Born in Kashmir, Prateek Sadhu grew up around family farms, where his mother and aunt initiated his food journey from the tender age of ten, teaching him all the fundamentals of cooking. An ever-growing passion for food derailed his initial plans of becoming a commercial pilot, and after studying Hotel Management, Sadhu went on to work in the kitchens of some Taj hotels, before enrolling in the Culinary Institute of America, where he graduated with double gold medals. He then went on to work in some of the world’s finest kitchens such as Alinea, The French Laundry, Bourbon Steak, Le Bernardin and Michelin-starred restaurants across Europe. However, it was his tenure under Rene Redzepi at Noma, Copenhagen that facilitated the development of his food philosophy of sourcing within the region, foraging for ‘lost’ ingredients and harnessing the soil.
Upon moving back to India, Sadhu reconnected with Aditi Dugar. A shared passion for using local ingredients to create seasonal and sustainable dishes led the pair to the Himalayan belt, where they connected with local farmers, and began sourcing the best regional produce. In 2016, after two years of research and development, they opened Masque, a restaurant in the heart of Mumbai that has garnered an unmatched reputation for innovation and sustainability. With a farm to table, zero waste, no menu approach, the pioneering chef truly has changed the way Mumbai dines.
Here’s what we learned about Prateek Sadhu when we decided to go beyond his numerous accolades and culinary expertise, to see what really makes a trendsetter like him tick:
What television series are you currently watching?
I don’t really get a lot of time to watch TV, but I’m currently watching Game of Thrones – super late to the party, I know!
A chef whose work you regularly follow?
There are so many! Rene Redzepi of Noma, and Australian chef Josh Niland who is doing amazing work with seafood.
An Instagram account that you would recommend?
@pandasdoingthings! It’s super relaxing, and always entertaining.
The one thing in your kitchen that you absolutely cannot function without?
Limes
If you were not a chef, what do you think you would have been and why?
A pilot! That was my original career plan, and I still wish I knew how to fly planes. I actually enrolled in a hotel management course because I had a few months free before those classes began, but I guess we all know how that turned out…
What are you looking forward to the most this year?
Our new R&D kitchen and expanding our flavour profiles at Masque.
Words of wisdom from a mentor that you live by even today?
There were two things a chef at the Culinary Institute of America said to me that have stuck with me all these years: first, that failing is important. Try, fail, fall, and then get back up. The second was that times are constantly changing – be so adaptable that you can learn, unlearn and keep learning again.
If you had to summarise your creative ethos in not more than 2 sentences, what would it be?
Less is more, and ingredients are the real stars.
Tell us about 3 of your favourite dishes/things to eat, and where the best versions of them are available.
This is too difficult! If I had to choose only 3, which is very stressful, they would be:
1. Lamb rogan josh, from my mum
2. Appams and beef chilly from the ITC
3. Tacos at Los Cocuyos in Mexico City
Your next travel destination and why you would like to go there?
My next trip is to Mexico. I’ve been before and am super excited to be visiting again later this year to collaborate with Chef Jorge Vallejo at Quintonil! I love the country and its food – there are so many familiar flavours and parallels you can draw between our cultures, yet they’re used in such fascinatingly varied ways.
