The Crossing, the contemporary Indian restaurant located at H Dubai, has announced that Grand Master Chef Imtiaz Qureshi will be its guest chef between April 5 and 16. The world-renowned master of Awadhi cuisine will present ‘Renaissance of Royal Repast,’ an exquisite à la carte menu which will be available to order for iftar and suhoor.
Chef Quereshi will be joined by his eldest son, Chef Mohammad Ashfaque Quereshi who, like his father, is also a master in Awadhi cuisine, which has its roots in the Awadh region of Northern India. Chef Quereshi’s exclusive 12-day celebration of Indian gastronomy will showcase his expertise in traditional and modern Indian cuisine.
The 84-year-old culinary icon has cooked for eminent personalities from around the world, from preparing a grand meal for a Majlis hosted by Begum Akhtar, to serving Kakori kababs to Queen Elizabeth II. Most recently, he tutored a humble Gordon Ramsay on the art of making the perfect Goat Biryani. With over seven decades of gastronomic experience, the celebrated chef has been awarded numerous accolades including the prestigious Padma Shri award by the Indian government for his contribution to Indian cuisine.
Ankur Chakraborty, Chef and Co-Founder of the hospitality group Lemon Butter, is a former student of Chef Qureshi. Commenting on his tutor, Ankur said: “The Qureshi name is respected worldwide, the family have been pioneers of Indian cuisine for the last 200 years. However, the distinction of making Indian heritage cuisine world famous, undoubtedly belongs to Grand Master Chef Imtiaz Qureshi. He was responsible for reintroducing age-old recipes and cooking styles like the concept of the ‘Stand-up Tandoor’ and ‘Dum’.
“I am honoured to host my good friend Chef Mohammad Ashfaque Quereshi and his father – a culinary legend and my old mentor – Chef Imtiaz Qureshi at The Crossing, and even more so to have them cook in my kitchen.”
Highlight dishes from the exclusive menu include Murgh Balai Imtiazi – tikka of chicken dipped in an aromatic royal cumin marinade, grilled in the tandoor before being finished on Dum. Haleem is thick lamb and lentils stew cooked overnight, garnished with cilantro, egg, fried onions and lime. Lamb Paya Nihari is slow-cooked lamb trotters in a rich spiced stock. Guchhi Pulao is saffron-seasoned basmati rice cooked with morels, stuffed with herbed cheese, finished in a sealed handi with cardamom, and served with spiced yoghurt.
Chef Imtiaz Qureshi, commenting on his guest appearance, said: “Myself and my team are looking forward to making The Crossing our home for the next two weeks and bringing our hospitality to the residents of Dubai. We want to offer guests a unique dining experience, a culinary journey that will transport them back to a time when recipes were created for monarchs of great dynasties. The menu celebrates our rich cultural heritage dating back thousands of years, and features dishes that beautifully showcase the best of Indian cuisine.”
