q&a with chef jatin
Welcome home to Casa 21! Meet Chef Jatin, a culinary maestro whose journey from traditional North Indian roots to the bustling culinary scene of Dubai is a testament to his passion and dedication behind his unique approach to cooking.
Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I come from a traditional North Indian family and I grew up in New Delhi, India. I have been passionate about all things culinary since my childhood but my parents weren’t very keen for me to peruse it. So after university, I joined the family business though the family always had hotels and restaurants in India as well. But destiny had other plans. It’s only after moving to Dubai, that I pursued my passion and opened restaurants and started my catering company which I ran for more than 5 years. I mastered my craft by completing a hotel management program as well as an extensive culinary course at the Culinary Institute of Barcelona in Spain.
Post the pandemic, Casa 21 was born.
Q: You’ve had many culinary collaborations with chefs in Dubai, India, and Singapore, host frequent bustling supper clubs, and run your own catering gig. Have you secretly mastered the art of cloning to juggle it all? How do you do it?
Since forever, multitasking has been my middle name! From running a jewelry business to managing a construction company and a garment export venture, I've always had several pots on the stove.
So for me it’s not tough to manage different things while giving each my 100%. I think it’s thanks to my personality where whatever I take on, I give it my absolute best. My personality drives me to excel in every venture I undertake, pouring my heart and soul into each one.
Having said that, this month, we're launching our bespoke catering division—a new chapter in our culinary journey. So buckle up, because there's always something cooking in my world!
Q: Do you have any hard-and-fast rules in your kitchen?
I always listen to music while cooking! It’s relaxing and also recharges me and keeps me in a good mood.
Q: If you could describe your cuisine or style of cooking to guests, how would you put it in words?
I experiment and play with different flavors and textures and cuisines. I have a mix of Peruvian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish dishes in the menu to name a few. The menu is globally inspired by my travels and interactions with chefs over the years.
Q: What’s one kitchen tool that you can’t live without?
The cast iron pan handed down from my great grand mom which must be at least 70+ years old! It is in pristine condition!
Q: You make artful versions of ceviches, burrata, teriyaki that look too beautiful to devour. How crucial do you find the art of plating when it comes to serving your guests?
Plating to me is a form of art. My wife is from a family of artists and I’ve always admired her grandfather and father’s strokes on the canvas and how it added life to it.
Similarly, my plates are like a blank canvas on which I create art and I feel a dish needs to be visually appealing because that’s the first impression a guest gets.
Q: What’s the most memorable meal you’ve had in your life, where and why?
About 18 years back, I stumbled upon a gem of a restaurant in London called Hunan. It had no menu and was run by a father and son duo. They would come and ask you your dietary preferences and make the 7-8 course meal accordingly. This concept blew my mind and ever since that unforgettable meal, I've harbored a dream to recreate that magic someday.
Q: The best cookbook that you own that is timeless, one that you come back to again and again? And why?
One book that I absolutely swear by is ‘A day at elBulli’.
I find myself going through it time and again and I am forever intrigued by the creative methods and the food philosophy of Ferran Adria.
Q: What’s your favorite dine-in spot in Dubai?
Hashmi is my favourite place in Dubai for grills. It’s a simple Kenyan restaurant and I haven’t had better kababs anywhere else!