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Rohit Ghai Returns Home: A Culinary Homecoming At The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore

The globally celebrated chef, now helming the kitchen at his new restaurant, Zarqash, speaks to ELLE Gourmet India about bringing his signature style back to where it all began, and more.

| Vaishnavi Rana
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For Chef Rohit Ghai, food is more than just a craft; it is a memory, a heritage, and an ever-evolving journey. After carving his name into London’s fine-dining landscape with Michelin-starred success and acclaimed restaurants, he now turns the page to a new chapter: his first restaurant, Zarqash, in India at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore. This restaurant is the much-anticipated Indian debut of Michelin-starred chef Rohit Ghai.

Chef Rohit Ghai 1

The restaurant reinterprets North-West Indian cuisine with a modern, soulful approach, featuring playful small plates, refined mains, and indulgent desserts. Guests can also enjoy a thoughtfully curated tasting menu and an artisanal beverage program, including cocktails inspired by India’s Silk Route. The restaurant aims to offer a memorable, meaningful dining experience, setting new benchmarks for luxury and innovation in India’s culinary landscape.

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Small plates like Khaman Dhokla Apple, Lamb Shami Kebab with Churchur Paratha, and Amritsari Fish with Harissa and turnip pickle set the stage, while mains such as Murgh Kala Masala, Lamb Shank Nihari, Lucknowi Fish Salan, Cauliflower Steak Makhani, and the showstopping Raan Sikandari showcase refined, nostalgic flavours.

In this exclusive conversation with ELLE Gourmet India, Ghai tells us about his homecoming restaurant and the philosophy that continues to guide him as he reimagines Indian cuisine for a contemporary audience.

ELLE Gourmet India: How does your new restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore aim to capture the essence of Indian heritage?

RohitGhai (RG): My Indian heritage is very important to me, and the menu reflects this with classic Indian dishes with a modern, elevated style. I have been lucky enough to travel and develop my skills internationally, but the essence and heart of my food will always come back to India.

ELLE Gourmet India: What emotions or memories does returning to India to open your first restaurant here evoke for you?

RG: I feel extremely happy to have the opportunity to return to where it all started for me with the knowledge I have learnt from various kitchens around the world, and I feel very grateful to be able to take this experience and work with the Ritz-Carlton to create something very special together.

ELLE Gourmet India: Can you tell us about your earliest food memory and how it influenced your journey into cooking?

RG: I have very fond and happy memories of cooking with my mother in India, where my love of food began. I would cook alongside her during the school holidays. I was raised in a large Punjabi family, where cooking was a big part of family life. We would come together to enjoy rich, comforting meals, and this is where I learnt to make many traditional dishes, and my passion for food started.

ELLE Gourmet India: You earned a Michelin star at Jamavar within ten months. How did that achievement shape your approach to your own restaurants?

RG: Jamavar offered me the platform to elevate my food and push the boundaries of Indian cuisine. The recognition and achievement pushed me to create something of my own with the style and vision I had created and now been awarded for.

ELLE Gourmet India: What does the Michelin standard mean to you personally, and how do you translate that level of excellence into your restaurants?

RG: Michelin recognises talent not only across food but also in service and keeps restaurants striving to reach the excellence the Michelin standard is looking for. For me personally, all my restaurants need to maintain a very high standard, and I am always striving to be the best at what I do and offer something unique and special.

ELLE Gourmet India: What lessons from working at establishments like Gymkhana, Trishna, and Benares do you still carry into your culinary philosophy? 

RG: Working with the best from an early age really shaped me in terms of discipline and correct techniques, which was a very useful lesson. It is very important to get the basics right and then develop as a chef. My philosophy is also to follow your passion when cooking to create something you love, and other people will enjoy too.

ELLE Gourmet India: How do you conceptualise a restaurant’s culinary story? 

RG: A story begins once I have a feeling from the location, environment and how my food can bring the place alive. A lot of planning goes into the development of the concept, which is key to getting it right and is a process I work on closely with my team.

ELLE Gourmet India: Your book, Yatra: A Culinary Journey Across India, explores regional flavours. Which region challenged you the most and why? 

RG: Madhya Pradesh, being born and brought up here, eating the food cooked by my Mum. It was challenging to live up to that expectation with respect to taste and emotions.

ELLE Gourmet India: What advice would you give to young chefs looking to innovate while respecting traditional roots?

RG: Learn key cooking techniques first, then build on your style. Always bring passion, and you will always enjoy cooking and set out on a long-term career as a chef. And finally, push the boundaries and believe in yourself!

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