From the Front Desk to the Dining Room – What Indian Fine Dining Looks Like in 2025
Namaste – I’m Atul Joshi, General Manager at Colonel Saab.
If you’ve dined with us before, chances are I’ve greeted you, rearranged your chair before you sat down, and clocked your reaction to the first sip of your cocktail – all before your starter arrived. That’s my job: I pay attention. Not just to people, but to patterns, preferences, the pace of the industry.
When I moved to London years ago, Indian food here was either street-style and scrappy or draped in white linen but stripped of soul. Not many places could balance warmth, refinement, and authenticity. Fast forward to now – and Indian fine dining in London has finally found its stride. It's no longer just about elevating the cuisine – it's about restoring the respect it always deserved.
Colonel Saab is a part of that movement. But we’ve never chased trends. We’re here to honour them, and sometimes, quietly set them.
Then vs Now: A Shift in Expectations
I remember the days when fine dining meant foie gras and French accents. Indian food wasn’t considered “elevated” unless it had microgreens and a menu with more French than Hindi.
But something changed. Diners started asking better questions. They wanted to know the difference between Awadhi and Rajasthani cooking. They wanted to understand where their lamb was from, not just whether it was spicy. Suddenly, Indian food didn’t need to adapt to the Western palate – the Western palate wanted to learn Indian.
It was about time.
Where Colonel Saab Stands in This Story
Colonel Saab didn’t launch with fireworks or gimmicks. It began with a story – one that belonged to Colonel Manbeer and Binny Choudhary. Their son, Roop, built this restaurant as a tribute to their travels across India, collecting recipes art, and memories along the way.
Everything here is curated with intent. The chandeliers came from royal homes. The recipes were shared by ladies and aunties who Roop met during the postings of his father while retracing his dad’s steps – from temple cooks, palace chefs, roadside geniuses. And I mean that literally – I’ve met some of them.
My job is to make sure that when guests walk into this space – which we also call the extended living room of Colonel Saab – whether it's Holborn or Trafalgar Square – they feel that depth. That thoughtfulness. From the welcome at the door to the weight of the cutlery, the staff is also trained to take care of the guest on a personal level as we welcome people into our home.
What Makes Indian Fine Dining Work Today
It’s not gold leaf. It’s not molecular chutney. It’s care. It’s storytelling. And it’s precision.
The new generation of diners are smart. They can spot a plate that’s all show and no soul. So at Colonel Saab, we don’t pretend. We serve real dishes, from real places, with polish – not pretence.
Take our Falahari Curry Kofta, for example. Rolls of lotus stem, beetroot and raisin, gently folded into a mild curry, topped with crisp potato and a little green cress. It’s vegan, yes – but more importantly, it’s luxurious in texture, balanced in flavour, and full of intent. Nothing on that plate is an afterthought.
That’s what today’s Indian fine dining is about: doing things properly, not loudly.
Looking Ahead – Without Losing Our Roots
The future of Indian fine dining isn’t fusion. It’s focus. It’s remembering the why and the whos behind every dish – there is a story behind everything. It’s having a sommelier who understands how to pair a Barolo with Laal Maas without blinking.
We’ll keep evolving, of course. Menus change. Techniques sharpen. But at the core of it? It’s still about offering a dining experience that respects where we come from, where we are now, and the journey we have gone through with all of our guests.
Come and Experience It
If you haven’t visited us yet – or if it’s been a while – I invite you to join us at Colonel Saab. Whether you’re here for a business lunch, a date night, or just to eat something you can’t pronounce but won’t forget, we’ll be ready to create stories for you and memories with you.
Just don’t be surprised if I remember your favourite seat.
See you soon,
Atul Joshi
General Manager, Colonel Saab
