Meet Kiran Suvarna, the executive chef at Orelle, which was recently named Best Restaurant In Birmingham at the British Restaurant Awards 2024
Tell us about your cooking
My culinary journey reflects a profound connection to mother nature, respect for top quality produce and commitment towards the art of cooking. I truly believe that if you cook with the best ingredients, you’ll produce the best dish and provide a great culinary experience. My dishes are clean, modern, light and fresh and I like to use techniques that will extract maximum flavour from the key ingredients. Knowing where produce comes from is important to me – where possible I like to source ingredients locally.
How did you become a chef?
I was born in Mumbai and my earliest food memories were visiting the coastal town of Mangalore each summer. We used to cook fresh fish on the BBQ and were surrounded by lush green paddy fields filled with cocoa, vanilla, and peppercorn trees. It was a family effort to harvest all these ingredients and it was here I found my passion for fresh, high-quality and seasonal produce. My mother had a huge influence on my decision to pursue cooking as a career. I have fond memories of her cooking delicious dishes at home from humble ingredients.
After moving to the UK, I completed a degree in hospitality and have now worked in the industry for 21 years. I first joined D&D Group in 2009, working as a chef de partie at London’s La Pont de la Tour. I trained under Lee Bennet, who is currently global culinary director for the Gordon Ramsay Group. I honed my craft under chef Lee, also moving to Singapore with him to learn about Asian cooking styles.
I completed stints in restaurants and hotels in Singapore and Mumbai, before moving back to London and re-joining D&D in 2022. I ran restaurants including German Gymnasium, Skylon and returned to Le Pont de la Tour, before moving to the West Midlands to take up the role of executive chef at Orelle.
What do you eat at home?
Simple meals based on rice, pulses, and legumes. I do a lot of fermentation at home, including cultured milk, kombucha and fermented savoury crepes, which are really good for your gut. I love to bake my own breads at home, I have had a sourdough bread culture for over 12 years that I’ve preserved, I bring it along wherever I move.
Who’s the best chef in the world and why? And who’s the best in Brum?
I was very fortunate to work alongside chef Jason Atherton who has achieved the pinnacle in culinary gastronomy and currently holds two Michelin stars. I also admire my mentor chef Lee Bennett – we still travel around trying new restaurants together today. I think the best chef in Birmingham is Luke Tipping from Simpsons. I was lucky enough to cook for him at Orelle and he welcomed me to Birmingham. It was great to chat to him about the region’s food scene.
Share a cooking tip
Brine your meat or fish to improve the flavour and texture. Make up a brine using a 10:1 ratio (1litre water to 100g salt) and then you can add flavours such as garlic, spices or strong herbs like thyme or rosemary. Another important tip is to taste everything!
What was your favourite food as a kid?
Mum’s home cooked Sunday roast lunches were part of childhood. We used to have savoury crepes, chicken curries, seafood and rice pudding. I also have fond memories of her preserving delicious jams and jellies and making sorbet or ice cream.
Food heaven and food hell?
Heaven is a dish cooked with the simplest and freshest of ingredients. Hell is anything with mock meats – to me plant-based diets should be made of ingredients in their freshest forms.
What’s the most unusual thing you’ve eaten?
Bugs in Thailand. It’s a delicacy there, so I had to try them. I also had cod sperm on my tasting menu in Singapore.
If you weren’t a chef, what would you be?
I couldn’t think of being anything but a chef!