Chef
Gaurav Anand
- Discipline
- Chef
- Based in
- New York City, New York, United States
i. Biography
Gaurav Anand has been chef of Moti Mahal Delux in New York City since 2012, bringing a polished, long-viewed approach to Indian cooking that feels rooted in memory yet tuned to the pace and expectations of a city dining room. His career traces back to New Delhi, where an early stint with brother Saurabh Anand’s catering company at Saurabh Anand’s catering company offered the kind of formative, behind-the-scenes immersion that can shape a lifetime in hospitality: the rhythm of service, the demands of scale, the discipline of timing, and the instinct to make food feel generous and precise at once. From there, Anand built his own path, steadily expanding from kitchen work into a broader restaurateur’s role, with each venture marking another step in a career defined by ambition, continuity, and a clear sense of identity.
The Path
That progression is visible in the portfolio Anand has assembled over time. He is owner/restaurateur of Bhatti Indian Grill since 2009, owner/restaurateur of Moti Mahal Delux since 2012, owner/restaurateur of Baazi (formerly Awadh) since 2014, and founder of CGA since 2018. Read together, those dates sketch a professional arc that moves from singular early momentum to sustained expansion, with each name carrying a different facet of his culinary world. Bhatti Indian Grill, Moti Mahal Delux, and Baazi (formerly Awadh) suggest a restaurateur attentive not only to cooking, but to the atmosphere and personality a room can hold; CGA, founded in 2018, adds another layer to that ongoing enterprise. The through line is a career built with patience, repetition, and the confidence to keep widening the circle without losing the sense of origin.
The Work Today
Anand has led the kitchen at Moti Mahal Delux since 2012, and that long tenure suggests the kind of steady authority that can only come from years of showing up, calibrating, refining, and keeping standards intact service after service. In a restaurant landscape where trends move quickly and attention can be fleeting, the continuity of 2012 to the present gives his work a particular weight. It points to a chef whose presence is not merely managerial, but deeply embedded in the day-to-day life of the kitchen. The role demands a balance of consistency and responsiveness: the ability to preserve a restaurant’s identity while ensuring the food arrives with vigor, clarity, and the quiet assurance of someone who knows exactly what he wants each dish to be.
Signature
Gaurav's signature dishes include Mawey ki Seekh, Silbatta ki Shami, Nalli ka Rampuri Korma, and Beet tikkis. Even in a brief list, these dishes hint at a kitchen shaped by range and texture: the savory depth implied by Mawey ki Seekh, the careful craft suggested by Silbatta ki Shami, the richness carried in Nalli ka Rampuri Korma, and the contemporary lift of Beet tikkis. Together, they reflect a chef working across traditions and techniques, with a menu vocabulary that can move from luxurious, slow-cooked intensity to sharper, more modern expressions. The variety is part of the appeal: a sense that the cooking is not bound to one note, but instead speaks in several registers, each distinct yet connected by the same disciplined hand.
Acclaim
Gaurav's honors include 2-star review from The New York Times. For a chef whose career has been defined by longevity, ownership, and a sustained presence at Moti Mahal Delux since 2012,
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Gaurav
Where did Gaurav Anand work before?
Gaurav Anand's earlier career included Saurabh Anand’s catering company.
What recognition has Gaurav Anand received?
2-star review from The New York Times (2012).
