In just five months as the culinary director of Bright Hospitality, chef Auroni Mookerjee has been travelling across Indian cities to grasp the evolving trends in the F&B industry. Known for constantly adapting dishes to reflect the season and local culture, Mookerjee has launched the new menu with Team AMPM. He shares his journey and vision…
My Kolkata: It’s been five months as culinary director with Bright Hospitality. How’s it going?
Auroni Mookerjee: I’ve been travelling from city to city because Rajan Sethi (MD, Bright Hospitality) wanted to understand my perspective on the business at a national level. I’ve been in Kolkata for the last four years and while Sienna (where Auroni previously worked as executive chef) became part of that larger community, there’s so much more going on. Travelling helped me understand the broader foodscape. Grace Muivah, the brand head for AMPM and OMO joined us, as did Tarannum Sehgal, who is already a chef in the organisation — and we travelled to Goa, Mumbai, and Delhi.
What were your takeaways from travelling across these cities?
Right now, the food and beverage sector is booming — both nationally and in Kolkata. I feel one of the key shifts is towards a product-driven approach. While creativity and craftsmanship are still valued, the idea of a ‘tasting menu chef’ is no longer the only thing. I look at chefs like Kavan Kuttappa, who runs a no-fuss ramen outlet Naru Noodle Bar; meals don’t take more than an hour, but he’s always sold out. There are fabulous concepts like Papa’s, Naar, and Ekaa.
If you look at where mixology and cocktail programmes are headed, Pankaj Balachandran, who is helping us set up a place for a fun project, uses the term ‘smashable’ for drinks that are approachable. I think there’s wisdom in that — because dining out has become more frequent and casual and food and drinks are central to these gatherings. Travelling during those first few months and trying out so many restaurants reinforced this realisation.
And the next step was?
Getting to know the company. Bright Hospitality is a large organisation with eight outlets across four cities – Delhi, Kolkata, Chandigarh and Indore – with plans for at least six more in the works. The fun part for me is that the company has two distinct divisions or verticals. There are the traditional Indian kitchens, Ikk Panjab and The GT Road, both of which have exciting facets. Then there’s AMPM and chef Vanshika Bhatia’s brand, OMO. It’s amazing to have somebody as talented as her in the organisation and it’s fun jamming together, bouncing off ideas. OMO is my favourite restaurant to sit and work from because it’s peaceful and calming, and given the workload, I’m trying to be healthier. The food is nourishing and comforting.
Chef Vanshika Bhatia of ingredient-first vegetarian cafe OMO, and (right) Avocado Toast on the cafe’s in-house turmeric sourdough bread @omo.cafe/ Instagram
How difficult was it to resist bringing what you did so well at Sienna?
It wasn’t difficult. Everyone needs a change, a break, and for me, it was about cooking from the heart. When you make a fresh start, it’s easy to overthink, especially with tasting menus, where precision is key. But here, I’m cooking purely from instinct, and that has made the process enjoyable. What’s important is that over the last few years, I have discovered my voice. Now, I am confident about my voice and I want to explore different styles of cooking. I’m not ruling out tasting menus – in fact, that is what we worked on in collaboration with one of Asia’s best mixologists, Beckaly Franks. But what excites me is the idea of mastering every aspect of cooking, like an all-format cricketer who excels in Tests, T20s, and ODIs. True legacies are built when you can perfect all the formats, and that’s the direction I want to take.
Do you have a favourite brand within the organisation?
Ikk Panjab is definitely my favourite. Mostly because over the years, my heart and focus has always been on regional cuisine. So, to see somebody be ambitious about their region, especially Punjabi food, is great. For example, the restaurant is known for both Tandoori Quail and Butter Chicken. The quail is especially interesting because ‘game’ was such a big part of the Maharaja and Nawabi culture. We forget that in north India, game has always been a beloved part of life, and quail is one of the few game birds that can still be farmed today.
The Delhi outlet is more inspired by pre-Partition Punjab, with an emphasis on royalty and the princely states. The second outlet is opening in Chandigarh. Rajan cracked the idea that in a city like Chandigarh, the most respected figure in a family is usually the Colonel Saab or General Saab — because it’s such a military town. So, we’re designing the space to resemble an army mess, down to the crockery, imagining how Mrs. General would set up her dining table. It’s exciting to work with partners who think creatively and aren’t afraid of scaling up.
Cooker Kukkad, a tribute to the soulful kitchens of undivided Punjab, at Ikk Panjab
What is the approach to evolving brands across different locations?
I think F&B is moving forward in a very cookie-cutter way, and brands love Xerox-copying things. But that’s not our organisation’s approach. We love evolving our brands. For example, AMPM in Gurgaon is everyone’s favourite neighbourhood bar for catching up with friends after hours. In Kolkata, we took it up a notch with entertainment, decor, and the beautifully designed stage and paddock. We evolve our brands thoughtfully.
What excites you about Indian kitchens?
It’s fun to see how our Indian kitchens work. Bread, for instance, has always been a different concept for me with yeast and proofing, but learning about how naan dough works is so interesting. The parallels between something like khamiri roti and shokupan (Japanese milk bread) are also intriguing. These past few months have been all about understanding these concepts. I’ve also been working on two key menus, one of which is for AMPM.
Crab, Leek & Miso Risotto from the new AMPM menu
Tell us more about the new AMPM menu…
The theme for this menu is centred around ‘Calcutta Comfort’. For many, Park Street is considered Kolkata’s culinary home and adda zone, so the food had to be comforting and that’s exactly what we aimed for. The outlet has been doing well, and it’s exciting that many consider AMPM the best opening in the city in a long time. There’s a kinship between Rajan, Grace, Deepika (Rajan’s wife and marketing head), Tashi, Paddy (Pradyumna Manot who curates the music scene), me, and the organisation. They came in with enthusiasm and a desire to create something impactful, and this menu builds on that. Many people have said I do too many out-of-the-box things, but if you make food tasty, the rest doesn’t matter. That was the priority with this menu – deliciousness.
Doing the food at AMPM with this menu was in many ways about a piece of home. For many, Park Street is considered Kolkata's culinary home and adda zone, so the food had to be comforting and that’s exactly what we aimed for – ‘Calcutta Comfort’. It’s as simple as that.
Auroni Mookerjee
Is it going to be a permanent menu or for a limited time?
You know how I am. I like to treat menus like a Game of Thrones episode – constantly evolving. So while the menu isn’t fixed, the creativity comes from adapting to the seasons. For example, sliders might have glazed ham during Christmas instead of brisket, or a prawn ravioli could switch to crab for a bisque. This brand isn’t about rigid chef-driven concepts; it’s more about being approachable. I don’t want the food to feel fussy — I want people to enjoy it without overthinking. At AMPM, the focus is on how the food makes you feel. I want people to walk away feeling really good about what they ate, and having a really good time. A lot of chefs need to get back to that simplicity.
Finally, Rajan mentioned in his interview that there was a gap in Kolkata’s music scene between talent and spaces. On similar lines, what is the gap you are bridging with food?
For me, it’s about fostering more connection within Kolkata’s community and encouraging people to come more often. I think right now AMPM is seen as a night-out spot, but it has a beautiful daylight setting too. That’s why there are eggs on the menu, some beautiful salads, pastas, things that are brunch and lunch forward. It is to make it a versatile space for any occasion — whether it’s a casual brunch, date night, or a celebration.
For a deeper dive into the new AMPM menu, check out this story.
