Wine & Dine
Textual content and Pictures by Mallika Chandra.
Kunal Makhija, 27
Arabisque
Location: Mahim
Speciality: Center Jap
Kunal, inform me slightly about your journey as a chef.
I developed an curiosity in cooking round 2007 due to my father’s restaurant in Dubai and after education there, I used to be fairly certain that this was what I needed to pursue. I accomplished the culinary speciality programme on the Institute of Resort Administration in Aurangabad after which interned at Taj West Finish, Bengaluru for a yr. I used to be fortunate sufficient to additionally intern at Gaggan in Bangkok (now shut) for 2 months, following which I labored at Indigo Deli in Colaba for a yr.
A batchmate, who had additionally been my roommate from school, known as me in the future and requested, “Do you need to come to Dubai?” I had been in search of a change at that time. So, I labored at a couple of locations in Dubai, together with a Lebanese restaurant the place I learnt most of what I do right now. Earlier than I moved to Mumbai, the final place I labored at was a effective eating restaurant by the title of London Venture.
How did you get into the cloud kitchen enterprise?
I had at all times needed to start out one thing of my very own. Through the lockdown, I had seen a variety of residence kitchens developing and I believed I might give it a strive. It was not a really calculated transfer, to be sincere. It was a leap of religion.
How did you set collectively the idea, the menu, the title?
I need to give credit score to my household and to my girlfriend as a result of whereas it could seem like I’m the one one who handles the model, they’re the spine.
My grandmother let me work out of her kitchen and offered me with a base for one yr. My mother and father, who dwell in Dubai, have been very supportive. Plenty of my substances nonetheless come from Dubai, like za’atar powder, sumac and fava beans which we use for our falafel and it was my father who discovered the very best sources for these. My brother and sister-in-law look into the funds of the corporate. So everybody has helped me to get the place I’m right now. The title was advised by my brother.
Does your loved ones nonetheless play a really lively position?
Each time I need to add one thing new on my menu, my relations are the primary to style it. My grandmother was my official hummus taster, and I prefer to consider that I by no means get any complaints as a result of she tasted each batch. I typically talk about future plans with my brother.
Regardless of the assist, it should be difficult to juggle each roles — of chef and proprietor?
Once I was working for another person, I used to be accountable for a bit. Now, I’m accountable for the complete model — from sourcing of substances and prep to coaching of workers and advertising and marketing.
An enormous side of operating a cloud kitchen is having a stable social media presence.
I underestimated the ability of social media. I assumed I may concentrate on the meals and the whole lot else would fall into place. Two years in, I realised that it’s greater than 50 per cent of the sport. Personally, I’m not very lively on social media in order that’s been one change since my journey as an entrepreneur. Getting your title out there’s troublesome. That is the place my girlfriend comes into the image; she has an excellent sense of aesthetics. I’ve completed picture shoots prior to now however folks have informed me to start out clicking photos in actual time. I concentrate on that now.
Cooking the meals, alternatively, has been simple. That’s what I’m skilled in. However once more, we hold updating the menu. Generally, I strive one thing on a Tuesday, get it tasted by Wednesday, and put it up as a particular by Friday for the weekend. It helps hold me on my toes. However actually, that little area I’ve created wouldn’t exist with out the purchasers. They’ve been brutally sincere which I actually respect.
What sort of perception has interacting together with your viewers offered by way of the hole Arabisque fills available in the market?
I’ve completed my education in Dubai and I used to be not pleased with the Center-Jap meals that was obtainable in Mumbai. I did see an enormous distinction within the style and value factors in what was supplied right here. There have been manufacturers that served rolls after which there have been effective eating Lebanese eating places. There was nothing within the center. I felt that was a very good section for me to focus on. In order that’s the place Arabisque suits in. It’s good-quality meals at good costs.
How do you keep requirements across the freshness of the meals?
We produce in restricted portions. We will serve a lot of clients if want be, however the whole lot’s made to order. We make hummus 5 or 6 instances a day. We attempt to make the whole lot from scratch. Our breads — pita bread, the entire wheat pita, pide dough, manakish dough — are made in-house and to order.
Did you must do a variety of trials?
It took a variety of trial and error. Despite the fact that I had a recipe for the bread from my time in Dubai, I needed to tweak it to swimsuit the local weather right here. Plenty of trials went into the hummus as nicely.
Does the delicacies swimsuit the supply mannequin?
For the reason that lockdown, I’ve noticed that folks have come to phrases with the truth that there’s going to be a distinction between consuming in a restaurant and having meals delivered to your own home. Since I get a variety of direct orders, I attempt to contemplate the space that the meals has to journey. For instance, falafel, which is fried, tends to get soggy. So, if an individual is at a distance from my kitchen, I ship it half fried, if they’re okay with ending the dish at residence.
Have you ever been in a position to handle a work-life stability?
I’m nonetheless making an attempt to determine a work-life stability. I’m not saying I’m a workaholic however work is at all times on my thoughts, which I’m not very pleased with. My work hours are pretty respectable — from midday to 10 pm. Generally it could imply that I attain late for a social dedication, however I do attempt to make it. It’s a part of the sport.
In culinary school, they inform you on day one that you simply’re going to be working when everybody’s having fun with themselves. You may say goodbye to celebrating all of the festivals. I do miss it and my household do miss me being there, however I’m very happy to be in my kitchen or at a catering social gathering as a result of that’s the time that you simply get most of your small business.
How are you interested by the expansion and scale of your small business sooner or later? What are your metrics for achievement?
I do need to make a reputation for myself. When you consider Lebanese meals, I need to be among the many first 5 names that pop up in your head. In order that’s the objective.
How are you influencing folks’s concepts of what Lebanese meals is?
Even after we exit to eat in Dubai, I see nearly all of folks ordering hummus and falafel, not a lot else. However there’s much more that the delicacies has to supply. What I’ve completed with Arabisque is that I’ve stored the classics however I’ve additionally tried taking part in round with them. I’ve seven completely different flavours of hummus. A few of them — the truffle hummus, for instance — aren’t authentically Lebanese, however they’ve been doing nicely. Even the peri-peri hummus has appealed to folks. Indian audiences love a little bit of fusion.
Given the present socio-political local weather in our nation, do you discover serving meals from the Gulf area to be a problem?
None of my dishes set off any non secular or political sentiments although I’ve chosen to not serve pork or beef in my kitchen. I can do rather a lot with rooster, lamb and seafood. Whereas I’m not a really non secular particular person, I respect the viewpoints of others and anticipate the identical from them. If a buyer has an issue with the meals aside from the style then I can’t actually assist them. I can’t change the origin of a dish.
What’s the good order from Arabisque?
If it’s a meal for one, I might counsel a mezze bowl. We provide falafel, paneer, lamb and completely different preparations of rooster. It’s the optimum amount for one particular person and offers you the chance to strive a number of parts just like the hummus, tabbouleh and our breads. It’s an ideal pattern of what Arabisque has to supply.
Earlier: Introduction
Subsequent: Rehan Mehta, East seventh Pizza & Deli
