IN RHYTHM WITH FLAVOUR: CHEF NIKHIL NAGPAL ON THE SYMPHONY THAT IS Avartana

At ITC Chennai’s globally acclaimed Avartana, Chef Culinaire Nikhil Nagpal orchestrates a fine balance between science and soul — transforming South Indian cuisine into a sensory journey of rhythm, mysticism, and precision. Excerpts:

- BY NUSRA

Rooted in Discipline, Seasoned by Travel For Chef Nikhil Nagpal, the story of taste began long before he donned his first chef’s coat. Growing up in an army family, his father’s postings across the length and breadth of India became an education in geography, culture — and most importantly — flavour.

Avartana is a rhythm, iteration, mysticism. For Nagpal, it’s more than a name; it’s the philosophy behind every plate. Each course is deliberate yet dynamic, much like the recurring cycles of music the name evokes — every repetition revealing a new nuance.

INNOVATION ANCHORED IN TRADITION

In a culinary era obsessed with novelty, Avartana stands apart by reimagining, not reinventing, tradition. Nagpal's creative process begins not with imported truffles or liquid nitrogen, but with the local soil. "The ethos of Avartana has always been to keep the flavours and ingredients rooted to the southern Indian peninsula," he says. "The selection of regional ingredients is the key first step in creating any dish."

BALANCING INDULGENCE AND INTENTION