FoodKraft

Auckland’s celebrated Indian Chef recalls the Indian culinary scene that inspired his cooking

                                                                         

New Zealand’s prominent chef and restaurateur, Sid Sahrawat and his wife Chand Sahrawat, who are building a legacy in New Zealand with three award winning restaurants – Sidart, Cassia and Sid at The French Café-  are currently in India.

 Hailing from a small town in Mohali, Sid went to Yadavindra Public School.  Returning to the city of Chandigarh, he says, brings back a lot of fond memories of friends, cricket and growing up.  Talking about his Indian roots, Sahrawat says, “My fondest memories are of my grandmother making parathas for breakfast and my grandfather teaching me maths. My father was in the Indian Army, so I have learnt a lot of discipline that I need to run three kitchens from my time with him. My love for Indian food comes from growing up in India and travelling to different places with my dad through his postings.”

Sid has spent almost nine years making his indelible mark in Auckland with acclaimed restaurants Sidart and Cassia. He is known to reflect seasonality in his dishes and use the freshest of ingredients. He infuses his creative culinary skills with the traditional dishes he has grown up with in India – classic spice and flavour combinations reworked with contemporary and local New Zealand ingredients.

Sid Sahrawat won best chef and he along with his wife Chand won best restaurateurs at Metro Peugot Restaurant Of The Year 2018 Awards. Also, Sidart and Cassia won the first and the second spot for the restaurant of the year at the awards. Sidart was awarded 2 Hats this year with Cassia winning the Best Metropolitan Restaurant at Cuisine Good food awards 2018. Additionally, Sid at the French Café and Sidart are the highest rated restaurants in New Zealand to feature in LA LISTE world’s best restaurants, among top 500 in the world.

Recalling his time in New Zealand, Sid says, “The only hurdle I faced in New Zealand, was changing people’s perception about Indian food. Most Kiwis relate to Indian cuisine as butter chicken which is quite sweet and creamy. But today, with two successful Indian restaurants, Cassia the modern Indian and Sidart progressive Indian, a lot of kiwis have moved away from that notion and experiment more with Indian cuisine. Both restaurants showcase the best of New Zealand’s produce in a contemporary Indian format that is more formal and precise execution of the cuisine”.

The evolution of his restaurants reflects his identity as a chef. He beautifully ties his Indian roots to the progessive taste of New Zealand’s appetizing flavors.

Though work takes over most of Sid and Chand’s time, they do make time for holidays, “I love to take friends and family to Waiheke Island, a short ferry ride from Auckland, to explore the beaches and vineyards.  Paihia in the Bay of Islands holds a special place in my heart as I worked there for a few months as a young chef: the beauty of Northland is unique and unparalleled.  Rotorua is a great stop to explore not just the thermal pools but to partake in a traditional hangi in a Maori village and Queenstown as we all know is breath-taking for its views of the mountains and lakes.”

Sid says that through the ups and downs of his journey, his main pillar of strength has been his wife, Chand Sahrawat as she shares his passion for food and has adapted to the industry very well. Her family background in business helps them make key decisions together.

Sid’s restaurants are at the peak of success and a testament to a combination of passion, talent and hard work.