Drop in at Chef Ritu Dalmia’s DIVA restaurant in Delhi’s Greater Kailash market and chances are, that you will end up ordering her too-lip-smacking-to-be-true gnocchi or indulge in the chocolate souffle which has been perfected over 25 years and has become a signature favourite of the Italian eatery’s loyal clientele.
Some things, like Chef Dalmia’s love for Italian food, never change and it shows when one dines at any of her restaurants, whether it is The Tasting Room by DIVA in collaboration with Good Earth in Mumbai or Motodo at Bandra Kurla Complex. With Cittamani in Milan, she introduced Italians to Indian flavours and with Atrangi in Dubai, she has brought regional Indian cuisine to the fore.
The industry stalwart whose culinary journey began from MezzeLuna in the capital in 1993, and continued with DIVA from 2000 onward, was punctuated with a detour in London where she enthralled her guests at her Indian fine dine restaurant Vama. She could not, however, resist the lure of returning to India and with her OG Italian restaurant, has created a legacy which has continued to make waves for over two decades.
With DIVA turning 25 this year, she has introduced a 25-Year Archival Menu which harks back to some memorable dishes from the past couple of years, such as tortelli with lamb sugo and grilled vegetable milefoglie. The award-winning chef and author of multiple cookbooks dives into her memories to share the early days of cooking Italian food for Dilliwallas and her vision for the next 25 years.
Edited excerpts:
1. Going back to the earliest days, what prompted this love affair with Italian cuisine, and how has it remained intact after all these years?
My love affair with Italian food started on a school trip to Rome when I was 10—I couldn’t get enough of spaghetti in tomato sauce and minestrone, so much so that I once hid in the airport toilets hoping to stay behind! Since then, Italy has called me back through family business trips, TV shows, catering, and now Cittamani in Milan. Every time I go, I make sure to try something new, discover something new, and bring that into our menu at DIVA.
2. When you opened DIVA 25 years ago in Delhi, did you anticipate the kind of popularity it would generate? Why do you think people lapped it up, literally?
Honestly, when I opened DIVA, I thought it would just be one little restaurant where I could cook, chat with guests, and enjoy the moment. I never really thought about the future — definitely not 25 years ahead! But here we are, and now I can happily say I’m looking forward to the next 25 years of DIVA.
3. What are some of the initial challenges you faced when you opened it? When did you realise that you had finally made it?
Oh, the early days? Gloriously chaotic. I’d smuggle cheese and olive oil from Italy, 33 types in one suitcase, don’t ask how, my chefs still laugh about it! Ingredients and good wines were hard to get, guests were sceptical, but DIVA was still better received than Mezzaluna. No single ‘we’ve made it’ moment, but selling a kilo of truffle one season and cooking for the Italian President? That’s when I knew we’d actually done something right.
4. In all your years of work in the F&B industry, there must have been tremendous learnings. Personally, what is the one thing which has remained constant through these years? And why do you think it still works for you?
If there’s one thing that has never changed, it’s that I’m a purist. I have never bastardised Italian food for my Indian audience, nor my Indian food for my Milanese or Dubai audience. What I do instead is choose cleverly—dishes that are authentic, yet approachable, so no one feels alienated. I’ll play with ingredients and textures, sure, but I stay true to the soul of the dish and the region it comes from. Because for me, hearty food on a plate still works better than any gimmick.
5. You delved into Indian regional food with Cittamani and Atrangi. What made you do it? How do you think it added value to even the Italian food you make?
I’ve always had a love affair with Italy, so of course, the Italian food. But when I hit my forties, I realised that I hadn’t mastered my own food. Old recipes and dishes my nieces and nephews wouldn't get to try because of how labour-intensive or just region-specific they were, that really shook me. So, I went back to my roots, and Cittamani and Atrangi are byproducts of that!
6. It must be a balancing act to keep your Indian food authentic while also catering to the global appeal. How do you manage to do that?
It’s not rocket science. I’ve never dumbed down Italian food for India, and vice versa for Indian food in Milan or Dubai, either. As I said before, authenticity always travels well.
7. You are not just a chef but an entrepreneur as well. Tell us about this balancing act. How do you manage to combine creativity with business acumen and still come out tops?
I'm a Marwari! (laughs)
8. What are some of your personal favourite spots to eat out in the cities and countries where you have your restaurants?
In Delhi, I can never resist the butter chicken at Moti Mahal. In Mumbai, it’s the pasta at Americano apart from DIVA, and I also love the creativity at Bombay Canteen. Milan is all about N’Ombra De Vin for me, and in Dubai, I always enjoy the biryani at Begum’s or the Time Out Market.
9. You have done so many things in life and continue to work doggedly, but is there something you wish you could do more or have time to do more?
I wish I could read and travel more. I do travel a lot for work, but I want to see every nook and corner of the world. Also, my home in Goa, with all my cats and dogs, I wish I could get to spend more than a week every month there with them.
10. Lastly, what are the plans for DIVA and the diva herself for the next few years to come?
I'm not a planner, never have been, so I don’t have a crystal-clear roadmap. What I do have is an incredible team of young, energetic, wildly creative people who are taking DIVA to the next level. And me? I plan to simply enjoy the next 25 years, let them do all the hard work, while I happily reap the benefits.