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'Delhi Has Eaten Enough Butter Chicken': Chef Ajay Chopra On Why Sobombae Is Different
'Delhi Has Eaten Enough Butter Chicken': Chef Ajay Chopra On Why Sobombae Is Different
Bombay has always been more than a city. It's a feeling shaped by migration, memory and an unapologetically bold food culture. With Sobombae, his newest dining venture in Gurgaon, renowned chef and culinary personality Ajay Chopra sets out to bring that feeling north, exactly as it tastes.
Rooted in the story of Erstwhile Bombay, when the city existed as seven scattered islands, Sobombae is a tribute to the communities that built its culinary identity over centuries – from Koli and Malwani kitchens to Parsi cafes, Bohri homes, Catholic and Anglo-Indian tables, Maharashtrian households, Gujarati farsan culture and South Indian coastal influences. The menu is intentionally loud, generous and unfiltered.
From Bombae Tapas designed for joyful sharing to deeply comforting curries, nostalgic desserts and cocktails inspired by the city's neighbourhoods, Sobombae is both a living archive and an emotional homecoming. Chef Chopra speaks to News18 about why Bombay belongs in Gurgaon, the risks of putting something deeply personal on the table, and why good food ultimately speaks only one language.
Sobombae opens in Gurgaon, not Mumbai. What made you start a Bombay-based restaurant here?
The idea really began with emotion. I've spent the last 15 years of my life in Bombay, and every time I came back to Delhi, people would ask, “Bombay se kya laaye ho?" One day, I thought—why not bring Bombay itself? When we started researching, we realised something troubling. For most people in Delhi NCR, Bombay food begins and ends with vada pav, pav bhaji and bhel puri. That's where the story stops. And that honestly saddened me, because Bombay has so much more to offer. For me, Sobombae became about bringing the erstwhile Bombay – its swagger, its depth, its food culture – to Gurgaon.
You've included food from specific communities that shaped Bombay. Which ones are represented on the menu?
As of now, we're showcasing food from seven communities, and this will continue to grow. We have Parsi cuisine, Bohri Muslim food, and East Indian cuisine, which itself includes Catholic and Anglo-Indian influences. There's also a strong Maharashtrian presence, including CKP flavours. Then there's what we call Ma-ka-Bo – Malad, Kandivali and Borivali – where many Gujarati communities settled. So you'll find dishes like kadhi khichdi and traditional farsan-inspired flavours. These seven communities come together to tell one story, but this is only the beginning. Sobombae will keep evolving.
Bombay has been interpreted endlessly in restaurants. What do most get wrong, and what does Sobombae get right?
I don't like saying others got it wrong, because Bombay is complex. It's layered, like a rose with many petals. Food is just one part of it. It's also fashion, business, lifestyle, and trade. Bombay has always been the country's gateway, its port, its financial engine. Things arrive there first and then travel outward. The problem is that Bombay often gets reduced to Bollywood or a few street foods. People don't go deeper into its cultural and culinary essence. Even the name tells a story – Bombay comes from Mumba Devi, and if you talk to people south of Bandra, many still call it Bombay, not Mumbai. That identity still matters. Even the name plays on that emotion – Sobombae. Bombay is bae. It's love. It's heart.
You've worn many hats and have shaped the food scene in India. Is Sobombae one of your most personal projects yet?
Every project I do carries a part of me, but Sobombae is personal because of where I am in life. The last 15 years have shaped me deeply – ten of those as an entrepreneur, and the five before that as an executive chef in Bombay. The city gave me a lot. To say that I am giving an ode to Bombay will be really stupid of me. I can't do that. But I do believe Delhi deserves a slice of it. Especially because so many people from Bombay and Maharashtra now live here and miss their food. That's why certain dishes are untouched. Akha masoor, for instance – you'll find it across Maharashtra's highways. Komdi vade is a personal favourite; I stop for it every time I travel. These are flavours I want people here to adopt, make their own, and understand beyond familiarity.
Was it nerve-wracking to put something so personal in front of a Delhi audience?
Of course. Delhi NCR is a fantastic food market, but it's also very specific. When it comes to Indian food, the comfort zone is Mughlai, Punjabi, and North Indian. That said, the flavours at Sobombae aren't alien. People may not have eaten them before, but they'll find emotional connections. During menu discussions, I was very clear. I didn't want butter chicken or paneer makhani. Not because they're bad, but because Delhi has eaten them enough. So we created Better Chicken and Better Paneer – not claiming superiority, just inviting people to try something new. But honestly, I believe Delhi loves good food, and it's ready to learn new food too.
Finally, if you had to sum up your food philosophy today, what would it be?
I've been cooking for 27 years, and every year still feels like a new year of learning flavours. Over time, I've realised something very simple: cooking has only one language – good taste. The Japanese call it oishii, English calls it delicious, Hindi calls it swadisht. If that emotion doesn't come through when you eat, something has gone wrong. And I firmly believe this – full restaurants serve great food. If your restaurant is full, pat yourself on the back. If it isn't, go back to the kitchen.
Source: News18
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