#ELLEGourmetCoverStar: It’s Chef Manu Chandra’s World, And We Are Just Living In It!

For the past 25 years, Chef Manu Chandra has been profiled countless times. Beginning as a 23-year-old, newly minted graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, New York, who went on to helm Olive Group for 17 years. 

In the early 2000s, he joined the line of chefs who taught India how to appreciate al dente pasta. He disrupted the palate by making room for the humble arbi and thepla tacos on The Monkey Bar menus, and made G&T’s cool again at Toast and Tonic. Credit goes to him for starting the bao revolution at The Fatty Bao. 

Chandra logs into the call in the middle of a busy service day at Bengaluru-based Lupa, the restaurant he launched with Chetan Rampal in 2023. He has finished sending out a 36-hour Duck Confit on a Jamaican-inspired sauce to a regular “who must be on his 150th visit here,” according to Chandra, who adds, “We're hitting a 44 per cent repeat clientele. That's a dream come true. I'm bummed about it at one level because many people don’t come back. After all, we screwed up in the early days. I'm man enough to admit it. We improved and changed. I went back to basics with competent cooking of Western flavours.” 

Over the years, he has shape-shifted into a businessman, entrepreneur, and teacher. He runs Single Thread Catering, a bespoke and experiential catering solutions company, and has expanded into vertical integrations such as meat-alternative line Shaka Harry, urban artisanal cheese brand Begum Victoria, and small-batch spirit company Chota Hazari Spirits.

What makes him relevant is a constant and conscious self-preservation of his craft and passion. There is continuous reinvention not only in the cuisine but in his own vision. “Because that’s my juice.” Rightly so, when we ask him what food item he identifies with, he picks a parotta. “So layered,” he explains.

Chandra takes a keen interest in shaping the next generation. “So much has changed. The hospitality batch today belongs to that post-COVID era – a workforce that swapped finishing education for real-world experience. This made Lupa a challenging opening because a lot of the new workforce was not adept at handling the pressures of a busy restaurant service. Western food requires muscle memory and a lot of cooking to order. That’s when cracks begin to show,” says Chandra. For the same generation, social media is creating opportunities to do things out of the box. “They have grown up with a device in their hands. So many micro joints are popping up across the country,” he observes.

In this new age, Chandra admits to having no rest. “A Gen Z will turn around and say millennials don't know what work-life balance is. Of course, I know what work-life balance is, but I'm also a business owner. For me to pay a Gen Z salary, I need to ensure the coffers are filled. It’s a numbers game. An Excel sheet never lies.” 

Over the years, Chandra has opened up to the camera, with strictly organic brand collaborations, confessing he is still not social media savvy.  “Though I am fully capable of creating extremely good content. However, I would rather teach techniques to young chefs or mentor culinary students.”

He consciously steers clear of toxicity and hate online. “There is so much politicisation in every field, and the tendency to create opinion groups. It reminds me of a famous phrase from the British comedy show from the 70s called Are You Being Served? Every time Mrs Slocombe was about to make a bold statement, she would validate it with: I am unanimous in that. That's what I feel about a lot of critique. I would rather focus on building a great restaurant. I might not win an award or be on a list. I have made my peace with that. If I'm doing good work, you'll recognise it. If I'm not doing good work, then I should have shut shop by now.”  

Chandra, who is on the advisory board for the Serendipity Arts Festival, is equally drawn to design, art, and farming. “I'd love to explore more things about where my expertise can lend itself to a great product of some kind. It is challenging because I have bandwidth issues, I won't lie.”

He takes comfort in nurturing his core competencies. “That's what holds me in excellent stead. They're all validation and testament to the fact that it's on the right track. I will be judged harder than a lot of other people, because anyone successful is the easiest person to shoot down,” Chandra says. 

Quick Fires: 

Kitchen Nickname: None

Comfort Dish After A Long Day: Vegetables and rice

Favourite Ingredient Right Now: Pink pepper corns

Favourite Drink: Gin and tonic

Food Trend You Wish Would Disappear: Parmesan wheel pasta

Dream City To Open A Restaurant In: Paris

Favourite Song On Loop: Songs from Pyaasa

Favourite Movie:Shawshank Redemption

Your 3 A.M. Speed Dial Person: I hate talking on the phone. Probably my security guard. 

Editorial Director: Ainee Nizami Ahmedi; Digital Editor: Isha Mayer; Photographer: Meetesh Taneja; Stylist: Idris Nidham; Jr Graphic Designer: Radhika Trivedi (Cover Design); Set Design: Purnima Nath; Food Stylist: Nikhil Bendre; HMUA: Daniel Bauer Academy; Claire Carmelina Gil (rep by Anima Creatives) for Suvir; Creative production: Anushka Patil and Rishith Shetty; Assisted by: Aafreen Anjum, Ishan Sharma (styling), Sneh Lad (creative production), Vaishnavi Rana;  Production: Cutloose Productions.