Sameer Taneja

Coming Up

The first kitchen line was The Oberoi Rajvilas in Jaipur, where Sameer Taneja started as a commis chef. From there, the work moved to England at Restaurant One O One, where London service became part of the daily rhythm. He then became head chef at Benares in London (2012–2015), before moving to Talli Joe in London as head chef (from 2016). The sequence shows a career built through role by role advancement, with each stage adding range without breaking from the one before it. Since 2019, Sameer has been Executive Chef of Benares in Mayfair, London. The return to Benares came with a wider remit, but the terms of the cooking remained familiar: the same house, now led with the perspective of someone who has already worked the room and knows its demands from the inside.

Where They Are Now

At Benares, the cooking stays Contemporary Indian while keeping its source material in view. British produce provides the base, Indian spice gives the food its line and memory, and French technique brings order to the composition. In Sameer Taneja’s kitchen, those are working tools rather than separate identities; each one makes the others clearer. The path behind it runs from Delhi into a long London stretch, and the work reflects that steady accumulation of practice. Recognition is treated with the same plainness. “Michelin is for me is a parameter of good cooking,” Sameer says, which puts the emphasis on standard and repetition rather than ceremony.

Signature

Sameer’s signature dishes include Venison Boti Tikka, black gajar halwa, and nihari nalli. Taken together, they show a cooking range that moves between spice-led savoury work and dessert, between direct heat and long-cooked depth, without losing focus on flavour.

In Their Words “I cannot take entire credit for retaining the Michelin star. It is 100% a team effort.”

Honors

“I cannot take entire credit for retaining the Michelin star. It is 100% a team effort.”