is On a Mission to Elevate Indian Cuisine for Fine Dining
5. The Indian Accent Restaurant Cookbook
