In the global culinary scene, Sid Sahrawat is a renowned name, especially for his work in popularising Indian cuisine — often with a twist — in New Zealand. The owner-chef of some of the most awarded restaurants in that country and a pioneer in the fine-dining industry, Sahrawat is changing things up, one pan toss at a time.

More than two decades later of calling Aotearoa home, he is the driving force behind three of Auckland’s highest awarded restaurants: Sidart, Cassia, Kol and Sid at The French Cafe. t2 caught up with Sahrawat for a chat.

It has been a rewarding culinary journey for you. What would you pick as the highlights?

Serving Gordon Ramsay at Cassia was an unexpected highlight and so was him saying our food was the best Indian food he has had out of India. My journey in becoming a chef involved reading his cookbooks, so it was an honour to host him.

In 2022, I went to Expo2020 Dubai to represent New Zealand. I used NZ ingredients to hold special events and worked with our Kiwi contingent in the New Zealand pavilion restaurant. It was such an honour to represent NZ on the world stage.

Winning the Cuisine Restaurant of the Year for Sidart as a three-hatted fine-dining Indian concept in 2019. It meant we were awarded the best restaurant in the country and having that honour as an Indian restaurant was a source of pride for me and our team.

Cooking for (former) prime ministers John Key and Jacinda Ardern at Cassia. It is always an honour to have our country’s prime ministers choose our venue to dine at. It is a real buzz for our diners to see them as well. Moving Cassia to Sky City, which is an iconic landmark for Auckland and New Zealand, and being the only Indian restaurant there is a real source of pride for us and the community here.

Recently, I had the honour of meeting the President of India (Draupadi Murmu) in New Zealand and that was a career highlight for me.

When you settled in New Zealand two decades ago, what kind of gap did you notice in the country’s food scene that you could contribute to?

I was born and brought up in India and travelled a lot because my dad was in the Army. Moving around exposed me to different regional flavours and cuisines. My dad instilled focus and discipline in me, which has shaped how I approach my work. In Indian culture, we have the saying ‘Athithi devo bhava’, which means ‘Our guest is equal to God’. I bring this ethos to all my restaurants.

Our aim is to treat our guests by showcasing the best of Aotearoa New Zealand’s seasonal produce and producers, whether it be at Cassia with modern Indian cuisine, Anise with Asian, Kol with contemporary Indian tandoor or at The French Cafe with New Zealand fine dining.

There was a gap 20 years back on concepts that showcased different flavours in NZ, but it has come a long way. There were no modern Indian concepts and so we took the opportunity to fill the gap with Cassia and Sidart (till 2021). Same with Kol — there is no other tandoor bar in NZ that showcases food cooked on the fire and in the charcoal tandoor, pairs it with cocktails and gives the diner a fun, casual experience.

Though you play all roles well, given a choice, which — chef, restaurateur or entrepreneur — are you most comfortable in?

Always as a chef. It is the most fulfilling for me to be hands-on and creative... to see ingredients come together to make a cohesive whole on a plate that brings joy to the diners. Being a restaurateur and entrepreneur is harder!

How has New Zealand shaped you as a chef and person?

It has connected me to nature... to slow down and to simplify my style on the plate. The old adage ‘less is more’ is true, and NZ is about letting the environment produce speak for itself because simple is beautiful and delicious.

In your food, how have you married your Indian roots to your Kiwi influence?

My cultural heritage is a part of me and is imprinted in all my dishes and that makes the offering in each of our restaurants unique. I love using spices and traditional flavours and marrying them with NZ’s beautiful beef, lamb and seafood at Cassia. At Kol, I have taken the step to cook with a charcoal tandoor and a wood fire that are more traditional ways of cooking.

How have you seen the culinary scene in New Zealand grow over the years?

From being a destination known for its lamb and dairy products, New Zealand has evolved into a diverse culinary spot. One of the biggest changes has been the shift towards local, seasonal and sustainable produce. People have become more conscious about the impact of their food choices on the environment and their health. Having had the privilege of working with some incredible chefs, it is amazing how they are now working closely with local farmers and suppliers to source the freshest ingredients, resulting in dishes that are not only delicious but also sustainable.

There has been a move towards fusion cooking and rich indigenous cuisine which combines elements from different culinary traditions. This reflects New Zealand’s multicultural society and the influence of immigrant communities on the country’s food culture.

The dining scene in New Zealand has become more sophisticated and diverse. There has been a surge in the number of fine-dining restaurants. Recently, the pioneer Chef Ben Bayly hosted 50 of the world’s biggest tastemakers at Pou-o-kai, a one-of-a-kind restaurant experience under the pristine dark, starry skies of Kura Tawhiti (Castle Hill) to showcase the superior quality of Kiwi evergreen cuisine and vibrant culinary culture. Our restaurants and dining experiences stand with any others on the world stage.

Is there a distinguishing factor that separates the culinary scene in NZ from the rest of the world?

Kiwis love to fly! Being a nation of two islands, we love to travel, and in the last two decades, our palates have expanded. Mexican, Korean, Filipino, Chinese, Malaysian, Thai, Indian, Italian, French, Japanese… we have restaurants and eateries at all levels, from street eats to smart casual to fine dining for discerning diners. What ties them all together is the use of beautiful ingredients we are blessed with in New Zealand. This makes NZ cuisine unique because everything tastes unlike what you have tried elsewhere in the world.

How much has the fresh and ready produce in the country shaped your approach towards cooking?

I believe in eating with the seasons. There is a reason why we get corn and strawberries in summer and kumara (sweet potato) and pumpkin in winter. Our bodies are tuned to the seasonality of ingredients and eating what is in season is best for our hauora (wellbeing).

In all my restaurants, I change the dishes seasonally to match the availability and freshness of the produce that is locally available. For example, feijoas have a very short season, so any dishes that showcase it will be on the menu only for a couple of months... same with premium black truffle or white asparagus.

Which are your favourite restaurants to eat at in New Zealand?

Visit a night market in Tamaki Makaurau, Auckland, to see the diversity of cultures living in Aotearoa. In central Tamaki Makaurau Auckland, pop into Depot to try some iconic Kiwi dishes by Chef Al Brown. And don’t miss ice cream by Giapo.

Indulge in our seafood ... bluff oysters, whitebait fritters and crayfish... by a beachside eatery. In Tautahi Christchurch, I love going to Little High Eatery and sinking my teeth into a burger by Bacon Brothers.

In Tahuna Queenstown, after a day on the ski fields, nothing hits better than a Southland cheese roll, some pinot noir in a vineyard by the fire or feeling snug at The Cow with a bowl of spaghetti and a pizza to share.

Which is your favourite Kiwi dish?

A Kiwi Pavlova. It is a dessert made with egg whites and it can be quite tricky because it can fail to rise but if you do it right, you get a crispy shell that is creamy and soft in the middle and has great flavour when you pair it with Kiwi fruit and passion fruit.

What prompted a young Sid to pursue this profession?

I trained at SRM institute in Chennai. I wanted to initially be in guest relations but when we rotated into the kitchen as part of the course, I knew when I picked up the knife that I was passionate about being in the kitchen and being creative.

What are your favourite memories related to food while growing up in Chandigarh?

Eating hot parathas slathered with butter made by my nani.

What do you think of the food scene in India? What is a standout and where are we lacking?

It is incredibly vibrant and diverse, reflecting the country’s rich cultural heritage and regional variations. Apart from street food culture, which offers a plethora of flavours and dishes that are unique to each region. Be it the chaats of Delhi to the pani puris of Mumbai to the dosas of South India, there are the traditional thali meals, which offer a balanced mix of flavours and nutrients on a plate. Each region has its own version of thali, showcasing local ingredients and cooking techniques.

India definitely has an opportunity to represent its diverse cuisines on the global stage. While Indian food is loved worldwide, it is often stereotyped as being just about curries or tandoori chicken. There is a need to promote the lesser-known regional cuisines of India, highlighting their unique flavours and cooking methods. I think Kiwis would love to see more South Indian, Maharashtrian, Goan, Bengali, Hyderabadi dishes and to understand them and experience them.

In India itself, I think we need to stop only focusing on Western cuisines and trying to create mish-mash fusion concepts that don’t work. I like places like Indian Accent and Tresind that are creative with Indian cuisine, heroing regional dishes but not doing crazy combinations to prove a point. Elegant, elevated and regional is the way to be.