For dinner last night, the choice of his meal was salad and roast chicken. Every once in a while, change seems welcome for Rajdeep Kapoor, Executive Chef at WelcomHotel Sheraton New Delhi, who recently worked on introducing an all-day dining restaurant called Delhi Pavilion at the hotel. But routinely, it’s mutton biriyani and kebabs that he’d kill for—it’s something that he can have everyday. As Kapoor shares his love for the two, he affirms that there’s a lot more he can offer to connoisseurs of fine food and dining.
On September 1, Delhi Pavilion opened its doors to guests looking for a holistic cuisine experience. With influences drawn from erstwhile Shahjahanabad’s full-bodied flavours, Kapoor brings you food from medieval Delhi, New Delhi, sanctuary Delhi and cosmopolitan Delhi. There is also a dessert studio and a cocktail and wine bar within this new food nest. “Many preparations in the menu required an elaborate technique to be executed. These also exemplify the ethos of the restaurant that exalts Dehlavi favourites; in other terms, popular food items from all corners of Delhi, including Old Delhi favourites like Dehli Nihari Khas, Dal Dehlnavi, Sarai Gosht Biryani and Chicken Istoo,” says Kapoor, adding, “Many discussions took place in order to structure out the offerings the way they’re being currently presented. We wanted to encapsulate the journey of Delhi in the best possible way, and I hope you’ll see that shining through when you open the little booklet of Indian, continental and Asian treasures we’ve created.”
A chef who doesn’t shy away from accepting he’s made far too many food blunders in the past, is also happy to have faced all those embarrassing moments. Every gaffe gave him a clearer understanding of what was required to perfect a dish, and to his credit, he’s mastered quite a few over the years. “My experience glares through the menu, and highlights the love I have for this wonderful activity called eating,” says Kapoor, who one day wishes to cook for Prime Minister Narender Modi. While he wishes that it happens soon, the chef continues to share a bit of his soul through the plate of food he presents every day.