Chef Gaurav Anand
“I had a lot to learn, about the culture, the environment, and above all the food and hospitality industry, which is very competitive. I kept my head down, my chin high and kept moving on. I had high goals ahead of me and knew the sky was the limit. The look on people’s faces when they have eaten one of my creations is priceless, and it makes all my hard work and my struggles completely worth it.”
Gaurav Anand
Chef I Restaurateur I Caterer
Gaurav Anand, a chef, restaurateur, and caterer, owns three acclaimed NYC restaurants: Bhatti Indian Grill, Moti Mahal Delux, and Baazi formerly known as Awadh. He's lauded for his innovative approach to Indian cuisine, earning 2-star reviews from The New York Times and accolades like "Best Indian Restaurant" from Village Voice. Despite no formal culinary training, Gaurav's journey started with curiosity and dedication with his brother, where he was trained and mentored by Jiggs Kalra, a stellar restaurateur who shaped Indian cuisine.
In 2018, Chef Anand expanded his culinary empire by founding CGA, a boutique catering company that has since grown into a worldwide sensation, specializing in destination weddings and fusion cuisine. Under Chef Anand's leadership, CGA has earned a reputation for making the impossible possible, creating unforgettable culinary experiences that blend cultures and flavors seamlessly. Today, CGA serves as the parent company to numerous successful projects, showcasing Chef Anand's passion for pushing culinary boundaries and delighting palates around the globe.
During his travels back to India, Gaurav journeyed to Lucknow in the Awadh region and fell in love with the flavors of the cuisine and the dum pukht slow cooking style popular in the region. Opened in May 2014, Awadh is a showcase for a storied region’s cooking and the realization of a dream to be among the forefront of Indian restaurateurs in America. Among other accolades, the Village Voice named Awadh “Best Indian” that year.
Gaurav’s latest venture was aRoqa, which offers an elevated Indian dining experience that marries traditional Indian cooking techniques with global flavors and creative cocktails. Gaurav took inspiration from his travels around the world to create a one-of-a-kind menu that marries Western and Indian flavors and techniques. The food goes far beyond traditional Indian cooking, utilizing ingredients not generally found in the cuisine: avocado, kale, tomatillos, bacon, goat cheese and more.