The hands-on success

Bukhara, possibly the most famous Indian restaurant in the world, is 45 years old this year. No rice, no cutlery, huge kababs and legendary dal. How do they pull it off?

- VIR SANGHVI

Bukhara, which will begin celebrating its 45th anniversary this weekend, is now the most famous Indian restaurant in the world. Nearly every US President since Bill Clinton has eaten Bukhara's food. So have many British Prime Ministers, including Tony Blair, who praised the kababs. Bukhara claims that even Prince Philip, hardly my idea of a global gourmet, liked the murg malai tikka.

The restaurant's fans include such rock stars as Mick Jagger. Among the world's greatest chefs, it is a legend. Massimo Bottura loved it. So did Mauro Colagreco. When I took Heston Blumenthal for dinner there, it turned out that not only had he been there before, he also knew JP Singh, the chef. The two men had a conversation about the right time to add the yogurt to a marinade. What Heston hadn't eaten before was Bukhara's giant naan. (I still have the picture!)

There are thousands of restaurants selling kababs in Delhi. So, what makes Bukhara special? Certainly, no one had expected Bukhara to reach these heights when the restaurant opened in 1978. It was actually an afterthought. AN Haksar, the legendary former chairman of ITC, had long dreamt of opening a spectacular Delhi hotel. He wanted Delhi's Maurya to be known for the excellence of its food.