Kahani Spices © Kahani
By Sophie Weir, Senior Editorial Assistant, Luxury Hospitality Magazine.
Situated just steps from the renowned Cadogan Hall, Kahani, founded by Chef Patron Peter Joseph, transcends the traditional Indian dining experience.
Kahani, translating to story in Hindi, offers an extraordinary journey through India’s culinary landscape, reinterpreted through a contemporary lens in the heart of Chelsea, London. The Michelin-starred gem invites guests into an immersive experience where each dish reflects its own tale of spice, tradition, and modern refinement.
Chelsea has long been a destination for art, culture, and luxury, known for its refined atmosphere and distinguished dining scene, which Kahani fits into seamlessly, offering a sophisticated dining experience merging heritage and innovation.
From the moment you step inside the restaurant guests are greeted by an intimate space that balances modern minimalism with opulent interiors, intricate patterns and fabrics, ambient lighting and gilded finishes. The open kitchen is a focal point for diners, offering a front-row immersive seat deepening the connection between guests and the cuisine to showcase a grand culinary performance.
Peter Joseph © Kahani
At the helm of Kahani is Peter Joseph, a Michelin-starred chef whose vision was to create a modern take on Indian cuisine that does not shy away from bold flavours and intricate spicing. Peter’s approach elevates traditional Indian dishes with modern techniques and the finest British ingredients, creating a refined interpretation of beloved classics. This philosophy is evident in every dish, making each course a chapter in a carefully curated narrative.
Our evening at Kahani began with a series of appetisers, serving as a perfect introduction to the restaurant’s ethos of balancing tradition with innovation. Choosing both the regular and vegetarian Dawat menu, the first of the four courses began.
First on the vegetarian menu was the Berry Papdi Chaat, a playful twist on the classic Indian street food, combining spiced chickpeas, sweetened yoghurt, berry chutney, and purple crisps. The dish is vibrant and full of contrasts, with the berries and tangy chutney flourishing alongside the warmth of the spiced chickpeas; a perfect example of how Kahani elevates traditional Indian flavours to new heights. Shared between both menus was the Kolkata Beetroot Chop, a delicately spiced creation infused with ginger, fennel and royal cumin seeds. The richness of the beetroot was enhanced by the sharp complexity of the Kasundi mustard kadi sauce for piquant depth.
For the meat option the Nilgiri Chicken Chop offered a balance of spice and smokiness. Marinated with mint, coriander, padron peppers and fennel seeds with smoked pepper chutney, the tender chicken was perfectly complemented by a gentle heat. Both the Vegetarian and regular Dawat menu was accompanied by a crisp 2020 Tapanappa, “Tiers” 1.5M Chardonnay, from the Piccadilly Valley, South Australia, to balance the tangy spiced notes of the dishes.
Tandoori Broccoli © Kahani
Kahani’s signature use of the tandoor and robata grill takes stage as the courses progress, where the open-fire cooking imbued the ingredients with an elevating smokiness. The vegetarian Dawat showcased Tandoori Broccoli, redefining a simple vegetable marinated in honey, nigella seeds and wheat crisps. The charred exterior was met with a tender core, with the honey glaze adding a delicate sweetness, pushing boundaries of what is expected from Indian cuisine.
Another stand out from the vegetarian grill was the Paneer Tikka, showcasing Kashmiri chilli, peppers, red onion, and royal cumin in its marinade. The paneer was charred to perfection, allowing the spices to infuse the cheese with bold flavours whilst retaining a creamy texture. This dish demonstrates Kahani’s talent for balancing strong, aromatic spices with restraint, allowing the ingredients to shine without overwhelming the palate. The wine pairing complemented the dishes further, showcasing a 2017 Domaine Chanson, “Les Verg” Pernand-Vergelesses ler Cru Pinot Noir from Burgundy, France, with a subtle earthiness adding to the smokiness of the Tandoori Broccoli and Paneer Tikka.
For meat-forward dishes, the Tandoori Peshawari Lamb Chops were a triumph. The lamb remains tender with a robust spice profile of kashmiri-chillies and nagercoil clove, softened by cooling mint yoghurt. The Smoked Malabar Prawns marinated with coconut, curry leaves, and fresh turmeric; each bite reflected the country’s rich coastal cuisine complemented by the aromatic depth of the spices. These two dishes were paired with a full-bodied 2020 Jean Luc Colombo, Cairanne Le Pavillon des Courtisanes, from Rhone Valley, France. With bold tannins and dark berry notes, this pairing stood up perfectly to the intensity of the spices.
Malabar Prawns © Kahani
Focusing beyond bold, smoky dishes, Kahani also reinterprets comforting Indian classics with the Saag Paneer for vegetarians. Tossed with onion-tomato masala alongside velvety puréed spinach, carefully tempered spices elevated the spinach with warmth whilst the paneer added a rich creaminess to the dish, a simple yet sophisticated rendition of the beloved comfort food. The Khumb Matar also took the combination of mushroom and peas to new levels; infused with cardamom, brown onions and tomato, the dish celebrated earthy flavours with an umami depth.
Served alongside Baby Aubergine and potato with tomato seasoned with ground spices and nigella seeds, this harmonised the sweet smokiness of the dish alongside a subtle nuttiness of nigella seeds. Extras also included Yellow lentils tempered with garlic and cumin, Rice and Lacha Paratha. This was complemented by a 2021 Château La Croix Chantecaille, Grand Cru Classé, Merlot/Cabernet Franc from Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux, France. These dishes reflect Kahani’s ability to transform traditional Indian comfort foods into elegant, fine dining experiences.
The dish that stood out on the standard Dawat menu for its depth of flavour was the Chicken Makhani, chargrilled chicken in creamed tomatoes and fenugreek leaves, a modern take on butter chicken. The rich infused sauce coated the chicken with a heat and richness providing an elevated experience. For a more intense spice, the Mirch Ghost Lamb Curry was a standout, unfolding layers of scotch bonnets tempered by the warmth of cinnamon, lemon zest and topped with bay leaves.
Kahani Floor © Kahani
No Indian dining experience is complete without Naan and Rice, and Kahani treats these elements with the same level of refinement as all the other dishes. The home-made Naan and Lacha Paratha was paired with a Slow braised Black Dal Makhani for a meat option, consisting of lentils, butter and fenugreek, offering robust depth to a comforting reminder of Indian home-cooked food. The wine pairing introduced a 2014 Chateau La Fleur de Bouard, Lalande de Pomerol, from Bordeaux, France, a simultaneously rich and dry pairing which complemented the dishes with blackberry, raspberry and cedar aromas. The third courses embodied boldness from the spice whilst offering comfort to guests.
Medley of Kulfi © Kahani
Kahani’s desserts were a continuation of the restaurant’s ethos of blending tradition and innovation. The Kulfi platter was the denouement of the vegetarian menu showcasing a Pistachio ice cream adorned with fresh berries and delicate edible flowers, offering cooling respite to the preceding rich courses. The creaminess of the Kulfi melted effortlessly on the palate alongside the sweetness of the berries, a perfect balance of flavour and texture. The course was paired with a 2020 Petit Guiraud, Sauternes, from Bordeaux, France to enhance the creaminess of the desert.
The regular Dawat closed with a Gulab Jamun Cheesecake featuring a mango and basil sorbet. Delicate notes of rose and saffron were seamlessly incorporated into the creamy cheesecake with the contrast of the sorbet, merging the familiar with the unexpected. The final course was paired with a 2015 Little Beauty Noble Edition Gewurztraminer from the Southern Valley of Marlborough, New Zealand, offering complimentary sweetness perfumed with jasmine, rose petal and cardamom aromas. These desserts showcased Peter Joseph, and his teams, talent for taking traditional Indian flavours and reinterpreting them through the lens of modern gastronomy and fine dining sensibility.
Gulab Jamun Cheesecake © Kahani
Kahani is more than just a fine dining restaurant; it is a celebration of India’s diverse and vibrant culinary heritage, reimagined with a niche and individualistic twist. Peter Joseph’s vision of light, modern Indian cuisine is executed with precision and elegance, placing Kahani at the forefront of London’s luxury dining scene. The seamless balance between tradition and innovation, opulence and restraint, indulgence and refinement, makes Kahani a destination for those seeking an immersive and transformative dining experience.
Each dish at Kahani tells a story, representing its own identity, whether it is the vibrancy of the Berry Papdi Chaat, the smoky depth of the Malabar Prawns, or the comforting richness of the Chicken Makhani. The restaurant’s ability to take classic Indian dishes and elevate them through technique and the finest ingredients, results in a sophisticated dining experience intrinsic to tradition.
For those seeking an exceptional journey through India’s culinary landscape, Kahani is an unmissable destination.
For more information, please visit: https://www.kahanilondon.com/.
