I sat down with Chef Jerry Thomas at the newly opened P.F. Chang’s in Gurgaon’s DLF Cyber Hub for a conversation about the outlet, the thought behind the space and the menu, and essentially to understand what folks in Delhi can expect the food to be like. I expected the conversation to be short and sweet and very much on the subject. What I got instead was an entire podcast-worth of his insights on the Indian food and beverages scene, his hot takes on coffee, chai, and feni, and a certain mutual nerdiness about the food market that only comes from a place of passion (from him) and intrigue (from me).
If you are not familiar with the man behind some of your favourite restaurants, allow me to put a face to the immaculate vibes. Chef Jerry heads Ministry of Crab, Pizza Express, The Runway Project, The Bandra Project, Chilis India, and now P.F. Chang’s. While sharing his favourites in the Indian food scene, he admits that he is a ‘Bombay Boy’ through and through, although he has fond memories of Delhi from his days at Oberoi Hotels. He is not finding his footing back in the city slowly and steadily.
What I loved most about the conversation was that although we were clearly there to talk about P.F. Chang’s, I can confidently say he neither showed any bias nor made attempts to stick to the subject, and gave recommendations he genuinely believes in. And you know, at LBB, we love it when at the heart of it all lies the hunt for a good experience and an earnest recommendation.
Here are some of Chef Jerry Thomas’ favourite local spots, mostly in Delhi and Mumbai.
