For Chef Himanshu Saini of Michelin-starred Trèsind Studio, the definition of ‘modern Indian’ food has changed

The Dubai-based chef tells us about winning the accolade of a Michelin star, on living up to expectations and how interactions with chefs influence his cooking

On the morning of 12th July, Himanshu Saini found out that Trèsind Studio, the fine dining restaurant that he helms in Dubai, was awarded a Michelin star. About that moment he says, “We realised during the ceremony only. We were invited, of course, saying that your restaurant is selected for the guide but you don’t know whether it’s just listed in the guide, or you get a star or a Bib Gourmand.” While the Bib Gourmand was out of the question–the restaurant far exceeded its three-course requirements–Saini still wasn’t sure what to expect; the news of the star came as a pleasant surprise to the chef.

The journey to that star has been a long one, with Saini starting out in Manish Mehrotra’s kitchen at Indian Accent in New Delhi before helming Mumbai’s Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra, and then ultimately moving to Dubai in 2014 to lead Trèsind. In 2019, Trèsind’s sister eatery opened in Mumbai’s Bandra-Kurla Complex, serving a tasting menu of modern Indian food.

Surpassing expectations

In Dubai, Saini is keenly aware of how the accolade comes with its own expectations. “People who walk in now imagine that they will have a great time at the restaurant. So to live up to those expectations, to surpass them and even keep getting better with every menu we do, is both a challenge as well as a responsibility.” What he has also noticed is the rise of solo diners, which started after Trèsind Studio placed at the fourth spot on the 50 Best Restaurants list for the Middle East and North Africa.

Saini, however, is excited about the influx of awards and recognition being doled out in the region, and foresees a better eating-out scene for Dubai and the region. “Now all these expat chefs that have restaurants here have taken things seriously. It’s something that has given them a new direction to work towards. I think, overall, it has improved the dining scene,” he shares.

With dining establishments in Dubai staying open through most of the COVID-19 pandemic, Saini says, “When everything else around the world was closed, Dubai was kind of open, still accepting tourists. A lot of the chefs from Europe who were not cooking for all these months were raring to go, they were itching to cook somewhere. So we were fortunate enough to have these chefs come over to [Trèsind] Studio and do four-hands [dinners] with us.” A four-hands dinner is one in which two chefs come together to create a collaborative menu.

Multiple influences

Trèsind Studio has played host to chefs like Ana Ros of Slovenia’s Hiša Frank, Jorge Vallejo of Mexico City’s Quintonil and Brussels-based Christophe Hardiquest of Bon Bon restaurant, each of whom have left a mark on Saini. Then there are chefs who have come to dine, including Andreas Caminada from Switzerland’s Schauenstein Schloss Restaurant Hotel, who had told Saini, “You know, you shouldn’t be using foie gras or truffle because you don’t need them.” Then there was Riccardo Camanini, who, in Saini’s words, “got high on Parle-G biscuits,” before elaborating, “You know, I made him eat while dipping them in chai, and he went crazy, he took like 10-15 packets back with him.”

These interactions have left Saini thinking and has influenced his cooking across the board. He explains, “My definition of ‘modern’ has completely changed now,” before saying that his takeaway is that he equates it with course-wise plating, which is at odds with Indian food and how it is usually eaten. “That’s probably the modern aspect that I am left with,” he says.

For Trèsind in Mumbai, the thinking behind the dishes has changed. While earlier, dishes were transplanted from the Dubai menu, Saini acknowledges, “I think we made a lot of mistakes doing that,” citing the difference in making dishes for 15-20 diners a night as opposed to 80-100–which is the capacity of the Mumbai eatery. “I can’t have the same ingredients, or their quality, and I can’t have the same flavours for the Mumbai outpost either.” This has resulted in an overhaul, with the menu now comprising a mix of street food and classic dishes.

The evolvement of Indian food

Saini’s take on modernity can be seen on the new menu launched in Mumbai. On a short trip to India, he showcased dishes that included a dal vada served with aged black lime chutney, a Rajasthani carrot kanji, followed by slow cooked-lamb with khari and nihari. The 14-course menu is filling and includes everything from bite-sized chats to three-dessert courses. Saini explains, “We tried to have some kind of comfort on the menu, in terms of some dishes which are experimental. There is a combination of dishes which we had on the menu from day one, which have become classic over the years, like the khichdi and khandvi ice cream with farsan, which we haven’t been able to change.” He sums up, “The more apt term, I think, is the evolvement of Indian food.”

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