Chef Narendar Thakkar moved to the U.S. when he was young gentleman in his twenties. For approximately 24 years he worked and managed a Dunkin Donuts. The past 5 years he has been the master mind of Namaste India creating the cooking foundation needed for an authentic Indian cuisine. He reads the customers mind and listens to what he or she likes. With that information he will adapt the cuisine accordingly and make a tasty meal. He shared that his customers always ask for a to-go box because they want to enjoy every last bite.
Namaste India is a family owned restaurant looked over by both his son and himself. His son works in the medical field Monday thru Friday and he looks after the restaurant in his free time. The atmosphere of the restaurant is very clean and inviting.
Cool Fact: Thakkar influenced and created the logo of the restaurant.
Chef Narendar Thakkar is a character who will spoil each of his guests with hospitality. He loves spice and will vary his cooking spice level as well as his recipes to assure the customer is happy. Narendar perfects his food with cooking by sight and aroma. His restaurant is always busy 7 days a week. You can enjoy a lunch buffet Monday – Saturday from 11am – 3pm for just $7.99.
1. What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?
Too difficult to choose one ingredient. so probably, onion, tomato gravy, garam masala, garlic paste, coriander leaves.
The key to cooking with so many favorite ingredients is to observe the food while cooking and to know when to add extra of an ingredient.
2. What ingredient do you dread?
He doesn’t like cooking with butter or heavy cream. He shared that cream is not healthy and contains 36% fat. He also shared that crème takes away from an authentic Indian cuisine.
3. What’s your favorite dish to make?
Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Tikka Wraps
4. What’s your favorite pig out food?
I love Mexican food. Particularly burritos and my very own salsa
5. What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?
I’m a fan of Bravo Italian and thinks it’s real quality.
I also like Mexican food. In particular, El Rancho Grande . Oh and Donatos Pizza
6. What’s your best advice for home chefs?
Don’t cook because you have to or because you are forced. Cook from the heart and with your interests in mind. Cook for enjoyment.
Oh… and always clean your hands before cooking
7. If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?
A dinner is best when shared. It’s too hard to choose 4, so I would like to invite friends, family, and individuals who compliment and give thanks for good food.
8. Who do you look up to in the industry and why?
Anyone who has a restaurant with a good inviting environment that is clean.
9. What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?
I like to watch basketball and also loves to go to the casinos. I’ll take my employees every once in a while also so they can enjoy themselves.
10. Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story.
Kitchen Disaster: There was an extremely hot day a past summer. The restaurant was extremely busy and the environment around the kitchen area was hot. In all the combustion of the busy work environment an exhaust fire started. The fire was not a great experience and so I never has another experience like it happen again I continually checks equipment temperatures and keeps the equipment spotless.
This Chef 10?’s article was put together by UD students in Professor Rebecca P. Blust’s UD Engineering Project Management class. Our four member team , Gracelyn Key, Sushmitha Rayinadi, Emily Strobach and Daniel Williams spent the semester learning how to meet with a client (DMM) define the project, put a plan together and execute it. This is the second of 9 Chef interviews they presented to us as their class project. To read the first please see below
10 ?’s with Chef Trish Miles of C’est Cheese
