London’s, and indeed the wider UK’s, love affair with Indian food is a well-documented fact. Indian food is as much a part of the cultural make-up of Londoners as fish and chips, tote bags, and an overpriced flat white. And one of the most important names in London, when it comes to Indian cookery, is Chef Vivek Singh. As the culinary force behind restaurants like Cinnamon Kitchen and The Cinnamon Club, Vivek Singh has managed to challenge and change perceptions and preconceived notions around Indian food across the UK. He’s done so through his six restaurants in London and beyond, six cookbooks, and countless media appearances.
But Vivek Singh isn’t just here to bring great food to Londoners. He’s also here to share wider aspects of Indian culture and celebration. You can always count on the Cinnamon Collection restaurants to have special events, menus, or offerings to mark special occasions on the Indian cultural calendar – such as Diwali and Holi. Vivek Singh is even responsible for the much-loved annual House of Holi pop-up.
Hot off the back of chatting with the likes of Natty Can Cook, Tarell McIntosh, and The Flygerians, we had a chance for some ‘Kitchen Chatter’ with Vivek Singh.
What inspired you to become a chef, and who are your biggest culinary influences that have shaped your cooking style?
Most of my childhood memories are about food or lots of people around food – whether it was small family meals cooked from scratch, packed meals to school or larger community feasts, food was always at the centre of it. The love of food certainly came from my mother’s home cooking.
I also read books by Marco Pierre White and Raymond Blanc, which really influenced my thinking as a chef. And other people I was greatly influenced by during my career as a chef, was Vikram Oberoi when working with the Oberoi hotel group, as well as Paul Jones, who was the F&B director at The Oberoi Rajvilas hotel. In London, my experience was greatly shaped by Iqbal Wahhab and Eric Chavot, who had just been awarded two Michelin stars in 2001!
What are the biggest challenges and rewards of being a young chef in London?
In my opinion, London is the greatest city to be cooking in and learning your craft – simply because there is so much diversity, depth and breadth of different cooking styles on your doorstep, so it is a really great opportunity to learn, taste and thrive.
I suppose the biggest challenge would be the expense of living in London, but so many things are on the rise in terms of working conditions and better pay to help support young chefs. One piece of advice to young chefs is to try and save at least £20 a month to buy a new cookery book, that will help guide, learn and practice their skills, whilst sampling new innovative dishes.
How have shows like “The Bear” and other media representations influenced public perception of chefs?
I think The Bear does a really good job of showcasing the high energy and fast pace of working in a busy kitchen, and how each service is completely different. No matter how many obstacles you overcome, there are always new hurdles to jump over when running a kitchen. Yet most of the time it does normally end up sorting itself out.
I’ve really enjoyed the show, but I also know there are some people like my wife, who find watching the show too stressful, let alone working in the kitchen! In that sense, I suppose it isn’t a great endorsement for our industry in terms of attracting new talent. However, personally in my experience, that level of intensity isn’t something I’ve had to sustain throughout the years – and I find myself having managed a good work balance.
How has the London culinary scene changed over the past few years?
It’s incredible how much the London culinary scene has changed in the past few years, and more so since the arrival of social media with the likes of Instagram and TikTok that has a huge influence on peoples’ dining options. It has become more visual-led, with a wider variety to choose from.
The landscape of the restaurant scene continues to shift, and restaurants do need to constantly adapt and deliver, whilst those long-standing established restaurants are continuing to thrive and know how to provide a high quality and comfortable dining experience. After all, we love classics for a reason, and when we discover one, it’s a thing of beauty.
Where do you see the London culinary scene heading in the next 5-10 years?
I think the London culinary scene will continue to move in two distinct directions – the first will see more and more chefs pushing towards fine dining and exclusive experiences, with a continued focus on sustainability, whilst the second will see restaurants focussing heavily on a more relaxed approach, serving familiar and nostalgic classic dishes, which I believe we are seeing more of. The restaurant scene will not just expand in one direction, but across both these areas.
Can you share a memorable experience or anecdote from your time working in London’s kitchens?
I recall in my early days in London I would spend some time with Eric Chavot in his kitchens and we had formed a bit of a friendship. When we opened Cinnamon Club in 2001, sometimes we would get guests who didn’t want any spice in their dishes (imagine, in an Indian restaurant!), so Eric offered to teach us his risotto and steak with red wine sauce as options for ‘those challenged on the spice front’. He then visited us again once in 2015 and having sampled the dishes, said we were quite possibly the only team who made these dishes as well as he had taught it 15 years ago! It was a wonderful proud moment for me and my team.
Vivek Singh’s Cinnamon Collection encompasses a variety of restaurants around London. Find your nearest one here.