We're helping you get to know some of the biggest disruptors in London food and drink, from the rogue chefs and the tastemakers to the trendsetters and the hospitality history redefiners. When it comes to Indian fine dining in London, we knew we had to talk to one man: Vivek Singh from the Cinnamon Collection. From his chaat to the appetite for new restaurant openings, get to know the name behind 6 of London's best dining spots.
Photo: Vivek Singh.
Tell us who you are and what you do.
I am Vivek Singh, Executive Chef and Founder of The Cinnamon Collection – in 2001 I opened The Cinnamon Club and started the wave of Indian fine dining in the country. My culinary style marries modern Indian flavours with Western techniques. I run six restaurants, author of six cookbooks, and sometimes on TV and live cookery events – I live and breathe the Cinnamon Collection, I am Mr Cinnamon.
Tell us more about the Cinnamon Collection, and why people should visit.
The Cinnamon Collection is a group of damn fine Indian restaurants and has been for the past 20+ years. There’s a lot of good Indian food in London, but there is still very little which combines the best of both worlds like Cinnamon does. We’re the bridge between two cultures and you’ll find dishes, ingredients and experiences that are truly unique and cross-cultural.
If anyone is ordering just one dish from any of the restaurants in the Cinnamon Collection, which one and why?
Just one dish is a bit cruel, we always encourage feasting! At The Cinnamon Club you always be advised to try one of the game dishes, it could be in the form of venison or grouse when it’s in season you won't find anything else like it.
At our Cinnamon Kitchen restaurants, try a couple of dishes from the grill, you can miss the Thrill of the Grill menu if there is anything in particular, opt for the pork ribs or if you veggie, then the grilled aubergine with sesame tamarind and peanut crumble.
If you heading to one of our Cinnamon Bazaar restaurants either in Covent Garden or Richmond, then you must try one of our renowned chaat dishes. We are actually hosting the UK's first-ever chaat eating challenge at Cinnamon Bazaar Richmond to celebrate the star of Indian street food come on down and try and inhale as many Pani Puris as you can in just two minutes.
The thrill of the grill at the Cinnamon Collection.
If you're heading anywhere after a shift at Cinnamon Collection, where are you going and why?
Oh gosh, this is a tough one, the team at Cinnamon Kitchen City usually hang out at The Magpie just outside of Devonshire Square post-shift - an iconic British pub which has all you need to decompress after a busy service.
What are your thoughts on the London restaurant scene at the moment?
Mental! From a supply perspective, the scene is the best it ever been in terms of the depth and breadth of restaurants and the variety of cuisines as strong as it has ever been! From an operator point of view and after speaking to many operators in the industry, it may not feel like it is the most robust at the moment and yet still new restaurants are opening, so there is a lot of appetite.
What does the London restaurant scene have above other cities in the world?
In my opinion, the London restaurant scene beats any other city hands down, whether it be nationally or internationally. There may be other cities where you can find great restaurants but outside of London I personally struggle to beat it, especially considering the breadth and depth of restaurants in London. For instance, in London you will find a Japanese restaurant just as good as any, if not even better than what you can find in Japan, same goes for Italian, Chinese etc pretty much any cuisine under the sun.
Finally, if you could only use one ingredient for all of your dishes for the rest of time, which is it and why?
Can I change this ingredient from time to time for the rest of time!? If not, I would have to say turmeric. It is so versatile; it has many health benefits and I am sure I could probably make it last until I am at least 100. It makes every dish so bright and adds so much colour to a dish that could look rather beige without it.
For more great restaurants in London, check out our guide.
