Asia is one food-crazy continent! We take great care to pick restaurants based on culinary vibes, rankings on international gourmand guides, mentions in magazines, Instagrammability, and added hunger. Yes, Chef! features the region’s chefs’ stories of love and labour in kitchens that have made some of our restaurants the next big thing in Asia.

From kitchen dreams to Michelin Stars, the journey of INDDEE's Chef Sachin Poojary is a remarkable tale intertwined with passion and an insatiable curiosity for culinary excellence. From achievements including earning the One Knife (Excellent) award and being named Chef of the Year 2026 in Thailand, to culminating in the receipt of Two Michelin Stars this year — what an impressive array of milestones.

Hailing from Mumbai, India, Chef Sachin has cultivated a profound understanding of Indian cuisine, deeply rooted in traditional flavors and techniques, given his early exposure and intuitive grasp of the culinary arts. His extensive experience garnered from esteemed kitchens such as Mumbai's Taj Mahal Palace and Morimoto has refined his ability to seamlessly blend traditional Indian flavors with innovative global techniques, crafting a distinctive culinary experience.

At INDDEE, Chef Sachin curates tasting menus that delve into the rich tapestry of India's culinary heritage, offering dishes that not only reflect deep historical significance but also celebrate unique ingredient combinations. Each plate serves as a testament to his culinary mastery and passion for curating memorable dining experiences.

Nestled in a side alleyway, INDDEE stands as a cultured tribute where timeless charm elegantly merges with contemporary, bold flavors. Spanning over two floors of a century-old townhouse, the restaurant weaves a narrative through its various spaces — featuring a bustling live kitchen, an impressive wine cellar, exquisite dining rooms with intricate detailings, and a stunning glasshouse. The refined and tranquil ambiance of INDDEE invites diners to indulge in a culinary journey that showcases the vibrant regional influences and aromatic flavors of India, engaging the senses at every turn. Since its establishment in June 2023, INDDEE has rapidly ascended to prominence, earning a Michelin Star within months and garnering high praise for its consistency and innovation.

In an enlightening conversation with The Beat Asia, Chef Sachin Poojary delves into the art of maintaining excellence, delivering quality service, and nurturing a sense of curiosity among diners. He underscores the importance of staying true to his creative vision while continuously evolving his menu with innovative dishes. Rather than succumbing to fleeting trends, they prioritize impeccable hospitality and meticulous selection of high-quality ingredients. To enhance the dining experience, he carefully curates intriguing stories, fostering a spirit of curiosity and infusing an element of delight into each guest's culinary journey.

What inspired you to pursue a career in the culinary arts?

I was introduced to professional kitchens at a very young age through my father, who worked at the Taj. Seeing the rhythm, the discipline, and the dynamics of the back-of-house fascinated me, and I knew early on that I wanted to be part of that world.

Do you remember your first experience in the kitchen? What was the first dish you ever cooked?

Reflecting on my first experience in the kitchen always brings a smile to my face. It was in 2000, during my industrial training at Tanjore — now known as LOYA — at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai.

My first task was to clean and blanch 60 kgs of spinach. I had the privilege of learning from a talented Maharashtrian cook named Koli, who showed me the importance of technique in handling such large quantities. He taught me how to blanch the spinach with salt and baking soda to preserve its vibrant color and how to refresh it in ice water before pureeing it. That spinach puree became the base for my first à la carte dish: Palak Paneer.

How did growing up in Mumbai and working at Wasabi by Morimoto shape your perspective on and influence your relationship with Indian cuisine? Has that perspective changed since moving to Thailand?

Growing up in Mumbai shaped my understanding of Indian cuisine in a very instinctive way. It is a city where food is everywhere, deeply regional, deeply emotional, and part of everyday life. That early exposure gave me a natural familiarity with traditional recipes, flavors, and techniques, without overthinking them. My formal training at the Taj’s Kitchen Management Program then gave structure to that knowledge. It grounded me in the fundamentals and exposed me to the vast depth of Indian cuisine, from classical preparations to regional nuances, all executed with rigor and respect.

My time at Wasabi by Morimoto at The Taj Mahal Palace, and later at Morimoto in New York, added a completely different lens. Japanese cuisine taught me discipline, precision, and restraint. It showed me how refinement comes from respecting ingredients, understanding their quality, and knowing when to do less rather than more. That experience reshaped my relationship with Indian cuisine. It gave me the tools to refine it, without losing its soul.

Moving to Thailand marked another shift. Being outside India forced me to look at my home cuisine from an outsider’s perspective and to translate it for a global palate. At INDDEE in Bangkok, I bring together my Indian roots and Japanese training to interpret very traditional recipes in a creatively simple way. The essence remains authentic, but the expression is more focused, more precise, and shaped by all my past experiences.

When INDDEE opened, it earned its first Michelin star within just a few months. This year, INDDEE achieved the prestigious Two Michelin Stars. What do you believe has been the key to your success? What hurdles or milestones have shaped your journey to this point?

From the beginning at INDDEE, we were very clear about what we wanted to express: a journey across India that is rooted in tradition, yet refined, creative, and relevant in a fine dining context. Our foundation was strong from day one, with the hardware we had, the ingredients we worked with, and the team we gathered, and all their skills and past experiences. Also, we had a clear path ahead, and we were dedicated to improving the experience as we went along from the start. The second star, I guess, came from this continuous refinement of every detail, staying disciplined, consistent, and never compromising on quality. 

The hurdles? Sourcing authentic, high-quality spices from India. The soul of our cuisine depends on distinctive spices, herbs, and produce. We source them from GI-tagged Indian farms, but it requires continuous effort and maintaining close relationships with Indian suppliers. Staying creative and continuously evolving and coming up with new dishes and ideas while maintaining daily service and tasks is also a constantly demanding process. But the goals we reach along the way ground us and reassure us that the path we have chosen and the decisions we make are in the right direction.

As a reputable Two-Michelin-star restaurant, how do you maintain excellence, quality service, and a sense of curiosity among diners?

At INDDEE, we are focused on consistency and our own vision, not chasing trends. Getting the fundamentals right every day is one thing, from sourcing the best ingredients to introducing engaging techniques that also make the best out of the ingredients you work with.

Hospitality is another aspect. As much as we are a fine dining restaurant, we are a home, and we invite you to it. A lot of our guests value our attentive service and the warm, welcoming feeling. Curiosity, I’d say, comes from the journey itself. The stories we handpick for the journey are all interesting stories we tell at the table. We include some engagement along the way where guests can also shape their journey individually, and that adds to the fun of discovery.

Can you share the inspiration behind the ten-course menu at INDDEE?

The ten-course menu at INDDEE is a journey across India. It covers different regions and aspects of Indian cuisine, stories that describe its layers and influences that shaped its distinctive dishes.

The bites in the beginning are an ode to different street foods of India and different techniques. The whole menu is intended to make you feel like you’ve travelled India, hopefully with a taste for more.

The dish “Parsi Love Affair” was recognized as a favorite by Michelin inspectors in The Michelin Guide Thailand 2026. Could you tell us about the inspiration behind this dish?

Parsi Love Affair is a story of the Parsi community’s love for eggs. The Parsi cuisine reflects both Persian heritage and Indian influence, and central to their food culture is a love for eggs. They serve them often layered over vegetables, meats, or curries, and eat them every day, for comfort or to celebrate different occasions.

So, we took the Parsi classic, most famous egg recipe for Akuri — soft, spiced scrambled eggs — and transformed it into a delicate chawanmushi, the Japanese savoury custard. We stuffed it with raisins, macadamia nuts, and seared shimeji mushrooms. Then, we crown the custard with smoked sugar snap peas, carrot specks, slow-roasted tomato jus, smoked Japanese vinegar, and Oscietra caviar, which we earlier smoked in-house.

What are some of the milestones that you feel transformed your journey as a Chef?

Reflecting on my journey as a chef, there were several key milestones that have transformed my culinary path. My passion for cooking began in my childhood, influenced by my grandparents, who were event caterers in Mangalore. Each summer vacation, I would assist them in the kitchen when they cooked over a traditional wood fire. Additionally, my father’s 40-year tenure at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel made me accompany him to the hotel every couple of months. I was mesmerized by the professional chefs at work and that whole environment, which led me to pursue a culinary career.

Growing up, I actively volunteered during local temple festivals and special occasions, helping the temple team prepare and serve meals. This hands-on experience reinforced my love for community and the joy of sharing food with others.

Then, a significant turning point in my career came in 2004 when I joined the prestigious Taj Mahal Palace Hotel's Chef Trainee Program and was posted at Wasabi by Morimoto, where I honed my skills. After two years of intensive training, I was honored to be recognized as the best chef trainee among a cohort of 24 talented chefs, and this landed me an opportunity to train at the Morimoto restaurant in New York City, which expanded my culinary horizons and built a solid foundation for the chef I am today.

If you could name a favorite ingredient, what would it be?

It would be the Kashmiri morel. Locally known as Gucchi, due to their exceptional flavor profile, unique, meaty but delicate texture, and rarity associated with them being a wild, foraged ingredient.

What is your go-to comfort food?

Khichdi is my go-to comfort food. In our cuisine, it is a symbol of tradition. It evokes feelings of home, it’s nourishing — a simple pleasure.

What is next on your bucket list in terms of any culinary directions you're interested in exploring?

Northeast India!

To learn more about Chef Sachin Poojary, follow him on Instagram. For more information on INDDEE, check out their website and follow them on Instagram.

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