#ELLEGourmetCoverStars: The Quiet Fire Of Ranveer Brar

Ranveer Brar is hard to miss in India if you’ve ever had access to a television, the internet, or Instagram. In a career spanning nearly three decades, he has been a television host, author, restaurateur and recurring judge on MasterChef India. As a chef, he blends witty, relatable storytelling with cooking, championing traditional recipes while exploring global flavours. His work has earned him numerous honours, including honorary membership in the prestigious James Beard Foundation. 

My first introduction to him was at 14, sprawled on the floor beside my mother during those post-school TV afternoons. One day, we stumbled upon The Great Indian Rasoi, where Chef Brar travelled across India uncovering culinary traditions and stories. I remember thinking, ‘I want to do this someday.’ Years later, writing his cover story, that memory feels full circle. 

The Making Of A Chef 

Brar’s story begins in Lucknow, in a Sikh household shaped by reverence for food. “Lucknow gave me tehzeeb. My Sikh upbringing gave me seva. Somewhere between those two, I realised cooking wasn’t just about food — it was about people.”

The memory that sparked it all? “Langar at the Gurudwara. Watching food move from hand to hand without hierarchy or ego. Not loud power but the kind that nourishes the soul.”

From that humility to global ambition, his path has seen triumphs and stumbles — from restaurants like Morisco, il Camino, Banq and Kashkan in Dubai, to a patisserie called English Vinglish. Building Kashkan marked a turning point. “The Gurudwara taught me that food is service. Kashkan taught me that food is a story.”  

His most defining memory remains his grandmother’s parathas. “Not spectacle, but comfort. Technique impresses, consistency builds trust.”

A Life Edited By Failure

For Brar, the real turning point was failure. “The restaurants that didn’t work. The nights when doubt was louder than applause. Failure edits you. It sharpens instinct.”

Off camera, he is quieter than his charismatic persona suggests. “I enjoy long drives. Vinyl records. Sitting with a thought longer than necessary. On camera, I’m expressive. Off camera, I observe.”

His advice to young chefs. “Master technique. But don’t lose sensitivity. Cooking isn’t about impressing people. It’s about feeding them — emotionally and physically.”

Looking ahead, his curiosity leads the way: “More deep dives into Indian culinary history. Global collaborations. New spaces. Conversations around food as culture, not just consumption.”

The quiet fire, it seems, still burns steadily.

Quick Fires

Kitchen Nickname: RB

Comfort Dish After A Long Day: A good, simple khichdi with a generous dollop of home-churned ghee. Nothing heals me faster.

Favourite Ingredient Right Now: Raw mango 

Favourite Drink: Proper masala chai. Or a well-brewed decaf when the day has been long.

Food Trend You Wish Would Disappear: Overcomplication.

If Not A Chef, You Would Be: A photographer. I’m obsessed with framing moments.

Dream City To Open A Restaurant In: Istanbul or Kyoto

If You Were A Dish, You Would Be: Dum biryani 

Favourite Song On Loop: Biba Sadda Dil Morde by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

Favourite Movie: Cinema Paradiso

Your 3 A.M. Speed Dial Person: Vikas Khanna

Editorial Director: Ainee Nizami Ahmedi; Digital Editor: Isha Mayer; Photographer: Sawani Chaudhary; Creative Director & Creative Producer: Priyadarshini Patwa; Stylist: Amal Afzal; Jr. Graphic Designer: Divya Pande (Art Direction and Cover Design); Assisted by: Riddhi Doshi (Styling); Vaishnavi Rana (Editorial); Executive Producers and Production: Aanchal Jain, Pruthav Mandora; Set Courtesy: Sony LIV India and MasterChef India