As the first Indian woman to win two Michelin stars and a new mother, chef Garima Arora shares her recipe to a well-rounded life full of flavours, tradition, and ambition
Grazia: I remember an interview where you said you’ve gotten your second Michelin at Gaa because of consistency. How do you maintain that consistency?
Garima Arora: Repetition helps. We have one menu, and we’re making sure that consistency starts from our producers and suppliers – getting the same quality of ingredients every time and prepping them the same way. There is a daily tasting to make sure what goes out on the table is the same. It’s almost choreographed – like a dress rehearsal which is repeated till we get it right. G: You’re a part of an array of chefs who are trying to take the essence of Indian food to the modern diner. Where are we in that journey today? GA: Indian food is the next big thing. People all around the world, not just Indian chefs, are curious about what’s happening within the country. People are looking into what’s happening beyond cities – in the smaller regions, with micro cuisines, and regional cuisines. The world now understands there’s more to Indian food than just curries and naan, and this change is just the onset of big things that are yet to come.
G: We’re in the time of reel chefs and celebrity chefs, and you’re someone who still operates behind the scenes. Is it a work philosophy or that’s just who you are as a person?
GA: I’m very private, and I don’t share a lot on social media. That’s just who I am. I get along really well when I meet people IRL, and my life is an open book – I am just not a social media person or enjoy scrolling too much. I like interacting with people face to face, so meeting me is the best way to interact with me
G: You’ve spoken about your team being instrumental in where you are today. You’ve also worked at Noma, where Rene [Redzepi] has spoken about the therapy he needed to go through to not be a bully. What does it take to have a healthy kitchen workplace today, and what’s your responsibility as chef and owner in ensuring that?
GA: I think your personality really shines through as a leader because that’s something you do alone. It can be a very lonely place to be when you’re leading a team through things, I discovered. I’m a straightforward person. To me, my work comes first, the guest experience comes first, and that’s the approach we always have towards food and our work environment. As long as people know that that’s the big picture, interpersonal relationships become easier to manage.
G: What’s the most challenging part that no one knows about behind the glitz and glam of being a Michelin star chef?
GA: It does seem very glamorous on the outside, but it’s hard work – like working at a construction site or on an oil rig somewhere. It’s donkey work, for most times. And that’s why you don’t see a lot of women in this field – it can be brutal. The turnover rate is very high, and not a lot of people get past their first year of being a chef. It’s a tough job.
G: How has motherhood has influenced everything you do now?
GA: I think it definitely has made me calmer. I had a whole list of things that I would never do with my kid – like no screen time, no processed foods, no this or that. But your child teaches you and humbles you in so many ways and makes you realise that you can’t always be in control of things and that sometimes, you just let go and lean into it. That’s helped me a lot in my work as well – I don’t sweat the small stuff anymore, among many other things.
Grazia: I remember an interview where you said you’ve gotten your second Michelin at Gaa because of consistency. How do you maintain that consistency?
Garima Arora: Repetition helps. We have one menu, and we’re making sure that consistency starts from our producers and suppliers – getting the same quality of ingredients every time and prepping them the same way. There is a daily tasting to make sure what goes out on the table is the same. It’s almost choreographed – like a dress rehearsal which is repeated till we get it right. G: You’re a part of an array of chefs who are trying to take the essence of Indian food to the modern diner. Where are we in that journey today? GA: Indian food is the next big thing. People all around the world, not just Indian chefs, are curious about what’s happening within the country. People are looking into what’s happening beyond cities – in the smaller regions, with micro cuisines, and regional cuisines. The world now understands there’s more to Indian food than just curries and naan, and this change is just the onset of big things that are yet to come.
G: We’re in the time of reel chefs and celebrity chefs, and you’re someone who still operates behind the scenes. Is it a work philosophy or that’s just who you are as a person?
GA: I’m very private, and I don’t share a lot on social media. That’s just who I am. I get along really well when I meet people IRL, and my life is an open book – I am just not a social media person or enjoy scrolling too much. I like interacting with people face to face, so meeting me is the best way to interact with me
G: You’ve spoken about your team being instrumental in where you are today. You’ve also worked at Noma, where Rene [Redzepi] has spoken about the therapy he needed to go through to not be a bully. What does it take to have a healthy kitchen workplace today, and what’s your responsibility as chef and owner in ensuring that?
GA: I think your personality really shines through as a leader because that’s something you do alone. It can be a very lonely place to be when you’re leading a team through things, I discovered. I’m a straightforward person. To me, my work comes first, the guest experience comes first, and that’s the approach we always have towards food and our work environment. As long as people know that that’s the big picture, interpersonal relationships become easier to manage.
G: What’s the most challenging part that no one knows about behind the glitz and glam of being a Michelin star chef?
GA: It does seem very glamorous on the outside, but it’s hard work – like working at a construction site or on an oil rig somewhere. It’s donkey work, for most times. And that’s why you don’t see a lot of women in this field – it can be brutal. The turnover rate is very high, and not a lot of people get past their first year of being a chef. It’s a tough job.
G: How has motherhood has influenced everything you do now?
GA: I think it definitely has made me calmer. I had a whole list of things that I would never do with my kid – like no screen time, no processed foods, no this or that. But your child teaches you and humbles you in so many ways and makes you realise that you can’t always be in control of things and that sometimes, you just let go and lean into it. That’s helped me a lot in my work as well – I don’t sweat the small stuff anymore, among many other things.
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