Firstly, thank you. It has just been three months since Kolkata Social opened its doors. We have been welcomed with so much love, warmth and sense of community.
Kolkata Social is a restaurant that is an expression of self. From the décor, to the music to the food, to how you feel, is how you would feel if you were dining in my home. That is very important to me.
It has been such an interesting experience, cooking recipes that hold such palpable memories in a commercial setting. Truly, everything from the smoked fish to the plastic chutney to the birista pulao has a story. Getting to tell those stories is a privilege.
Cooking this food was a way for me to honour where I come from while showcasing a not often explored cuisine. Indian food has nuance and depth and complexity that doesn’t always have to do with spice. Through sharing what we do at Kolkata Social, I want to change what people believe an Indian restaurant should be. Food is so very personal, there cannot be only one right way of doing something.
Some of the most special moments in the past three months have been the guest interactions. I’ve had a grandmother tell me how good the tempering in our dal was (highest compliment by the way). Others have commented on how the food here takes them back to Kolkata, the nostalgia of it. One comment recently really stood out to me. A guest who was born here, but has Bengali heritage, said how happy she was to be able to enjoy Bengali food in a restaurant setting and introduce it to her grandchildren. In creating the restaurant, we had made the culture more accessible. I am proud of that.
The other thing I am very proud of are the people I work with. If this restaurant wasn’t a part of Plate it Forward, I would not get the opportunity to work with the incredibly hard-working, curious and dedicated people I work with. I get to share my knowledge with them and they are eager to learn. What more could I ask for.
I think about legacy a lot. About what my legacy will be. This restaurant is naturally a starting point- I would like for it to have a lasting impact on others, something that goes beyond personal achievements and accolades. We’re excited to see how Kolkata Social evolves and expands; hope you’ll join us in the journey.
We’ve only just begun,
Ahana Dutt
