In an industry long dominated by men, chef Garima Arora's ascent has been nothing short of inspiring. Known for her innovative approach to Indian cuisine and her incredible achievement of retaining two Michelin stars at her Bangkok restaurant Gaa, Garima believes that it isn't just about a great menu and consistency, the secret lies in a core team that has grown alongside the restaurant, understanding how to deliver perfection with every dish.
Whether it's in navigating the challenges of motherhood while running two restaurants or mentoring the next generation of women chefs, Garima's approach is one of grit, intelligence and all about pushing the boundaries of what Indian cuisine can be while maintaining a respectful nod to its roots.
In a recent interview with Zee Zest, Garima emphasizes that a cohesive well-trained team is the at the heart of maintaining high standards, and her core team, which has been with her since the restaurant's inception plays a key role in upholding the Michelin-caliber experience at Gaa.
Edited excerpts:
1. Retaining two Michelin stars is an incredible achievement. What do you think has been the secret to maintaining such consistency?
There are a couple of things required to maintain consistency, and that’s the key to retaining those stars. One is the standardization of flavours as much as possible, along with standardization of the kitchen team, service, and delivery. As far as the food is concerned, there are many elements one has to consider. It has been easier for us, considering we've had the same core team since we opened the restaurant. So the team has grown with the restaurant and knows how to maintain those standards and ensure consistent delivery. I think the team is extremely important, and that’s the main key for me.
2. How do you balance innovation with staying true to the core principles of your restaurant, especially when it comes to maintaining Michelin star status?
It’s all intertwined - our innovation is our core principle in itself. We take traditional Indian techniques, flavours, and ingredients, and interpret them in a way that makes sense to the modern diner. This is the core principle. I strongly believe that the right cataloging of these traditional techniques and ingredients, and the right interpretation, is the next step for this cuisine, and it adds up and makes sense for us to do it. It is who we are, and it’s our core identity, which has brought us so much recognition.
3. What can guests expect from a meal at Gaa?
I always chase that feeling of eating something for the first time as a child. It’s not only your palate that wakes up at that moment, but you're also thinking about it, smelling it, seeing it, and touching it. That feeling of eating or seeing something for the very first time - that’s what we chase. The surprise element is what we try to recreate at Gaa every step of the way for our guests. Sometimes it’s in the combination of ingredients, sometimes it’s how we use an underdog ingredient and elevate it, or it could be a combination of flavours or a technique used in an unexpected way. Every step of the way, it’s always great to see guests smile, wonder, think, and be involved in different ways - not just by eating.
4. What are your favourite ingredients to work with?
I don’t have a particular favourite ingredient. I always like to see them for what they are worth. For each ingredient, there’s sometimes something that people are overlooking or taking for granted, and I think bringing that forward is what I enjoy. So, I don’t have one favourite ingredient, but every ingredient has a character that you can have fun with.
5. Do you think fine dining is becoming more accessible? Is it evolving into something that’s increasingly exclusive?
I think the term "fine dining" can be loosely defined. Everyone’s definition of fine dining continuously changes. Fine dining 10 years ago was about truffles and caviar, but now you can buy that at a supermarket. Whether it's ingredient-based, experience-based, or service-based, there are different ways to define fine dining, and it really depends on how you choose to see it. But for me, personally, fine dining is always food-forward—an experience that you can’t get anywhere else. It doesn’t depend on the money spent on it. Sometimes, it can literally be a small curry shop down the road, or it could be a 3-star restaurant. But it has to be an experience unique to that place. For me, that’s a fine dining experience. You can’t take the dining or the food aspect out of it, but I think people have their own sense of luxury, and what they define as luxury. So, to each their own.
6. Is there a particular ingredient or cooking technique you think will dominate soon?
I feel that Indian food, in general, is having its moment coming up. For the longest time, we’ve been exporting a version of Indian food that’s just curries and naans, but that’s soon going to change. That time is now coming.
7. The rise of women chefs in the culinary world has been significant. How do you see this change in terms of equality?
Nobody can force these things. This is par for the course. You have to understand the nature of this industry—it’s extremely physically demanding. It requires sacrificing your family time, and it’s an easy 16-18 hour job in the beginning, and even today, that’s the amount of time I spend. So, it’s not that there was a conspiracy to keep women out, but it just wasn’t a very women-friendly profession. There are many professions like that. But having said that, the nature of the job is changing. From being a very blue-collar job, it’s shifting to a more white-collar profession. You have more academicians and those with advanced education now entering the stream and making it a more cerebral profession. As this changes, and hours become less demanding, more women will join the industry. With so much recognition, there come certain responsibilities. Teaching women the importance of working hard and not focusing on gender is the best mentorship I can provide. You have to work toward improving your skills, and that’s the only way to survive in this industry. If you start blaming every shortcoming or failure on being a woman, then it’s not going to get you anywhere. Correctly mentoring young women to work on their skills is very important.
8. What challenges have you faced as a woman?
For me, the biggest challenge has been balancing my personal life and professional life. It’s very difficult to be a mother and have a family while also being in this profession. As mentioned, it’s 16 hours a day. Even today, when I run my own business and have some flexibility, it’s not just me who has helped me overcome this, It’s the people around me—my colleagues, the people who work for me, my husband, my parents. They’ve all given me tremendous support. They’re always there to pick up the ball. When my family needs me, my team is there, and when my work needs me, my family is there to help me. So, it’s really them, not just me.
9. Do you get time to unwind and recharge?
I’m a mother of two and run three different restaurants, so I don’t really have much time to recharge or unwind. However, I do take time for myself. I love working out, eating healthy, and taking care of myself, and I think that’s my way of unwinding.
10. Looking back at your culinary journey, what is the lesson you’ve learned that has had the most impact on your career?
Surrounding yourself with the right people who have the right moral compass is something I’ve learned along the way. In fact, one of my only mentors, Chevron Ney, once told me that a lot of people will want to get into business with you, but you have to make sure you don’t do it with the wrong people. They should have a good moral compass. Maybe at the time, I didn’t fully understand this, but today, in hindsight, I get it. I always surround myself with people who have strong character and integrity, and that’s very important to me.