How Devi in New York City showed what human connections can do for food

We who are lucky to have been born to certain means and good luck must see in others a shared humanity, a connection which demands a conscientious effort to provide, protect, and support those who are part of our collective, irrespective of race, caste, colour, nationality, gender or class.

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It is our man-made greed for self-preservation rather than collective preservation that has been rapaciously channelled, exploited, encouraged, and sustained for its market opportunities by multinationals and other ventures.

Even the most empathetic among us can be easily lost in the self-fulfilling fantasy, in the taste, feel and comfort of power, influence, and affluence. It is no surprise then that “affluenza” may be that virus that will kill and maim us in ways that Covid might not be able to. Rare is the human who is content with less in a world where newer and trendier drivers take us on the journey of life.

My chef partner Hemant Mathur and I were lucky enough to bag the first Michelin star for any Indian and non-Northern European restaurant in North America in 2007. We were two men of colour, both recent immigrants, “wetbacks” as we were lovingly called by many. It wasn’t easy for us to convince our own Indian investors to believe in us, our vision, and the dream of a successful business venture that we were peddling. How could we expect then for investors far removed from our cultural and ethnic makeup to consider us and our dreams and aspirations as a viable business opportunity with solid legs to stand on? We were dreaming an impossible dream when our lot in a new country would be easier if we followed popular norms.

Deprived of kitchens, equipment and investment that would help realise our dreams effortlessly, we were left with a choice to either stop dreaming or innovate within the parameters of our circumstances. We invented versions of grand recipes that made them look and taste grander still. We woke up with newer and more exciting ways of making those dishes that we felt our customers would appreciate and swoon over. We cooked and edited, and then cooked and edited again, sometimes five or six times, till we came to that happy spot where the dish tasted great, looked spiffy, and would be remembered in history.

We left ego aside and reached out to diverse people far and wide to bring them into our world. We had them review our ideas and plans and gave them a taste of our food and a firsthand experience of the points of service, how we would set up the restaurant and what our dream layout would be. We taught ourselves to listen to body language and to read and hear what wasn’t being shared. There were many who would say only what they knew we wanted to hear. There were those who took us to exciting but impossible places of creativity which only distanced us from our goals. To get to them we would need the support, respect and investment of the whole wide world — a world which didn’t believe in us at the time.

But there were those who saw our creative perseverance and propelled us on our journey and made us pioneers in the world of Indian fine dining. In the murmurings of these women and men we found those minimal standards we had to chase, the limits beyond which we need not break ourselves or our dreams. These people helped us check our minds, further our vision, and also realise our dreams, even if somewhat curtailed or edited.

Collegiality brought us to the opening of Devi in New York City in 2004. Rakesh Aggarwal, the most successful Indian restauranteur of his time, discovered us and gave us a sweet spot on 18th Street by Union Square. Our menu made us proud even as it made us work smart and harder than we might have had to if the kitchen were as large and well equipped as our dreams would wish for. What the compromises brought us was a product that gave our customers something new and exciting that was also as old as India and an experience that was culled from the meeting of two able chefs, one smart investor, many sleepless nights and even more experiments to ensure every morsel that left our kitchen, every plate and bowl, all the glassware and each piece of cutlery, went out with our stamp of approval after fitting into a well-thought-out story. It was easy to appreciate what the diners were loving –it was visible in their eyes, it was matched in their loyal and repeat business, and it was evident in the critical reviews that kept us inspired and busy.

Devi was a baby born of a collective effort, where each party knew their strengths and their weaknesses. Where there was respect among its founders for what the other brought and didn’t bring to the table. It epitomised the magic and lucrative success that comes to a business and its people when they believe in themselves. When they don’t leave anyone in the dark or forgotten and when they keep their focus squarely on the mission: keeping the business afloat by focusing on conscience, not individual egos.

We saw at Devi that our best years were the ones where the ownership conscientiously maintained this focus, and we saw our closing when the partnership became greedy and was focused on self and not the collective.

Devi, now long closed and still giving people reason to be most proud of our opening team and of its place in the culinary world, gives many much to reflect upon and much to be proud of. I see in Devi everything that is wonderful about humanity and all that we must guard against in our human collective. Had the partnership considered ego less and collegiality more, had we not thought of success begetting success, and ourselves deserving more of the successful pie, perhaps Devi would still be going strong and wielding even more influence and profit. I share this to illustrate how what is lucrative and popular isn’t always a guarantee of lasting sustainable success; what is new doesn’t always mean fulfilling; and what is done alone doesn’t always guarantee fulfillment. I have now seen, felt, savoured and celebrated the greatest joys when they have come with others being part of that adventure. And so, this chef, columnist and world traveler chases a journey to find collegial ways of achieving kitchen alchemy and guttural fulfillment.