Zorawar Kalra is the son of legendary culinary expert Jiggs Kalra, the Indian restaurateur, food columnist, television host and author who was widely known as the “Czar of Indian Cuisine”. Carrying forward his father’s legacy, Zorawar Kalra launched Massive Restaurants Pvt. Ltd. in December 2012. The group operates several popular dining brands, including Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra, Made in Punjab, Farzi Cafe, Pa Pa Ya, KODE, MasalaBar, BBQ’D and BO-TAI.

In an upcoming episode of the Table 1 with Vir Sanghvi podcast, Zorawar Kalra engages in a candid conversation about building one of India’s most influential restaurant groups. The origins of Masala Library prompt Sanghvi to ask a provocative question: Is poaching chefs fair game?

Kalra opens up about recruiting chefs Himanshu Saini and Saurabh Udinia from Indian Accent early in their careers to help build Masala Library, and explains why he never viewed the move as “stealing”.

“We didn’t steal them, we poached them,” Zorawar Kalra says.

Known for redefining modern Indian cuisine, Kalra explains why he believed betting on young talent was worth the risk, how both chefs went on to become globally celebrated names, and why Masala Library became an instant success with hundreds of calls daily and weeks-long waiting lists.

“At that time, there were two restaurants in the world that were doing modern Indian food. There was Gaggan, and then we had this wonderful Indian Accent,” he says.

Spotting what he calls the “low-hanging fruit”, Kalra recruited Himanshu and Saurabh, whom he describes as “fabulous chefs, arguably the greatest duo in Indian kitchens”.

For the unversed, Chef Himanshu Saini is now an internationally acclaimed Indian chef based in Dubai. He led Tresind Studio to its third Michelin star, making it the first Indian restaurant in the world to achieve the distinction.

Meanwhile, Chef Saurabh Udinia, who has earned international recognition from the World’s 50 Best Restaurants and the Michelin Guide, is known for his innovative approach to Indian cuisine. He has conceptualised, developed and executed restaurants including Masala Library, Farzi Cafe, MasalaBar, KODE and Rivers2Oceans.

Reflecting on Masala Library’s early success, Kalra reveals: “In about three weeks from the day we opened, we were getting about 300-400 calls a day. We were sold out for weeks in advance.”

From spotting promising talent to creating successful restaurant brands, Kalra’s journey reveals the vision behind his culinary empire.