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More than Great Food
Authentic Indian cuisine in beautiful Niagara Falls. Come visit our one and only location in Niagara Falls and enjoy delicious food and a dining experience that you’ll never forget. Explore exotic tastes straight out of India that will excite your taste buds. We offer a wide variety of North Indian dishes including vegetarian, non-vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, and allergy-aware options.
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Niagara's Authentic Indian Cuisine
About Chef of India; Pankaj Kumar
Pankaj Kumar grew up on a farm in India, growing spices, grains, and fresh vegetables. By the time he was 18 he’d graduated from culinary school and was working as a kitchen apprentice with ITC Sheraton Hotel in India. For the next 15 years he worked in various positions and a number of their hotels, culminating as chef at the world-famous Bukhara at ITC Maurya Sheraton Hotel in New Delhi.
At this multi-award winning restaurant, Pankaj prepared meals for global luminaries including, Hollywood and Bollywood stars, the Indian cricket team, and international politicians. His most memorable moment was cooking for former President, Bill Clinton and his family during his presidential visit to India in 2000.
That same year he transferred to the Singapore Bukhara where he worked until 2005. From there he was invited to become senior chef for the oldest and most well-recognized Indian restaurant in Niagara Falls. Over the next 9 years he worked as Manager before deciding to become closer to the community by opening his own restaurant in December 2015.
Chef of India was an immediate success, as Pankaj’s reputation for fine Indian cuisine was well- established in the area. “I know my guests personally and prepare the food mostly as per individual taste—nut free, gluten-free, vegan, without onion, without garlic, without peppers, without tomatoes, even without salt at all,” says Pankaj. “As a chef whatever food goes out of the kitchen to the guest has to have a quality I define as 100% guest satisfaction and 0 % defect.”
Chef of India specializes in North Indian food, a variety that’s rich in vibrant spices for strong, zesty dishes with multi-layered flavours. Butter chicken is a perennial favourite and when Pankaj makes it the tomato butter sauce must simmer for 8 hours, ensuring the flavours and nutrients are seared in.
Biryani, Lamb Vindaloo, Baigan Patiala, and Paneer Butter Masala are always popular with guests, as is Paneer Jhalfarezi made with fresh cottage cheese, green peppers, onions, and tomatoes and flavoured with the Chef’s special masala.
Chicken Khurchan, a barbeque chicken dish tossed with shredded onion, tomato, and pepper is another of Pankaj’s specialities. The onion gravy is loaded with a blend of no less than 25 ground spices—a dish he says no one else prepares in the area.
Pankaj’s own personal favourite is the vegetarian dish Dal Makhani. This harmonious combination of black lentils is simmered on a slow charcoal fire, finished with fresh cream and takes 15 hours to prepare. For dessert, Zauk-E-Shahi, fried dry milk balls served in sweetened evaporated milk comes highly recommended. In Hindi Shahi means royalty and Pankaj says all of his regular guests never leave the table without having it.
“My faith in my culinary skills and myself got me here. Today I am the proud owner of The Chef Of India Restaurant and I am doing something which I love every day and that is cooking for the community and the satisfied visitors who come to the world famous Niagara Falls.”