Naved Nasir

A taskmaster inspired by artistry, Chef Naved makes food that is an authentic & profound homage to its roots.

In the culinary landscape, Naved Nasir’s name is synonymous with Indian food that is a sincere testament to its culture.

Nasir possesses an ardent love for gastronomy that began during his younger years, and his journey has only seen newer heights since then. From working at ITC-affiliated hotels post catering college to directing a chain of beloved restaurants in the heart of London, he has achieved his dream and then some more.

Currently, he is the Culinary Director of Dishoom, where he helped develop the concept and menu. A connoisseur (and, of course, a gourmet) of Awadhi and Heritage Indian Cuisine, his expertise also extends to grill, handi, and tandoor.

About Me

Naved Nasir

Where It All Began

As a child, Nasir aspired to be a pilot, and his father wanted him to be a doctor. However, life had something else in store — the inclination towards making food had already taken root when he used to watch his mother make khichadi. Constantly under pressure as a teacher, she was a ‘pressure cooker chef’. This is why he would tell her to go on ahead when she had to rush for school and joyously make the khichadi himself with his father. This feeling only intensified when he visited his maternal grandparents’ ancestral home during the summer. Nasir’s great-grandfather was a nawab, and being royalty meant they used to feast like kings. The house saw a constant flow of people. Thus, proper meals being cooked at all times of the day was a constant process. If you peeked into the kitchen, you would find Nasir peering over the cooks’ shoulders, his interest piqued. He would intently watch them make everything from scratch using a rustic stovetop with fire and ask to let him garnish the dishes. When a friend went to catering college, Nasir knew he would follow suit; cooking was his ikigai, his purpose. Even today, if he ever feels a little lost, he lets his mind wander to the good old days, with smoky aromas of wood fire and freshly pounded masalas.

The Making of a Chef

However, the path was not easy. With Nasir’s father wanting him to follow in his footsteps, there was disappointment surrounding his decision to choose catering college. After finishing school in Meerut, his hometown, he went to study further in Delhi, arguably one of the greatest food hubs in the country. His mother supported this endeavour and stood by his choice, but the stakes were high.

His passion prevailed, and he graduated with flying colours at the top of his class. Soon after, ITC — one of the best Indian hotel chains — placed him in the Bukhara restaurant in Delhi, and then at the Dum Pukht restaurant in Mumbai. He rapidly moved up the ranks and, through these places, deepened his experience and learnt from the best. He furthered his technique, honed his skill, and found his groove in the world of gastronomy. At thirty, he was the youngest Executive Chef at a five-star hotel in India.

With a star-studded catering event list along with numerous features and articles, Nasir is an in-demand and established chef. He always strives to do better than the best, tapping into his passion and making every plate a journey to behold.

Cooking Up a Storm

What Nasir is known for today is the phenomenon called Dishoom. Set in motion over a decade ago, this chain of restaurants is one of the United Kingdom’s favourites. At the start, he met with the founders, and they clicked instantly on personal philosophies and ideologies. At that point in time, there was a lacuna in the food scene when it came to Indian cuisine. When Dishoom was launched, it rocked people’s palates and filled the gaps in the market and stomachs. It has spaces in ten locations to date and has garnered numerous awards for ingenuity, excellence, and popularity. Nasir has also co-written the Dishoom cookbook that combines cooking instructions with visuals, providing the reader with a story that goes beyond just recipes.

In the past year, Nasir has been working on Khadak, a project that aims to bring the food of one street to many. Based on the concepts of local life, food, and culture, this ongoing venture elevates the gastronomic experience, surpassing the plate and creating something novel. To make it more authentic, they have created characters from different walks of life but with a favourite food at Khadak. Nasir’s own life has inspired all the multifaceted, multidimensional personas and their preferences. The families and strangers he interacted with as well as the houses or stalls he dined at, are integral to the person he is today. Thus, by launching and working on Khadak, he has made an enticing and invigorating reality out of the dreams he has and the memories he holds dear.

Note from the Chef

I have worked in the hospitality and culinary industry for the majority of my life, seeing it through various lenses at various levels. I have not forgotten my experiences from the past, nor am I dismissive of the issues I see at present. Climbing up the ladder over the years has been a massive privilege, and I treat it as such.

With every project or task I take on, I bring to it my personal philosophy, with a keen focus on accessibility, work environments, and sustainability.

The food I pour my heart into is meant for everyone to enjoy, so we advocate democratic dining. This also applies to opportunities. As a chef from a small town with platforms in some of the largest metropolises, making sure communities rise together is essential to me. I also believe in staying true to my roots, which is why elements of my heritage of growing up in a North-Indian, Muslim family, inspire the food I make.

Secondly, I always strive to ensure that all my staff is treated with respect and that their contributions are valued. Hostility in this field has become commonplace, and working conditions are not thought about at all. I refuse to accept this as the norm; the change starts in our own kitchens.

Lastly, I believe that we must always be conscious of the ripple effect our actions cause and be mindful of the world we inhabit. Greener practices are encouraged at every turn in my kitchen. We aspire to waste as little as possible and consume resources with efficiency.

Food and cooking are part of a larger culture, and they are not isolated from the problems we face as a global village. Being cognizant of this is a core part of who I am as a chef and what I bring to the table.

Always happy to serve you my best,

Naved

Work

Dishoom

While working as an executive chef in ITC Hotels, Nasir heard about the concept of a restaurant called Dishoom. Intrigued by the name (and because his peers urged him to), he went to meet the founders.

As fate would have it, philosophies about what they aspired to create were uncannily similar — beloved, Indian food that was elevated to fit the most refined palates but true to its roots and not lost in experimentation. After more collaborative ideation and fleshing out the plan, Nasir went to London in the Spring of 2010 to help bring the eatery to life.

Here it is important to digress. When Nasir was in his early twenties, he had just moved to Bombay. He was alone in a new city without any friends or connections. With only the company of the chai that he used to go to Nariman Point for, his resolve and inspiration to find his place and make a name for himself solidified day by day. This trial through fire allowed him to be keenly aware of all that happened around him and what place he carved out for himself. Soon after, when his best friend was also placed in Bombay, the two of them used to explore all that Mumbai had to offer. All the underground stalls, the hidden restaurants, and even the houses they visited and got to dine in, made a lasting impact. Experiencing such a vibrant city through food was a sensory delight. Years into the future, when he would work on Dishoom, these were the stories that he would draw from — especially the old, quaint, and comforting Irani cafes that were spaces for people of all kinds.

It filled a gap in the market; amidst exorbitantly expensive, quintessentially anglicised, or overly experimental Indian food establishments, the very first Dishoom set a new trend. The phenomenon that has expanded across nine locations in the United Kingdom is due to Nasir’s passion, expertise, and pure adoration of Indian food. Each restaurant has a theme based on the aesthetic of certain locations in Bombay to complement and complete its gastronomy.

Beyond the food, it is imperative to note that it survived splendidly in the year of the pandemic instead of shutting down operations. After a couple of months at home, the leaders at Dishoom partnered with the NHS. They supported the frontline workers, providing free food for the hospital staff. As Nasir is big on public service, this undertaking fit right in with his beliefs. Deliveroo helped them in this endeavour — Dishoom provided the meals, and they provided the wheels.

Dishoom also made their foray into delivering food to multiple locations. All the enthusiasts could not be happier as this lightened the lockdown blues. Their delivery arm, as of today, boasts eleven full-time kitchens and a massive, specially-allocated production unit. Dishoom is all for the people, in more ways than one.

Nasir is the Chef Director of Dishoom, which on all fronts is a fan-favourite due to the variety and service it offers with the utmost love. Co-authoring a cookbook and overseeing a team of four-hundred chefs are two additional feathers in his cap.

The Dishoom Cookery Book

As the Dishoom restaurants became household names in the late 2010s, Nasir and the co-founders realised that they had more to say. Nasir felt that the years he had spent in the city of Mumbai should be shared. Bombay was a place that everyone was enthralled by; its culture had given rise to many dishes. From wielding a spatula to holding a pen, Nasir proved himself a true artist.

The book takes its readers through a day-to-night journey, showing them the roads oft taken, the quaint alleyways, and all the places that feel like home. It reads to them a love letter for the city. Alongside cooking the comforting Dishoom menu at home, they are taken on a day-long tour of South Bombay, regaled with stories of places to eat and drink. It is all in the details: The simple joy of early chai and omelette at Kyani and Co., dawdling in Horniman Circle on a lazy morning, eating your fill on Mohammed Ali Road, strolling on the sands at Chowpatty at sunset, and taking the air at Nariman Point at night, has been captured in all its glory.

This beautiful cookery book and its equally beautiful imagery is a portal to Dishoom's most treasured corners of an eccentric and charming Bombay, replete with images and anecdotes to share with all who come to the table. The juxtaposition of the recipes and photographs makes it a truly sensory experience, telling a story of lives lived and flavours tasted. Nasir has translated all his emotions and experiences into a narrative that runs parallel to the food he cherishes. The result is the creation of a treasured cookbook, titled Dishoom: From Bombay with Love. As of today, it has sold around half a million copies, making it a global bestseller.

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Khadak

In late 2022, Nasir began working on his passion project, his very own brainchild. Having dreamt of a place like this all his life, he decided to bring it to fruition. Khadak is conceptualised as a restaurant that brings street food to the table as ‘food of the street’.

Living in multiple cities of all shapes and sizes, Nasir realised that there was always one little road peppered with food stalls with people clamouring for their favourite dishes at their periphery. These khaugullis are what Khadak is based on. Rather than sticking to a set pattern, Nasir wanted to bring a selection of dishes from a range of backgrounds — truly a one-plate-fits-all. Having evolved as a chef in places all over India, he combined his memories and dreams to make a unique experience for the masses. Khadak’s idea combines concepts of language, culture, humans, and stories, with food at the centre of it all.

It offers a variety of dishes through a multitude of characters with backstories that are unique but relatable. Some shed light on issues that we, as a society, face. Take Rajini, the Koli fisherwoman, for example. Along with highlighting her roots, Khadak talks about how the seas are facing the extinction of species and ecosystems, while parallelly supporting sustainable practices. Then there is Bittu, a kid doling out tea. Although appreciating his drive, Khadak encourages their patrons to donate to organisations that help children like him to get off the streets.

Nasir is a firm believer that cuisines are not isolated from the people and civilisations they stem from. His passion for food and philosophy go hand in hand to deliver the beautiful, kaleidoscopic experience that is Khadak.

Bukhara

When Nasir was studying in New Delhi, he had heard about Bukhara. The internships there were coveted by all the culinary students. One of its kind and located at The Luxury Collection ITC Maurya Hotel in New Delhi, their techniques and recipes were a mystery to all. When Nasir got placed at Bukhara, he was beyond ecstatic.

However, actually interning for the restaurant was a different ballgame altogether. There was a clear hierarchy, secretiveness to the recipes, and lots of menial work. Even if this was not what he signed up for, Nasir believed that every task was a part of the process; no work was lesser than. In order to learn more and do justice to his part in the kitchen, he made friends with his coworkers and spoke to the chefs on their breaks. At this point, he made a very meaningful connection with the masalchi. These workers were in the lower rungs of the traditional hierarchy, yet Nasir apprehended just how vital their role was. The flavour of the food is attributed to the spices, and grasping this skill helps Nasir to date in all that he cooks. Invisible identities and petty jobs were part and parcel of a glorious, enriching period at Bukhara, and Nasir owes his keen understanding of the base of the trade to the time he spent here.

Dum Pukht

While still in college, Nasir was placed at Dum Pukht, ITC Maratha in Bombay. A fine-dining restaurant serving Indian food inspired by the Lucknowi cuisine, Dum Pukht brought an element of royalty and expertise. There, Nasir was under the tutelage of Chef Shareef.

The latter was austere and meticulous, very particular about his work. Thus, Nasir had to start from scratch once more, working his way up. However, one day, when a sous chef was absent, Chef Shareef asked Nasir to step up to the plate, so to speak, and manage the tandoor for the day. This was a huge responsibility. Nasir took it on with zeal. The team, whom he had spent months making connections with and who considered him as one of their own, were more than happy to lend him support.

Over the course of two years, Nasir had the pleasure and honour of catering to many a renowned personality, such as the Bacchans, Adnan Sami, the Ambanis, and many others, who were patrons of the beloved establishment that is Dum Pukht. Nasir also had the privilege to learn from the Grand Master Chef Imitiaz Qureshi — who is considered to be an authority over the grand cuisines of India.

Khabootar

Nasir lent his expertise to another project of his brother’s called Khabootar. Based on doves and pigeons that carry messages and good news, this cloud kitchen delivers people’s favourite food right to their doorstep. Their menu consists of popular Indian dishes made using locally sourced ingredients, highlighting the importance of sustainability. The packaging is one of the highlights of Khabootar as it is totally plastic-free. They have opted to use earthen pots and paper wrapping so as to eliminate non-biodegradable waste. This also elevated the overall experience, adding an element of rustic authenticity to the food that was being served. Khabooter’s flavour profiles and innovative parcelling have filled many stomachs and caught many eyes.

Asian Glitch

During the pandemic, many people in the industry lost their jobs. Nasir’s friend and his brother teamed up and came up with a creative and fun venture that would be a cloud kitchen delivering Pan-Asian cuisine. Nasir lent a hand here to help get this business off the ground. The foci here were the combinations of dishes and the brand packaging. The menu consisted of a variety of mixed and matched elements, which brought something new to the table, quite literally. Nasir’s creative and consultative guidance for Asian Glitch also extended to the packaging. Sustainable and eye-catching, it made an impression. The packaging only furthered the novelty and overall appeal of the food.

Asian Glitch had a positive impact as the team was made up entirely of people that were recently rendered unemployed, helping them use their skills and providing them wages.

Gallery

Awards

Dishoom

Accolades

Michelin Guide - listed since 2012
Trailblazer Of The Year, Casual Dining and Pub Awards, 2019
Nominated for the James Beard Award in 2020 for the Dishoom Cookbook
Ranked #4 Best Company to Work For, Best Companies, in 2021
Re-imagined Brand or Business, Peach Hero and Icon Awards, 2021
Best Restaurant, Citylife Awards, 2019
Best Concept, Retailers’ Retailer Of The Year, 2018-2019
Restaurateur of the Year (Group), The Catey’s, 2018
Most Admired Brand, CGA, Peach Heroes and Icons Award, 2018 & 2021
Restaurant Of The Year, Asian Business Awards, 2018
Best Restaurant in the UK, Yelp, 2015 & 2016
Won the British Curry Awards several times in different categories

Achievements

Professional:

Youngest Executive Chef of a five-star hotel in India at the age of 30
Chef In-Charge of the famous ITC restaurant Dum Pukht (featured in the book “1000 Places To See Before You Die” by Patricia Schultz)
Core team member that assisted the ITC MARATHA to achieve the following certifications
- HACCP certification
- ISO 14001 certification
- Starwood Food Safety and Hygiene Audit certification
- British Airways Food Safety audit
Key member of Unit's Energy and Environment Health and Safety Committee, that scored 93% in ITC’s corporate EHS audit

Education & Certifications:

Three Years Degree In Hotel Management (2001- 03) from the Institute Of Hotel Management, Catering Technology, And Applied Nutrition in Pusa, New Delhi and Indira Gandhi National Open University
Completed a Post Graduate Diploma (2003 - 05) from The Welcomgroup Management Institute, Gurgaon (ITC Management Hotel School) as an executive management trainee
Earned the Six-Sigma Green Belt Certification
Certified by IRCA (International Register of Certified Auditors) as a lead auditor for ISO 22000 Food safety management system
Successfully completed certification for internal auditor programme for ISO 22000 food safety management system, a two-year, in-house extensive program, which covers both the hands-on and management aspects of food and beverage