Indian food in London and New York finally goes beyond butter chicken and naan

The knowledge of Indian food, once limited to naan and samosas, has drastically changed as food capitals of London and New York have increased exposure to a variety of regional Indian dishes

In the heart of East Village, a bustling neighbourhood in New York City known for its nightlife, posh cocktail bars and hip restaurants, sits Baar Baar, an Indian gastro bar and restaurant that opened in 2017.

Hailing from a suburb in Kolkata, Bengali executive chef Sujan Sarkar spent a large part of his childhood on the farm, which influences his cooking. Baar Baar prides itself on their mission to celebrate Indian culinary heritage through a more contemporary lens. Accordingly, their menu features dishes like Avocado and Green Chickpea Bhel and Paneer Pinwheel, which are modern takes on traditional ingredients.

New York and London immediately come to mind as two Indian food capitals of the world, as they are home to hundreds of South Asian restaurants, from food trucks to dhabas to fine dining establishments and everything in between. 

Most New Yorkers would list naan, samosa and butter chicken among their top three food preferences. Though Indian food in the United States has been more popularised than ever before thanks to social media prevalence (particularly through platforms like TikTok and Instagram where enthusiasts sample dishes and rate them) and mass migration of South Asians to America, there seems to be the same dals, chutneys and curries that are enjoyed by the masses. Similarly, in the United Kingdom, which has been heavily influenced by Indian culture as a result of colonisation and emigration, chicken tikka masala remains known, so much so that it is Britain’s national dish.

But such popularity also begs the question whether Indian cuisine is being reinvented to appeal to the Western palates or is it sticking to its traditional roots.

Rooted in heritage

In New York, reinvention seems to be at the forefront of most chefs’ minds. “Every dish on our menu is backed by a strong connection to my Odia and Indian roots to create a cuisine which is trendy, fun and exciting. No matter how innovative the  ingredients, presentation or even techniques get, at Baar Baar, the dish must showcase Indian flavours. I create dishes based on my childhood memories, seasonal ingredients and combining both known and unknown flavour combinations,” Chef Sujan tells The Established.

So much of Baar Baar’s character is a reaction to a need to take mainstream Indian food in New York City a notch higher because of a demand for upscale Indian food and a recent switch to expand and experiment. This is driving young restaurateurs to team up with chefs to take risks by utilising different ingredients and novel techniques to create dishes that are ‘Instagrammable’ as much as they are a fusion of different flavours. Baar Baar’s menu and concept of how they visualise Indian food taps into this version of a ‘New India’ that breaks a stereotypical view of Indian cuisine by pushing boundaries. 

But are we doing a disservice to local New Yorkers by depriving them of the authenticity of Indian food, including the plates of steaming pav bhaji, or the variety of chaat or is this part of an inevitable food evolution? 

Why reinvention matters

Chef Abishek Sharma of Rang NYC, a new eatery that opened in Long Island City in New York, adds to this conversation by showing that reinterpretation is necessary in order to reflect the personality of the city of New York. This is not Sharma’s first rodeo in the Indian culinary space in New York. Having opened multiple successful restaurants (Swagat, MadamJi and Badshah), his dishes are intentionally curated so they are not only tasty but social-media friendly too.

“People eat with their eyes first. So it is very important to make the dishes we serve our guests look appealing. I like to incorporate different colours and textures to highlight the dishes, but given that food is a ritual in India, my menu should focus on the aroma, texture and authentic taste,” he notes.

Across the pond, the evolution of Indian food might be happening even quicker than in America, thanks to African and European influences on dishes that the United States does not have access to.  

“Indian cuisine has a history that dates back almost 8,000 years,” says chef-turned-restaurateur Anjan Chatterjee of Chourangi. “This is a long time period to recognise where we started, but while the empire was being built, the Mughals, Portuguese, Dutch, Armenians and French started to settle in various parts of the subcontinent over the years and they had their own influences. Not only did the style of cooking begin to evolve but different ingredients were introduced as well.” As a result, the United Kingdom’s proximity to India and the South Asian community benefited from these influences and created foods that are now seen on people’s tables.

“London has the highest South Asian population in the UK, with a large number of grocery stores that import goods from South Asia, a Pakistani Mayor and an Indian Prime Minister. So our acceptance of Indian food contributes to the overall popularity that we are seeing across the UK. With the rise of social media, food shows on TV, and American TikTok where Indian food has become trendy, more restaurants in London are trying to create unique dishes while meeting the demand for authentic food,” notes London food creator and influencer, Fari Choudhury.

Creating a balance

Moreover, Indian food in the UK  is evolving towards creating dishes that are healthy without sacrificing on taste.

Hamish Shah and his family own Ashutosh, an independent family business, specialising in Indian and Gujarati vegetarian food based in Harrow, London. Shah’s father, Nagin Shah, moved to England from Kenya; subsequently dishes featuring popular African ingredients like mogo and masala cassava chips appear on their menu. 

“People are gravitating towards consuming less meat or wanting to do away with meat from their diets. Our food caters to the wider needs of people who are becoming more health-conscious, by providing meat-free alternatives such as soya,” says Shah. 

The option of meat-less or reduced meat through Indian cuisine has definitely opened up the doors for a newer population of consumers to try the food. According to chef and TV host, Shrimoyee Chakraborty, who also opened London’s first Bengali restaurant Calcutta Street with branches in Soho and Brixton, in the last half decade, London’s culinary scene has exploded with eateries that are not afraid to take risks, even with meatless options. This is likely due to how committed London is to becoming one of the most advanced food scenes in the world. 

“I have always been a firm believer in using fresh ingredients to create recipes. Indian food was usually considered greasy and unhealthy, but plan- based dishes are also a huge trend in the current market and will only continue to grow. I am excited to experiment with alternative protein options and new ingredients,” says Chakraborty.

Whether you’re in New York or in London, Indian food is geared towards exposing people of various communities to flavour profiles that were previously unfamiliar. As Indian food is gaining more traction, especially in cities that are culinary hubs, this is part of an era of experimentation that was waiting to happen. With the ideas of authenticity and sustainability also on the menu, there’s so much more cooking behind the scenes.

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