A Day on the Line with Chef Neel Kajale at Adda, NYC's Top Indian Restaurant

A Culinary Journey at Adda

• 👨‍🍳 Chef Neel Kajale, Chef de Cuisine at Adda, aims to reinvent classic Indian dishes with bold flavors and techniques.
• 🌟 Adda is part of the Unapologetic Foods group, which also includes the Michelin-starred restaurant Semma.
• 🐟 The day begins with picking up fresh pomfret fish from Aquabest for the signature Malwani machi curry, emphasizing the dish's regional integrity.

Kitchen Operations and Prep

• 💡 Chef Kajale oversees all aspects of the kitchen, from ingredient sourcing to plating.
• 🤝 He relies on his sous chefs to manage deliveries and prep while he's out, ensuring the kitchen runs smoothly.
• 📊 Daily specials like lotus root chaat and papri chaat are decided based on available ingredients and to offer variety.
• 🧹 Maintaining organization in the walk-in and dry storage is crucial for efficiency, a practice honed in fine dining.

Signature Dish Preparation

• 🥘 The lamb achaar is a popular dish, featuring thinly sliced lamb leg simmered in a saffron cashew sauce and finished with lamb butter.
• 🌶️ A potent marinade for Hasselback lamb chops is prepared using ghost chili peppers, ginger, garlic, and mustard oil, designed to permeate the meat through pre-cut slits.
• 🌿 For the peppercorn bone marrow dish, a sauce is crafted with curry leaves and green peppercorns, balanced with coconut milk and turmeric.

Business and Service

• 📈 A meeting with the business development team addresses menu changes and the need for updated food photography to attract diners.
• ⏰ The hour before service is the most chaotic, with the team pushing to prepare for the influx of guests.
• 🧑‍🍳 The expo station is meticulously set up by Chef Kajale to ensure efficiency during service, serving as the final check before food reaches the table.
• 🔥 A unique approach at Adda is firing dishes fresh to order in the same pots they are served in, mimicking a home-cooked meal experience.
• ✅ The philosophy of "make it nice or do it twice," learned at 11 Madison Park, ensures high standards for every dish served.