Chef
Chintan Pandya
- Discipline
- Chef
- Based in
- New York City, New York, United States
- Venue
- Dhamaka · Restaurant
i. Biography
The Climb
Training at the Oberoi Centre for Learning and Development gave Chintan Pandya a disciplined base: fundamentals first, technique carried cleanly, no excess covering weak execution. That foundation shows up in the way his cooking reads as precise rather than decorative, with a focus on clarity, appetite, memory, and regional specificity. The international stretch that followed moved through Yantra in Singapore and then Junoon in New York City, where Pandya was executive chef from 2016–2017. Those years widened the frame of his work and sharpened the register of his cooking, with each role adding weight to a style that relied on control, repetition, and a firm point of view. At Rahi in New York City from 2017, that point of view became more legible. The progression to chef-partner at Unapologetic Foods in New York City carried the same line forward: a career built step by step, with each move reinforcing the same disciplined approach rather than breaking from it. Since 2022, Pandya has been executive chef of Adda Indian Canteen and partner of Masalawala & Sons in New York City. The work attached to those titles is immediate and direct, with regional Indian cooking presented with conviction and without ornament that gets in the way of the plate. “This is the only profession where I could eat as much as I want and get paid for it.” Chintan has said.
Today
Regional Indian cuisine sits at the center of Pandya’s current work, but the emphasis is on specificity rather than broad category. In Chintan Pandya’s kitchens, the dishes hold onto their regional character, their memory cues, and their appetite-driven purpose instead of being flattened into a generic shorthand.
Signature
Pandya’s signature dishes point to range without losing the line of the cooking. Dum Ki Biryani depends on timing and balance; Kulfi lands with a restrained finish; Aloo Matar (Indian Potato and Green Pea Curry) leans into warmth and depth; Rowdy Rooster Fried Chicken Sandwiches bring a more playful register; and Lamb Boti Kebabs with Mint Chutney add brightness and lift. Taken together, they show a cook moving between comfort, precision, and a sharper modern edge.
Recognition
Chintan's honors include Best Chef: New York State, F&W Game Changers, and New York City Rising Stars Award Winner (2019). The recognition tracks with a career built on consistency: not volume, but a distinct culinary voice that has held across the restaurants and dishes most closely tied to him.
Profile updated August 2026
FAQ
Asked of Chintan
Where did Chintan Pandya train or study?
Chintan Pandya trained at Oberoi Centre for Learning and Development.
What recognition has Chintan Pandya received?
Best Chef: New York State.
