Meet The Chef: Romy Gill of The Pem, Conrad London St. James

What is your earliest food memory?

My earliest food memories are of family meals at home. Food was never just about eating; it was about being together sitting around the table, sharing stories and enjoying simple, traditional dishes cooked with love.

I also have wonderful memories of sharing food with my friends. We would pool our pocket money together each week, buy food and share it. I can still remember the taste of the cinema popcorn. Street food was also a huge part of my childhood and something I always looked forward to.

Looking back, I think those early experiences shaped the way I cook food today. For me, food is still about bringing people together and creating wonderful memories.

You were the first female Indian chef owner in the UK when you opened your kitchen back in 2013. What was the greatest challenge you faced during this period?

The greatest challenges began long before I opened the restaurant. Securing the change of use for the building took several years, and once that was in place, finding financial support was another hurdle.

In the end, I made the decision to invest in the restaurant myself to help make it happen. It was certainly a challenging period, but it taught me the importance of patience, resilience and believing in your vision, even when the path ahead isn't always straightforward.

You’ll be leading The Pem at Conrad London St. James from September – in what way does this feel like a pivotal moment for you?

This feels like a pivotal moment because it marks the beginning of a fresh creative chapter and, in many ways, a second innings for me. Leading The Pem gives me the opportunity to bring my culinary vision to a major London restaurant, while continuing to grow and challenge myself as a chef.

I am excited to create food that reflects my experiences, my heritage and the way I love to cook, while working with a team to build something distinctive and memorable. It feels both like a new beginning and the culmination of everything I have learned throughout my career.

What can diners expect, and what is your favourite dish on the menu?

Guests can expect a menu that celebrates the incredible diversity of Indian cuisine, taking inspiration from different regions, flavours and traditions across the country. The menu is named Neemat which means blessing and bounty, and the dishes are inspired by the food and stories I have discovered through my travels and writing.

It is always difficult to choose just one favourite dish, but I particularly love the dishes that bring together different influences, techniques and memories. I am especially excited about the way British ingredients are paired with Indian flavours throughout the menu, from hand-dived scallops with raw mango and sweet date-tamarind, to spiced crab with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and coconut.

The samosa chaat is very special to me because it is inspired by the street food I grew up eating, while the slow braised lamb gosht is a dish I have always loved cooking and sharing with others. At The Pem, I’m excited to serve this with Kashmiri morel mushrooms - a real delicacy. 

How much of your cooking is inspired by your travels and/or the people around you?

A great deal of my cooking is inspired by my travels and the people I meet along the way. Through my writing, I have had the privilege of travelling across different regions of India, learning from home cooks, local chefs, market traders and families who have generously shared their food, stories and traditions with me.

I am always fascinated by the way ingredients, flavours, and techniques evolve from one region to another. I bring those experiences together with my own memories, seasonal British produce and my personal approach to cooking.

The people around me have also shaped my food enormously, from my family and friends to the chefs I have worked alongside. For me, cooking is a continuous journey of learning, sharing and bringing different influences together.

Are there any chefs or individuals who’ve inspired your cooking style?

There are so many people who have inspired the way I cook, but my parents and the home cooks I have met throughout my life have had one of the greatest influences on me.

It would be difficult to name just one person because every journey, every conversation, and every meal teaches me something new. Whether it is a home cook sharing a family recipe, a chef introducing me to a regional technique or someone explaining the story behind a dish, each experience adds another layer to my understanding of food.

My cooking has been shaped by all of those people, alongside my own heritage, memories and experiences.

How did your childhood shape your approach to food?

My childhood exposed me to an incredible variety of food and flavours. I grew up in a steel-plant community and people like my father had come from many different states across India to work. Each family brought its own regional dishes, ingredients and cooking traditions, so from an early age I developed a broad understanding of how diverse Indian cuisine truly is.

Cricket was also a big part of my childhood and it introduced me to another aspect of food culture. The food shared during matches, from sandwiches and cakes to Indian street food, showed me how food can become part of an occasion and bring people together. 

Those experiences made me curious and open-minded, and they continue to influence my cooking today, which combines different flavours, memories and influences.

From publishing multiple books and appearing on TV to receiving an MBE, what’s been your greatest career achievement to date?

It's difficult to choose just one because every stage of my career has been meaningful in its own way. Opening my restaurant was a huge milestone, and seeing my first cookbook published after years of dedication made that moment even more special.

Since then, I have also had the privilege of becoming a regular presence across Television and Radio, from Ready Steady Cook and Saturday Kitchen with James Martin to presenting films for BBC One and programmes for BBC Radio 4. Each opportunity has allowed me to share my passion for Indian food with a wider audience, which has always been my goal.

Receiving an MBE was also a tremendous honour and recognition of my work in hospitality. Looking back, I am perhaps most proud of the journey itself, building a career over the past 20 years through hard work, persistence, and a belief in what I wanted to create.

You have two daughters - have they shown signs of following in your footsteps?

No, they haven’t shown any signs of following in my footsteps, but they are both wonderful cooks. They have been such an important part of my journey, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without them or my husband. If they ever decide to enter the industry one day, I’ll be there to support and guide them in any way I can.

You’re based in the Southwest - what are your top three dining spots for a special family celebration?

It’s difficult to choose just three as we are spoiled for choice in the South-West. For a special family celebration, my top picks would be Wilson’s the Lido and Dongnae, which serves fantastic Korean food. Little French, Raghu and Lapin are also some favourites of mine.