JOIN USFrom the ambience to the a la carte menu, there’s nothing that won’t catch your fancy at the casual dine-in restaurant, ‘The Fat Chef’. Started in 2011 by the food-loving couple, Matheen and Vandana, ‘The Fat Chef’ is a place full of popular dishes from across the globe. Some of the items available here are ‘Japanese sushi rolls’, ‘Grecian salads’, ‘Vietnamese pho’ non veg (comprising a clear broth with sliced chicken, noodles and vegetables), ‘Khowsuey’ veg meal (from the streets of Rangoon) and ‘Japanese prawn tempura’.
For desserts, one can choose from sinful ‘New York cheesecakes’, ‘Irish cream and mint chocolate cream cups’ and the American favourite – ‘apple crumble and nutmeg ice cream’. One can also go for dishes with a twist such as ‘butter chicken served in a French style’ and ‘lemon grass and ginger crème brulee’, which blends Thai and Italian flavours.
However, more than fusion food, the two want to focus on authentic items and keep the flavours as original as possible. “The choices are made by Vandana. She was trained in Europe and the menu consists of her favourite delicacies. It showcases her travel experiences and research,” says Matheen.
And so far, it has been a great journey as the response in the City has been good. “A number of Indians enjoy Italian food and feel that there is a lot of similarity between the two cuisines. So we have many customers who relish our Italian dishes. The restaurant also has a lot of expats coming in,” he adds.
The beautiful airy premises with cobbled granite slabs make for a visual treat. The couple came across it in 2011. The moment Matheen saw it, he got the idea of starting their own restaurant. A 15-year-long experience in the hotel management industry, the love of travel and tasting exotic flavours, an eye for detail and a delight in spices urged them to start the cafe. “People in Whitefield find it difficult to travel into the City. The distance and traffic prove cumbersome. So we decided to bring popular cuisines here as we didn’t want anyone to be restricted by choice. It started as a small cafe and now it’s a big restaurant,” he says.
‘The Fat Chef’ aims to bring back the joy of enjoying typical lunch and dinner conversations among families. “We don’t have a full- fledged bar as we want families to keep coming back. We don’t sell food. We help people savour experiences and create memories.” They are also popular for holding events like stand-up comedy shows, live performances and plays.
As of now, the couple has just returned from a culinary festival in Turkey, Israel and Jordan and are planning to introduce Jewish cuisines to their menu. It’s a ‘melange’ of sorts!
The restaurant is located in Jagriti, Varthur Main Road, Whitefield. For details, call 40992981.