OBITUARY| The ‘man of style’ gets a quiet goodbye

He was driven by an awe-inspiring passion for food, one which shaped legacies of restaurants that have carved their own niche over the years. As much as he liked his work do the talking, he stayed away from the limelight, with hardly any presence on social media. Call him old school or plain simplistic. So when Chef Arvind Saraswat, 72, passed away a fortnight ago, the tributes that poured in were muted, no eulogies on social media or the newspapers. 

This unsung hero, however, despite not hosting shows every Sunday morning or going live on Facebook/Instagram, was highly regarded in the hospitality industry. He was the first chef of the iconic Taj Mahal when it upped Lutyen’s posh quotient in 1978, and in the process, toppled the then crowning glory of national capital – The Oberoi InterContinental. Chef Saraswat who steadfastly and committedly remained Taj’s vanguard of innovation and culinary excellence, is credited with giving Delhi and the brand two big success stories: The House of Ming – Delhi’s first taste of Sichuan cuisine, and Machan – a casual coffee shop that has spawned many fond memories for Delhiites growing up in the 80s. 

He was also the man behind India’s first Italian restaurant Casa Medici in the early 80s. Though he specialised in European food, the chef set up the stunning Haveli – a groundbreaking restaurant for North Indian khana. Saraswat personally designed the menu after having collected recipes on his travels across India. Haveli set the stage for other Taj properties serving Indian cuisine –that regional dishes from home kitchens will be at the centre stage. Chef Saraswat was also instrumental in launching and setting up the culinary offerings at Taj Bengal Kolkata in 1989. He also headed the culinary operations for Taj Singapore Airport Terminal Services.

As the food industry mourns the loss of another stalwart, Taj personnel and chefs who have had the privilege of working under him, remember him with affection. “When I finished hotel school, the first person to interview me for a kitchen position was Chef Saraswat.

He was the first person to give me a job. When I became a chef from a chef trainee, he was the one who gave me the Black Scarf, which symbolised my assimilation into the industry,” recalls celebrity chef Ranveer Brar, adding, “While my heart lay with Indian cuisine, he assigned me to Western cuisine instead. He will always be my first mentor and will be remembered as the great, great grandfather of cuisine and culinary institutions in India. 

Chef Tapash Bhattacharya, Chef Manager at Machan, remembers the “man of style” wearing a crisp white uniform, always spotless and with distinct silver and white buttons – exemplifying his eye for detail and perfection. “The chef was extremely creative and had a sharp eye for details. He was a jolly person – always sporting a smile. Even after Chef Saraswat moved to Taj Palace, New Delhi, the team at Taj Mahal, New Delhi, would eagerly look forward to his visits. They was a sense of happiness and inspiration each time he visited the hotel,” Chef Bhattacharya recounts.