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Rahul Akerkar

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Rahul Akerkar
Born1958
Mumbai, India
NationalityIndian
EducationThe Doon School
Franklin & Marshall College
Columbia University
Occupation(s)Chef, restaurateur
Known forIndigo, Qualia
SpouseMalini Akerkar
Children1

Rahul Akerkar (born 1960) is an Indian chef, restaurateur and the founder of Indigo, a Mumbai restaurant credited with introducing the concept of European fine-dining in the city, when it opened in 1999.[1][2] In the 1990s nascent Indian restaurant industry, Akerkar was among the first Indian chefs and restaurateurs, working outside the Indian five-star hotel industry, to introduce independent fine-dining restaurants in India and focus on carefully sourced ingredients and high quality service.[3][4][5]

In April 2019, Akerkar opened his new restaurant, Qualia, in Lower Parel, Mumbai.[6][7]

Early life and education

Akerkar was born to a German-American mother and an Indian father in Mumbai. Akerkar went to the all-boys boarding school The Doon School in Dehradun.[8] He went on to study Biology and Chemical Engineering at Franklin & Marshall College, followed by a master's in Biochemical Engineering at Columbia University.[9] Throughout college in the United States, Akerkar worked in American kitchens in various capacities: dishwasher, server and chef.

Career

He returned to India in 1989 and founded Just Desserts, a cafe-pub, with AD Singh and soon launched his standalone restaurant Under The Over.[10] In 1996, Akerkar established deGustibus Hospitality, which ran Mumbai's first standalone restaurants Indigo, Tote, Neel and Moveable Feast.[3][11] In 2007, Indigo became the first Indian restaurant to enter the World's Top 100 and entered Asia's Top 50 in 2013.[12][13] In 1998, Akerkar left India for the United States to study the global dining trends and returned in 1999 to open Indigo in Colaba, Mumbai. In 2015, Akerkar sold his stake in deGustibus Hospitality, the company he set up, citing differences in creative vision with the investors.[14]

Indigo

In 1999, Akerkar opened the restaurant Indigo in a colonial bungalow in Mumbai's heritage district of Colaba, introducing European fine-dining in the city.[15][16] With the success of Indigo, Akerkar launched a casual offshoot to the brand called Indigo Delicatessen. Indigo currently operates in Mumbai and Delhi.[17]

Qualia

After exiting deGustibus in 2015, Akerkar undertook research in different countries for his new venture. In April 2019, he opened his new Mumbai restaurant Qualia (a Latin term meaning "essence of sesnsory experience".[18] The restaurant opened to critical acclaim.[19] The menu draws inspiration from both Indian and European traditions with a special focus on fermented ingredients.[20]

References

  1. ^ "When he launched Indigo, Rahul Akerkar changed the way Mumbai dined". GQ India. Retrieved 2019-04-13.
  2. ^ "An Indian Chef Questions Whether 'Indian' Food Exists". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
  3. ^ a b "Food, love and 15 years of Indigo". Dnaindia.com. 2014-04-20. Retrieved 2019-03-31.
  4. ^ "Check out Mumbai's most anticipated restaurant by Rahul Akerkar". Architecturaldigest.in. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
  5. ^ "Rahul Akerkar's new restaurant Qualia". Mint. Retrieved 2019-04-20.
  6. ^ "Rahul Akerkar makes dazzling comeback in Mumbai". Conde Nast Traveller. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  7. ^ "Rahul Akerkar's new proscenium of flavours". The Hindu. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  8. ^ "Restaurateur Rahul Akerkar's culinary journey – lifestyle". Mid-day.com. 2015-01-19. Retrieved 2019-03-31.
  9. ^ "Franklin & Marshall – Flavor from the Soul". Fandm.edu. Retrieved 2019-03-31.
  10. ^ Diya Kohli. "1990s: The decade of junk food and cola wars". Livemint.com. Retrieved 2019-03-31.
  11. ^ Jess Kapadia (2015-07-07). "New York's First Native American Restaurant Was Run By An Indian-American Chef". Food Republic. Retrieved 2019-03-31.
  12. ^ "Who voted for India's top 50 restaurants?". Conde Nast Traveller. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
  13. ^ by BW Online Bureau (2015-03-05). "Rahul Akerkar Quits Company He Created in 1996, No Longer Associated with Indigo – BW Hotelier". Bwhotelier.businessworld.in. Retrieved 2019-03-31.
  14. ^ Prerna Makhija. "Q&A: Rahul Akerkar". Livemint.com. Retrieved 2019-03-31.
  15. ^ "Indigo turns 15: Founder Rahul Akerkar on the journey so far – The Economic Times". Economictimes.indiatimes.com. 2014-04-23. Retrieved 2019-03-31.
  16. ^ "Indigo:A Love Story". Conde Nast Traveller. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
  17. ^ "Chef Rahul Akerkar gets ready for a new beginning, plans to launch restaurant Qualia in Mumbai – The Economic Times". Economictimes.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2019-03-31.
  18. ^ Diya Kohli (2019-04-20). "Rahul Akerkar's new restaurant Qualia is all about the balance in every bite". Livemint.com. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  19. ^ https://www.cntraveller.in/story/rahul-akerkar-makes-dazzling-comeback-latest-mumbai-restaurant/
  20. ^ "Rahul Akerkar's new proscenium of flavours". The Hindu. 2019-04-18. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
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