Acclaimed Michelin starred chef, Peter Joseph has left his role as Head Chef at one of the world’s best Indian restaurants, Tamarind, to launch his first solo project, Kahani, in Chelsea this summer. After well over a decade spent creating dishes inspired by the Moghul fare of North-West India at Tamarind, Peter will open Kahani, a progressive Indian restaurant using seasonal British ingredients with an interior inspired by Hindu storytelling and philosophy.
Located opposite one of London’s most historic concert venues, Cadogan Hall, Kahani translates to ‘story’ in Urdu. Chef Patron Peter was inspired by his own upbringing in Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India, where eating is a community’s means to celebrate, bringing people together, breaking boundaries and sharing stories, often from a Kavaads, a handcrafted storyteller’s box . At Kahani this will be done through a social eating concept with diners encouraged to forgo the formalities of fine dining and use their fingers to eat with for the first courses.
Peter has taken an inventive and modern approach to dining, with a menu that relies heavily on lighter grilled proteins and vegetables from the central robata grill and only features two curries. Seasonality and sustainability are at the core of his dining philosophy with the freshest ingredients sourced from local, independent producers, with specialities such as organic herb-fed chicken and an excellent range of vegan dishes.
Small dishes will include fusion plates such as Golden Beets Tiki, Masala Grilled Avocado and Tandoori Calamari. Moving on to skewers from the grill, guests can choose from imaginative combinations such as Blue Crab, Wild Venison Boti, Rabbit Kebabs and Lemony Langoustines. Desserts will abandon tradition and include a ‘Chilli Chocolate Mousse Bomb’, as well as Peter’s ‘melt-in-the-middle’ cheesecakes, a novel fondant variation of the dessert with flavours such as Raspberry, Rose and Pistachio and Mango, Passion Fruit and Blueberry.
Peter is an award-winning chef and a modern Indian food connoisseur with a reputation for excellence both in the UK and overseas. Moving from India to London fifteen years ago, he worked at Tamarind to ensure it remained at the forefront of the London dining scene and played a crucial role in regaining and then maintaining the restaurant’s Michelin star. He successfully built the Tamarind brand through reopening Zaika in 2014 and launching the informal fine dining concept, Tamarind Kitchen in 2017.
As dusk falls, the bar area will evolve into a stylish and relaxed space, where guests will sip spice-infused cocktails in comfy armchairs. Kahani will accommodate any function, whether private dining or a cocktail party, with a beautiful private room clad with Indian sari threads overlooking the mains space and other areas lending themselves perfectly to any event.
Peter says of the project:
”Kahani means ‘story’ and I am thrilled to be embarking on this new chapter in my life. Love for food and a pursuit of excellence in all that I commit to has taken me on a fascinating journey and I want to keep innovating and pushing boundaries with my food to ensure that people keep following my story and coming back for more.”