Vivek Singh (chef)

Vivek Singh (born 6 May 1971) is an Indian celebrity chef and restaurateur. He is the CEO and Executive Chef of five London-based restaurants specializing in modern Indian cuisine. Singh makes regular appearances on BBC's '' Saturday Kitchen'', and has been featured on '' Madhur Jaffrey's Curry Nation'', '' At Home with Rachel Allen'', '' My Kitchen Rules UK'' and various NDTV Good Times programs.

Early life and education

Singh was raised in a coal-mining community in West Bengal, India, where his father worked as an engineer. He attended St. Patrick’s Higher Secondary School in Asansol.

Singh studied at the Institute of Hotel Management, IHM Pusa in New Delhi from 1990 to 1993. In 1993, he was selected for the Oberoi Centre for Learning and Development, training at the Maidens Hotel and Oberoi flight services.

Career

After completing his training in 1995, Singh was appointed to the Oberoi Flight Services in Mumbai. He later worked at the Oberoi Grand in Kolkata and oversaw operations at Gharana, a restaurant specializing in royal Indian cuisine.

In 1998, he became the Indian chef at Rajvilas in Jaipur, where he met Iqbal Wahhab. A discussion between them about applying French cooking techniques to Indian cuisine led to the establishment of Singh’s first restaurant in London.

Singh co-founded The Cinnamon Club in London in 2001, his first restaurant in the UK. Since then, he has opened several restaurants under the Cinnamon brand.

In 2015, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Warwick for his contributions to Indian cuisine in the UK.

Restaurants

The Cinnamon Club

In 2001, Singh opened his first Indian restaurant, The Cinnamon Club, in London. The Cinnamon Club has been listed as one of the "Best Indian Restaurants" by the SquareMeal food guide in London, UK.

Cinnamon Kitchen & Anise

Upon the opening of his second restaurant, Cinnamon Kitchen & Anise, in 2008, food critic Fay Maschler described Vivek Singh as "a gifted cook creating striking and exciting dishes".

Cinnamon Kitchen Battersea

In 2018
Singh
expanded his modern Indian dining concept with Cinnamon Kitchen Battersea, located in the iconi
Battersea Power Station
development. The restaurant blends bold Indian flavours with contemporary design, reflecting Singh’s signature style in a vibrant new setting

Cinnamon Soho

In 2012
Singh
opened his third restaurant, Cinnamon Soho, and published his fourth cookbook, ''Cinnamon Kitchen: The Cookbook''. Guy Dimond, a food critic at ''Time Out'', remarked that "Singh is a master of flavor" and is "highly innovative".

Cinnamon Bazaar

The restaurant opened in Covent Garden in 2016. In 2017, it was listed in the Bib Gourmand, which noted it " fferingboth high-quality food and good value for money ..

Cinnamon Bazaar Richmond

This vibrant and eclecti
Cinnamon Bazaar
known for blending Indian flavours with global influences, opened its doors in the heart of Richmond in the winter of 2024. Situated in this picturesque Richmond, the restaurant brings an innovative dining experience inspired by the bustling marketplaces of India

Cinnamon Kitchen Oxford (closed permanently in 2021)

The fifth restaurant in the Cinnamon Collection opened in 2017. This was Singh's first restaurant in the UK located outside of London.

Public appearances

In 2006, Singh was invited to Hangar 7 in Salzburg, Austria, where he collaborated with Chefs Eckart Witzigmann and Roland Trettl.

In 2007, Singh helped recreate an Indian-inspired sausage based on Daljit Singh's childhood memories.

In 2011, Singh was invited to Gourmet Abu Dhabi to showcase modern Indian cuisine. He was also a guest speaker on Maharaja Express "A passage through India" with Allan Jenkins.

The following year, Singh was invited to New York City for a week-long pop-up event at Desmond's NYC.

Charity work

In 2008, Singh became an ambassador for Wooden Spoon, a rugby charity supporting underprivileged children. Singh collaborated with former rugby union players Jason Leonard, Martin Offiah, Lee Mears and Nick Easter to raise funds through an event called Scrum Dine With Me.

Singh has worked with Action Against Hunger since 2002, hosting an annual Diwali Charity Event in their aid. He also supports Find Your Feet and participates in yearly campaigns to raise awareness through the Curry for Change campaign. Singh works with The Prince's Trust charity, Mosaic Network, which aims to inspire young people from deprived communities to realize their talents and potential. Other supported charities include the Asian Restaurants Skills Board, which aims to attract new talent to the Indian restaurant sector through college courses, work experience placements, and apprenticeships.

Controversy

In 2008, Singh created a dish for Virgin Media, which the company claimed was the world's hottest, to promote a new Bollywood movie channel. The claim generated debate, as other curry house owners disputed it. Singh commented that while the dish was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records, measuring the "hottest" curry was subjective. The dish was named The Bollywood Burner.

Personal life

In May 1997, Singh married Archana in Bilaspur, India. They have two children; Eshaan (born October 2001) and Maya (born July 2006). Singh resides with his wife and two children in South London.

Cookbooks

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References

External links

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Cinnamon Kitchen & AniseCinnamon BazaarMy Kitchen Rules
– Episode 39 (Channel 4), with guest judge Vivek Singh

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Vivek
1971 births
Living people
Chefs of Indian cuisine
Indian restaurateurs
Indian television chefs
British television chefs
English television chefs
Food Network chefs
Indian emigrants to the United Kingdom
Indian cookbook writers
People from Asansol
British cookbook writers