CHENNAI: Seven countries, 20 cities, and 58 outlets. Kailash Parbat restaurant has been offering vegetarian delicacies around the globe for 65 glorious years. Ahead of Independence Day, CE caught up with the third generation owner-cum-brothers, Kamlesh Mulchandani and Manoj Mulchandani, to know more about the inception and development of the brand at their newly-launched Adyar outlet.
Karachi to Mumbai
“Our grandfather Chandiran Mulchandani came to India from Karachi after partition. He was a great chef. Between valuables and vessels, he chose the latter. He came to Bombay in 1947. It took him five years to settle down in the refugee camp. What started as a small shop in a 100 sqft space has now expanded to so many outlets. He officially launched the brand in 1952. Heis the creator of many recipes. My father and uncles were trained by him,” reminisces Kamlesh, co-owner.
Their father Ramchand Mulchandani took over the restaurant after the demise of their grandfather. The brothers took charge in 2007 after completing their hotel management degrees.
“I love the management part and my brother loves cooking. The first outlet we opened after Mumbai was in Chennai. The city is warm and welcoming. We have five outlets so far with the first one in Chetpet in 2009. Our restaurant is not only known for chaat but also tandoor and North Indian delicacies. We’re targeting more south Indians and hope they like the dishes,” said Kamlesh.
Sindhi pakodas and Chinese bhel
All the chefs have been trained either by their grandfather or father. One of the oldest chefs in the kitchen has been with them for 35 years. “Everything is prepared from scratch by the in-house team. We never source anything from outside. Right from chutneys to curries, the recipes are our grandfather’s. The preparations are done in vintage copper utensils to maintain the taste. For instance, dal makhani is slow-cooked on a charcoal set-up to bring out the original flavours,” says Kamlesh. The authenticity in taste is evident from the syrupy filling, thick curd and crispy puris. The restaurant has earned a name for recreating Mumbai street food, Punjabi and Sindhi cuisines. While the recipes are old, the presentation comes with a twist to cater to the current generation.
We were offered a spread of their signature dishes ranging from chole bhature, tandoor pizza, chaat platter to dum biryani and savouries. We washed it down with mango lassi, chilli guava and blue lagoon mocktail. The team will introduce a concept where the food will be served in cart-shaped crockery. “We have a vegan restaurant called V Ganapati in Lisbon. The menu offers European specialities with an Indian twist. We’ll be expanding it to Brazil, Amsterdam and then come to India. A good number of patrons have moved towards vegan food. That apart, our next outlet will be in Velachery and Ooty,” said Kamlesh.