Rahul Akerkar: Difference between revisions

'''Rahul Akerkar''' is an Indian [[chef]], [[restaurateur]] and the founder of [[Indigo (restaurant)|Indigo]], a Mumbai restaurant credited with introducing the concept of European fine-dining in the city, when it opened in 1999.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gqindia.com/content/5-reasons-to-buy-gq-indias-april-2019-issue/ |title=When he launched Indigo, Rahul Akerkar changed the way Mumbai dined|publisher=GQ India |date= |accessdate=13 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203611404577045382958853706 |title=An Indian Chef Questions Whether 'Indian' Food Exists

|newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date= 24 November 2011|accessdate=4 April 2019|last1=Garfinkel

}}</ref> In the 1990s nascent Indian restaurant industry, Akerkar was among the first Indian chefs and restaurateurs, working outside the Indian [[five-star hotel]] industry, to introduce independent fine-dining restaurants in India and focus on carefully sourced ingredients and high quality service.<ref name="dnaindia1">{{cite web|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-food-love-and-15-years-of-indigo-1980132 |title=Food, love and 15 years of Indigo |publisher=Dnaindia.com |date=20 April 2014 |accessdate=31 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.architecturaldigest.in/content/rahul-akerkar-new-mumbai-restaurant-interior-design/|title=Check out Mumbai's most anticipated restaurant by Rahul Akerkar |publisher=Architecturaldigest.in |date= 10 January 2018|accessdate=4 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.livemint.com/mint-lounge/features/rahul-akerkar-s-new-restaurant-qualia-is-all-about-the-balance-in-every-bite-1555734761970.html |title=Rahul Akerkar's new restaurant Qualia |publisher=Mint |date= 20 April 2019|accessdate=20 April 2019}}</ref>

 

In April 2019, Akerkar opened his new restaurant, Qualia, in [[Lower Parel]], Mumbai.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.cntraveller.in/story/rahul-akerkar-makes-dazzling-comeback-latest-mumbai-restaurant/ |title=Rahul Akerkar makes dazzling comeback in Mumbai |publisher=Conde Nast Traveller |date= 18 April 2019|accessdate=19 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/food/rahul-akerkars-new-proscenium-of-flavours/article26878567.ece |title=Rahul Akerkar's new proscenium of flavours |work=The Hindu |date= 18 April 2019|accessdate=19 April 2019|last1=Sanghvi |first1=Roshni Bajaj }}</ref>

Akerkar was born to a [[German-American]] mother and an [[India]]n father in Mumbai. Akerkar went to the all-boys boarding school [[The Doon School]] in [[Dehradun]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mid-day.com/articles/restaurateur-rahul-akerkar-s-culinary-journey/15906159 |title=Restaurateur Rahul Akerkar's culinary journey – lifestyle |publisher=Mid-day.com |date=19 January 2015 |accessdate=31 March 2019}}</ref> He went on to study [[Biology]] and [[Chemical Engineering]] at [[Franklin & Marshall College]], followed by a [[master's]] in [[Biochemical Engineering]] at [[Columbia University]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fandm.edu/magazine/magazine-issues/winter-2014/winter-2014-issues/2014/02/05/flavor-from-the-soul |title=Franklin & Marshall – Flavor from the Soul |publisher=Fandm.edu |date= |accessdate=31 March 2019}}</ref> Throughout college in the [[United States]], Akerkar worked in American kitchens in various capacities: dishwasher, server and chef.

 

He returned to India in 1989 and founded Just Desserts, a cafe-pub, with AD Singh and soon launched his standalone restaurant Under The Over.<ref>{{cite web|author=Diya Kohli |url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/V4vHrXtuIYTxcyirtOuKBM/1990s-The-decade-of-junk-food-and-cola-wars.html |title=1990s: The decade of junk food and cola wars |publisher=Livemint.com |date= 2 June 2017|accessdate=31 March 2019}}</ref> In 1996, Akerkar established deGustibus Hospitality, which ran Mumbai's first standalone restaurants Indigo, Tote, Neel and Moveable Feast.<ref name="dnaindia1"/><ref>{{cite web|author=Jess Kapadia |url=https://www.foodrepublic.com/2014/04/23/new-yorks-first-native-american-restaurant-was-run-by-an-indian-american-chef/ |title=New York's First Native American Restaurant Was Run By An Indian-American Chef |publisher=Food Republic |date=7 July 2015 |accessdate=31 March 2019}}</ref> In 2007, Indigo became the first Indian restaurant to enter the World's Top 100 and entered Asia's Top 50 in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.cntraveller.in/story/voted-indias-top-50-restaurants/ |title=Who voted for India's top 50 restaurants? |publisher=Conde Nast Traveller |date= 21 November 2018|accessdate=4 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=BW Online Bureau |url=http://bwhotelier.businessworld.in/article/Rahul-Akerkar-Quits-Company-He-Created-in-1996-No-Longer-Associated-with-Indigo/05-03-2015-92536/ |title=Rahul Akerkar Quits Company He Created in 1996, No Longer Associated with Indigo – BW Hotelier |publisher=Bwhotelier.businessworld.in |date=5 March 2015 |accessdate=31 March 2019}}</ref> In 1998, Akerkar left India for the [[United States]] to study the global dining trends and returned in 1999 to open Indigo in [[Colaba]], Mumbai. In 2015, Akerkar sold his stake in deGustibus Hospitality, the company he set up, citing differences in creative vision with the investors.<ref>{{cite web|author=Prerna Makhija |url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/ZDGxR7QoEeXXCTNXeaGJgK/QA-Rahul-Akerkar.html |title=Q&A: Rahul Akerkar |publisher=Livemint.com |date= 3 April 2015|accessdate=31 March 2019}}</ref>

 

In 1999, Akerkar opened the restaurant Indigo in a colonial bungalow in Mumbai's heritage district of Colaba, introducing European fine-dining in the city.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/indigo-turns-15-founder-rahul-akerkar-on-the-journey-so-far/articleshow/34095587.cms |title=Indigo turns 15: Founder Rahul Akerkar on the journey so far – The Economic Times |publisher=Economictimes.indiatimes.com |date=23 April 2014 |accessdate=31 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.cntraveller.in/story/indigo-love-story/ |title=Indigo:A Love Story |publisher=Conde Nast Traveller |date= 27 April 2018|accessdate=4 April 2019}}</ref> With the success of Indigo, Akerkar launched a casual offshoot to the brand called Indigo Delicatessen. After his exit in 2015, Indigo has closed down its operations currently in Mumbai and [[Delhi]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/rahul-akerkar-sharpens-his-knife-for-the-new-beginning/articleshow/66296853.cms |title=Chef Rahul Akerkar gets ready for a new beginning, plans to launch restaurant Qualia in Mumbai – The Economic Times |newspaper=The Economic Times |publisher=Economictimes.indiatimes.com |date= |accessdate=31 March 2019|last1=Vishal |first1=Anoothi }}</ref>

 

After exiting deGustibus in 2015, Akerkar undertook research in different countries for his new venture. In April 2019, he opened his new Mumbai restaurant Qualia (a Latin term meaning "essence of sensory experience".<ref>{{cite web|author=Diya Kohli |url=https://www.livemint.com/mint-lounge/features/rahul-akerkar-s-new-restaurant-qualia-is-all-about-the-balance-in-every-bite-1555734761970.html |title=Rahul Akerkar's new restaurant Qualia is all about the balance in every bite |publisher=Livemint.com |date=20 April 2019 |accessdate=20 June 2019}}</ref> The restaurant opened to critical acclaim.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cntraveller.in/story/rahul-akerkar-makes-dazzling-comeback-latest-mumbai-restaurant/|title=Rahul Akerkar makes a dazzling comeback with his latest Mumbai restaurant|date=18 April 2019}}</ref> The menu draws inspiration from both Indian and European traditions with a special focus on fermented ingredients.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/food/rahul-akerkars-new-proscenium-of-flavours/article26878567.ece |title=Rahul Akerkar's new proscenium of flavours |work=The Hindu |date=18 April 2019 |accessdate=20 June 2019}}</ref>