Wok and roll!

Circa 2018: Sriracha opened its second outlet in Indiranagar in Bengaluru with all its signature dishes — and one bold addition: a Robata Grill. Now a staple in most modern Pan-Asian spaces, the Robata (or Robatayaki) — Japan’s answer to the Indian sigri — generated the same buzz in Bengaluru that Teppanyaki once did nearly a decade prior. But this time, the Japanese grill was used exactly as intended: to char-grill meat, just like the fishermen of Japan crafted it to.

“Robata was an instant hit,” recalls Chef Vikas Seth, Culinary Director, Sriracha. “People loved the fire-cooked dishes and often came just to enjoy the interactive table.” Riding that wave of popularity, Sriracha introduced Khmer a few months later. A Cambodian-style barbecue setup that brought the “grill party to the table.”

For a city that had long evolved beyond the basics of Hakka noodles and Manchurian to embrace miso soup, pillowy bao, delicate dim sums, and sushi served with chopstick finesse, this DIY dining style proved transformational. “The success of Robata and Khmer,” says seasoned hotelier Collin Pereira, “was a strong indicator that diners — and chefs — were ready to explore the Asian pantry beyond the obvious and the familiar.”

That was 2019.

From masala to miso

Half a decade and a pandemic later, not just Bengaluru but all of India is witnessing a mushrooming of Pan-Asian restaurants — turning the old maxim “If you want success, open a Hakka shop” into “Make it Pan Asian.” Fascinatingly, says Culinary Director of Roxie, Viveq Pawar, the sudden interest in Asian food has resulted in a whole host of specialty restaurants like Kuuraku, Hengbok, Phobidden Foods, Thai Basil, Mizu izakaya, Vietnom, Nom Nom & Harima joining pioneers like Burma Burma and Hakkasan. Inja redefined experiential dining by fusing Japanese techniques with the complexity of Indian flavours, while Naru, a compact eight-seater ramen bar, and Ukiyo, with its Omakase-style service, created spaces of deep culinary meditation.

Menus shifted away from old-school Indo-Chinese staples, embracing cleaner plating, authentic flavours, and a more contemporary culinary aesthetic. For Chef Seth, this newfound zeal translated into introducing unique dishes like Amok Trey, where fish is served in a banana leaf-shaped bowl, Sambal Oelek, Bun Cha, Taiwanese Gua Bao, Massaman & Laksa curry, Pandan Leaf wrapped paneer, among others.

Chef Pawar reimagined classic dishes in his signature style with Thai-style Khao Soi, Dan Dan Noodles and Satay that were served paired with a made-from-scratch curry sauce rather than the spicy peanut dip.

More than a fad

For Chef Sabyasachi Gorai, owner of Fabrica by Saby, the transformation is more than skin-deep. “Gone are the days of the red-dragon-lantern Hakka shop,” he says. “Today, every Pan-Asian restaurant comes with a story rooted in culture and culinary heritage. Case in point, Yatra at Taj Puri Resorts and Spa, which is based on the ancient Bali Jatra that celebrates maritime connection and cultures, while TJ-The Orient Grill at Hyatt Pune recreates traditional Japanese culinary theatre with a Teppanyaki Grill. Ukiyo in Ritz-Carlton became the city’s first and finest to popularise the concept of Omakase—“chef’s choice”—paired with premium sake and handcrafted teas.

Stories, skill and soy

This wok-fuelled renaissance is not confined to luxury spaces. It flourishes through cloud kitchens, QSRs (Quick Service Restaurants), food carts, and experimental concepts like Midnight Drop, where popular Asian meals were offered late at night, at half the price to eager insomniacs.

The numbers speak for themselves. The Pan-Asian food market is expected to expand from USD 165.9 billion in 2024 to USD 270 billion by 2032.  But is this truly a culinary sunrise or just a shift in perception?

Most agree that there has been some impressive work done thanks to the likes of Chef Nooresha Kably, Chef Salil Singh, and Chef Kavan Kuttappa who have reimagined the culinary canvas once designed by the likes of Chef Manish Mehrotra. Other honourable mentions include Chef Gorai in Guppy By Ai, and Chef Paul Kinny with By The Mekong.

Founder & CEO, Tasanaya Hospitality Pvt. Ltd, Samir Kuckreja explains it as a natural progression of the trend that began with Nanking in 1940, amply nourished by global travel, the expat community, increased awareness, the rise of OTT platforms and social media playing a crucial role. For Salil Fadnis, GM, Sahara Star, “the 20-year-old trajectory has hit a plateau.”

“Pan-Asian restaurants are commercially successful, without a doubt, but they need fresh stories and genuinely well-made food that work across vegetarian and non-vegetarian spectrums, especially the former,” says Fadnis about the future of the longest-playing ethnic culinary segment.

A question of authenticity

Curiously, for a cuisine that has seen impressive strides in the past decade, says Chef Saby, “much of Pan-Asian glory is due to its versatility. High on umami, rich in curries and sauces, and perfect for quick preparations, the cuisine appeals to both chefs and consumers. But achieving authenticity with traditional dishes demands research, time, and a deep understanding of cultural nuance.”

Agrees Chef Seth, whose years of refining menus have taught him that adaptation isn’t just about survival — it’s storytelling. “Our role as cultural storytellers travelling the Silk Route today isn’t about finding great masterpieces, but decoding what makes them special and understanding feasibility.”

The Leela Palace Bengaluru’s Chef Simran Singh Thapar shares a similar belief, and his work at Zen, their award-winning Pan-Asian restaurant, stands testimony to it.

“While it is true that bringing much of Asian food may need long hours of readaptation to our palate and resources, much of what has been discovered does have its pluses that work in our favour, especially with the present-day guests who come looking for experience but one that can be tweaked to their eating habits and whims. That is where Pan-Asian scores as it has the biggest canvas for all the modern-day dietary needs, be that gluten-free, vegan or plant-based.”

In Zen, Chef Thapar continues, “That is exactly the facet of Pan Asian cuisine that we harvest to give our diners not only the experience of trying something unique and different but also something suitable to their palate and needs.”

Interestingly, says Kukreja, “Pan-Asian’s image of being this clean, fresh, minimalistic, cooked, nutrition-rich cuisine has been one of the reasons that it scores so well over others, plus the attraction of interactive concepts like Bento Box, Set Menu, Lunch Combos, table side live cooking and so on.”

The other is the palette profile, which, adds Chef Pawar, “is akin to our chaats these days. Each dish on the menu will follow a similar pattern of sweet-spicy-savoury or vice versa. That makes the cuisine extremely popular and addictive.”

A touch of Indian to Asian

Add to that, says Chef Vikas, “products that are now being tailormade for the Indian market and the Indian palate, including the most used soy, which is now a shade browner, and oyster sauce, which has a no-fish-no-mushroom version too. It’s this fusion of authenticity and flexibility that makes well-executed Pan-Asian cuisine a consistent winner.”

Credit ought to also go to the online media that has made Pan-Asian food, or a certain aspect of it, so popular, says Pratiti Rajpal, GM, Ronil Goa, who has seen an impressive rise post the pandemic. Thanks to the ever-expanding food aisles in supermarkets, DIY kits and well-crafted videos, diners have got to experience their favourite Asian cuisine first-hand and now are willing participants when it comes to experimenting with newer flavours and tastes.

The rise of adventurous palates among diners has given a much-needed boost to chefs to venture further into the Asian Pantry that today not only has subtly flavoured food from Burma, Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia but also bold and spicy Korean dishes as well as foods from North East India that have similar flavour tones. Says Chef Sandeep Sadanandan of Jollygunj, “We can now present the complete Chinese breakfast from Tiretti Bazar Kolkata along with the Tangra’s Sweet & Sour Pork, ginger honey noodles with ice cream and yam mein, and expect an eager audience for both.”

For Culinary Director Ajeeth Janardhanan, The Residency Group of Hotels, this newfound love for Pan-Asian food translates into an opportunity to bring forth local South Indian ingredients. “Think jackfruit rendang, curry leaf dashi, or coconut milk ramen.”

After all, the rise of Pan-Asian cuisine in India isn’t just a trend — it’s a fusion of deep-rooted tradition and modern adaptability, driven by chefs, diners, and stories alike.