NAAR

What Is Himalayan Cuisine? Chefs Rethink South Asia’s Mountain Foods | Eater

"A balmy pilgrimage destination in a small Himalayan foothills village offering an ambitious 14-course tasting menu in an intimate 16‑seater launched in late 2023. The chef periodically scours nearby pine forests and river beds for wild fruits, berries, and herbs and presents the seasonal bounty through quirky small plates such as prickly pear sorbets, trout ceviche, cactus tart, and dehydrated winter carrots. A highlight is sunderkala, a type of hand-rolled millet noodles—described as "a breakfast staple in the Indian state of Uttarakhand"—which the chef explains were likely brought to India from Tibet and serves with a silken broth and Ladakhi gyuma (blood sausages). The chef, a Culinary Institute of America alumnus with stints at Alinea, The French Laundry, and Noma, quickly led the project to major recognition (Time’s 100 greatest places to visit in 2024 and Condé Nast Traveler’s best new restaurants list). On his approach he says, "My job is to tell those stories," and adds, "I don’t want to put rustic food on the plate. I want to play around with the nuances, and make it cool and relevant to the times we live in." He also sums up his technique-minded ethos: "If I am baking a Kashmiri bread the traditional way, I am going to laminate the dough with quality butter," and "The idea is to take the principle and not disturb the soul of the dish." - Rituparna Roy