They’re known to transform the staid to the splendid, ordinary to the extraordinary and all this with complete panache and finesse. They can go to extraordinary lengths to serve that one perfect meal that will leave a lasting impression. Their offerings whipped from the freshest ingredients can make any diner sink in their teeth and go gaga over their epicurean delights. And it’s not just about the food memories they help create that tend to last a lifetime, but also the extreme reverence and warmth with which they handle their modus operandi. Meet these restaurateurs who are at the helm of culinary affairs in their kitchens serving a treasure trove of culinary treats and are clearly the talk of the town for all the right reasons.
Text: Namita Gupta.
Thashvin Muckatira, Plan B, Mother Cluckers and Siam Trading Co (Holy Cow Hospitality)
The entrepreneurial plunge: After his MS in Mechanical Engineering from The Ohio State University and a company-sponsored MBA at the University of Wisconsin majoring in International Business, Thashvin Muckatira started Holy Cow Hospitality with his partner Sundeep Nayak owing to their passion for food. The brand owns Plan B, Mother Cluckers and Siam Trading Co. Talking about his journey, Thashvin says, “We launched the first Gastropub and Divebar – Plan B and Mother Cluckers Bar and emphasised on the meat-heavy options in food. Recently being able to recreate the authentic Thai palace recipes at Siam has given me a great sense of achievement.”
Technovations: “We’re trying to attain the perfect marriage between two classical cuisines. There is a new flavour trend every season. I love to experiment in the kitchen and this results in us launching a modified menu with new dishes every few months for each one of our restaurants. I follow many of the international chefs as well as home cooks on social media to get ideas and inspiration. Not being a trained chef has helped me be more open to experimentation with food as I do not follow any set rule or method,” shares Thashvin.
Culinary trails: The young restaurateur shares of his travels, “I travel a lot across the world to explore new cuisines and have visited 35 countries. Travel opens up my mind to new ideas and techniques that help me create new flavours for the restaurants. On a trip to the Basque region of Spain, the locals grew apples that was used to make cider, and also used in savoury dishes (specially pork) due to its abundant availability in many rustic recipes passed down for generations. We then incorporated apples in some of our pork dishes and the pairing seems to work really well for us. The Basque people also use apple wood as firewood to cook meats on open flame and this gave the meat a very fruity/sweet flavour. We now use a combination of fruit tree wood in our smoker. On my multiple trips to Thailand, I was intrigued by the complexity of ingredients yet the simplicity of the flavours coming together to get the perfect balance of spice, sweet, bitter and sour. And this finally led me to open Siam Trading Company that serves authentic Thai food from Thailand. I plan to open many more outlets across India.”
– Plan B, Castle Street, Ashok Nagar and Rhenius Street, Richmond Town, Bengaluru
– Mother Cluckers Bar, Indiranagar, Bengaluru and Nungambakkam Chennai
– Siam Trading Co Indiranagar, Bengaluru.
