After World War II, many Italians migrated to the United States in search of greener pastures, with the hope of leading happy lives. One among them was Sirio Maccioni, who soon won over the palates of New York’s elite with his iconic Franco-Italian restaurant, Le Cirque, in the posh Mayfair Hotel. Sitting at Raen - The Chef’s Studio in The Leela, we listened with keen attention as Chef Vashisht Ajit Kumar told us, “Sirio believed that a restaurant should ensure that a plate comprises dishes of various colours. Le Cirque, therefore, was all about colours, culture, and people.”
Today, Chef Vashisht is the sous chef of Le Cirque in The Leela Palace, New Delhi. And now, he has brought Le Cirque’s classic dishes to Raen. The chef took CE on a culinary ride in an insightful conversation.
Speaking about the pop-up at Raen, he said, “In the back of my mind, I always wanted to visit this city but never thought I would do a pop-up like this. But The Leela Palace has been the best educator for me as a chef.” The chef has a special connection with Hyderabad, starting his culinary career at Trident Hotel in the city. “I then worked in Hyatt, New Delhi, for four years, followed by JW Marriott before joining The Leela Palace. It is great to be in Hyderabad for the pop-up — I’ve also tried the food in the city, at Hotel Shadab. I must say, the food is nice but the portions are quite large!” he expressed. He praised the hospitable nature of Hyderabadis, saying, “People here offer you their food and welcome you to their culture, making you feel at home.”
Professional gratitude aside, the chef said he owes his success to the women in his family. “Whatever I am today is because of them. In Hyderabad, I see women getting more empowered and thriving across fields,” he noted.
Chef Vashisht spoke about the dishes he served at the pop-up. “For the main course, we had two signature dishes — Le Cirque Eggplant Parmigiana and Seabass. Making the first dish is a three-day process,” he said. First, the eggplant is sliced and soaked in salt so that water comes out of it. It is then fried in extra virgin olive oil to give it a crispy texture. “What follows is the
process of layering, where the first layer is crispy eggplant, topped with a layer of classic tomato Romano sauce and then some fresh mozzarella cheese. We repeat this process seven times and then bake it,” he explained.
The other dish, Seabass, is a classic dish by French chef Daniel Boulud. “This is the most popular dish at Le Cirque in The Leela in Mumbai, Bengaluru, and New Delhi. I hope The Leela Hyderabad also opens another Le Cirque. If it does, I would happily come and teach the chefs here,” he expressed.
The chef, who is hardworking and innovative, unfortunately couldn’t make a mark with the food he served. Perhaps the Hyderabadi palate doesn’t prefer to have such small portions. The amuse-bouche, which had watermelon and muskmelon pieces, and Avocado and Tuna Saku were not up to the mark. The Ravioli stuffed with Barolo Braised Duck was an utter disappointment; we could only taste the sauce, and the duck stuffed inside the ravioli did not taste good at all. We thought some dessert would make the meal better, but the Le Cirque Classic Tiramisu tasted like bitter coffee. In conclusion, perhaps this pop-up at The Leela could have been better.