30th October 2021
Chourangi, the UK debut from chef-turned Indian restaurateur Anjan Chatterjee and his Speciality Restaurants group, has opened in London’s Marylebone.
Chatterjee is the founder and managing director of the India-based Speciality group, which operates 130 restaurants across five countries but none in Britain.
Its first UK venture, Chatterjee has teamed up close friend and airline and tech entrepreneur Aditya Ghosh to come up with a Calcutta cuisine concept.
“We came up with the concept over a meal in one of my restaurants a couple of years ago and decided to bring the unexplored flavours of Calcutta to London – the food capital of the world,” said Chatterjee, who will personally source every ingredient used at the restaurant. Taking its name from Chowringhee, the oldest and most vibrant quarter of Calcutta, Chourangi will be spread across 2,900 square feet at 3 Old Quebec Street.
It will specialise in Calcuttan cuisine, which is a unique blend of British, Dutch, Armenian, French, Portuguese and Chinese flavours forged over a 300-year history. Dishes will feature Chatterjee’s own five-spice rub and Aam Kasundi mustard, while Surjan Singh, otherwise known as “Chef Jolly”, has come on board as culinary director following a stint with the Marriott hotel group.
The Chourangi site is part of Marylebone’s Portman Estate, which in April also added Japanese restaurant Roketsu, Mexican restaurant KOL, Pizza Pilgrims, So French Deli and Nobu Hotel London Portman Square to its line-up.