The brains behind one of Londons most talked about restaurants is redefining fusion cuisine.
Opening a restaurant is nothing if not a labour of love. But, behind the business dealings and logistics, is a deep-rooted passion for food. Few understand this better than chef Chet Sharma, whose restaurant has captured his love of food and family in equal measure.
The word BiBi is a colloquial Urdu derivation meaning ‘grandma’. In choosing it as his restaurant name, Sharma pays homage to his two grandmothers, who taught him two different lessons. One was a stickler for process, while the other favoured invention. Together, they inspired a new style of cooking for Sharma, who has blessed the London food scene with a fresh take on traditional Indian fare.
From graduating the University of Oxford with a PhD in physics to working as a development chef at Moor Hall and L'Enclume, Sharma's resume is a fascinating one.
Below, we speak to him about his biggest learnings, the importance of honouring family and the changing face of Indian cuisine in London.
Can you please share some insights into your culinary journey, from Mugaritz to Moor Hall?
I’ve been very fortunate to have worked in some of the best restaurants and for some of the best chefs in the world. And from each one I learned something different. Andoni (at Mugaritz) taught me how important it is to look after and nurture a team, building a culture around a restaurant. Brett Graham (at the Ledbury) provided many pearls of wisdom around animal husbandry, meat butchery and cooking. Simon Rogan reconnected me with my farming roots in the lake district. And finally Mark at Moor Hall showed me the need for relentlessly pushing yourself as a chef, always wanting to go one better than the last service.
You undertook a pHD degree at Oxford - how did this pivot from cooking influence the trajectory of your overall career?
It was a fairly easy choice. I was good at Physics, but didn’t have the desire to be great at it. I’m nowhere near the finished article as a chef, but I have the desire to make my mark in this space. Moving over from academia definitely gave me a headstart in kitchens. Reality is I’d have never got the job at L’Enclume without the PhD and Mugaritz behind me. Simon saw enough in me to think I could bring something different to his growing empire as the Director of R&D.
What was your career highlight from working as Group Development Chef at JKS Restaurants?
For sure, working with some of the brightest minds in the industry. Jyo Sethi is an older brother / mentor and is the only person I know who routinely makes me feel like my maths isn’t good enough. Karam is obsessed with restaurants in a way that I’ve never seen before. He also has the midas touch when it comes to developing restaurant brands, so I’m glad I could and still do support with this side of the business.
How has the Indian culinary scene developed in London?
London is the best city in the world for Indian restaurants. BUT, a lot of the complexity and diversity of Indian food, for a long time, wasn’t championed here. That’s definitely changed. Now we just need to make sure there is a more consistent supply of amazing Indian ingredients, like spices, and we move away from the mass-market commodity stuff that just ends up tasting of cardboard.
I think the base-level understanding of ‘Indian food’ means that restaurants like ours can push the boundary on what people are open to in an ‘Indian restaurant’.
Did you have any fears or concerns when it came to launching your own restaurant?
No. But we’d just come out of a global pandemic so it couldn’t go much worse than that. I mean, one failed restaurant isn’t going to have the entire world locked back up at home, is it? If there is a silver lining to the pandemic, it’s that it hopefully gave us all a bit more perspective.
BiBi takes an innovative approach to Indian food - what does this mean and how does it manifest in dishes?
It means that we are always anchored and centred by an idea of ‘indian-ness’. Some loose nostalgic link to a flavour, smell or memory in India. It’s too big a country to ever say my idea of Indian food is the same as someone else’s. So I can only base the dishes on something I’ve experienced in the subcontinent, and represent it with amazing British produce.
The restaurant is an ode to the two women who helped inspire your career, can you chat through their influence and how you've honoured them at BiBi?
My grandmothers were the first people to ever teach me to cook. My maternal grandmother (nanima) was a powerhouse of a woman, and ruled with an iron fist. But she valued ingredients as much as any three star chef I’ve known. So there is that from her that drives us in the kitchen at BiBi. And my paternal grandmother (dadima) loved being the centre of attention. She was loud, and funny, warm and generous. All of the things which inspire our style of service at the restaurant.
Team dynamics are crucial in a kitchen. How have you fostered a collaborative and supportive environment among your staff?
It’s hard. The food at BiBi is so personal. But longevity breeds trust and synergy. A couple of my team have been with me since the start, they are like my family. I trust them with the third most important thing in my life (after my wife and my actual family). It’s important that they know and feel that. The culture of the restaurant is about respect, about looking after each other. My grandmothers wouldn’t have it any other way!
Can you share some advice for aspiring chefs, particularly on how to navigate and succeed in the highly competitive and dynamic culinary world?
Heads down, elbows in, knives sharp. Always ask questions, without questioning authority. Be early for shifts, stay late to help out your teammates, because one day you’ll need their help back. It doesn’t go unnoticed.
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