For Chef Neeraj Rawoot Food is Memory, Story, and Soul
At JW Marriott Bengaluru’s Luxury Dining Series, Chef Neeraj Rawoot explores memory, flavour, and forgotten recipes.
WHEN YOU FLY INTO BANGALORE, it’s not the tech parks or the honking traffic that greet you first. Instead, an emerald quilt of lush greenery stretches beneath the sky, a serene contrast to the city’s bustle. About ninety minutes from the airport, nestled in the gentle foothills of Nandi, lies the JW Marriott Prestige Golfshire Resort & Spa —a tranquil oasis far removed from urban clamour.
Spread across 275 acres of manicured greens, private villas, and shimmering water bodies, the air here carries the subtle perfume of citrus and eucalyptus , a luxury quietly rooted in nature. And nowhere is this grounded spirit more tangible than in the heart of its kitchen.
During the hotel’s International Luxury Dining Series, Esquire India sat down with Head Chef Neeraj Rawoot, a culinary craftsman whose dishes transcend mere flavour to become intimate stories, edible memories that bridge time and geography.
The dining series, launched last year across multiple Asia-Pacific cities, this season spotlights “Forgotten Flavours,” inspired by insights from The Future of Food 2025 report. It champions the rediscovery of ancient ingredients, reimagined with a contemporary twist.
“Food makes you happy,” Neeraj says simply with a phrase that carries a weight beyond its brevity. “Like fashion, it’s always evolving, but the heart behind it must remain.”
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His cooking is a heartfelt homage to India’s forgotten flavours and the rich culinary tapestries that define every region and household. One dish, in particular, lingers vividly in his mind: pitaya, a humble steamed rice dumpling stuffed with coconut and jaggery from eastern India. Simple yet evocative, it finds its way onto his menu as a quiet tribute to tradition.
Neeraj observes that today’s diners seek more than a meal, they crave stories. “They ask why a dish is prepared a certain way, where the ingredients come from. Storytelling is the new seasoning; it makes the experience unforgettable.”
In Neeraj’s kitchen, simplicity reigns supreme, yet each plate is a dialogue between past and present, heritage and innovation. It’s this delicate exchange that breathes life into his cuisine.
At Aleeshaan, one of the many restaurants at the resort, the Awadhi cuisine flourishes under his leadership alongside fourth-generation Awadhi expert Riyaz Ahmed, who believes in preserving the traditional methods of cooking the cuisine he has mastered over the years from his father and grandfather, especially the Haleem that takes over hours to perfect and some secret ingredients that have passed down generations and memory as they stand with no written record.
Moreover, as part of the luxury dining series, one morning sees Chef Neeraj leading guests on an Alice in Wonderland–themed farm-to-table experience where they not only explore the organic gardens cultivated by JW Gardens for its kitchen but also hand-pick fresh vegetables and fruits including jackfruits, raw mango, and gooseberries that are later transformed into a JW Garden–inspired soirée and Wellness Brunch at The Aviary— featuring dishes like Puducherry Bouillabaisse, Manglorean Pulled Jackfruit served with Kori Roti, and Black Cod en Papillote.
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Perhaps a unconscious reflection of Chef Neeraj's childhood, in Jamshedpur, when his father, who often returned from Kolkata with exotic ingredients, introduced Neeraj to a world of flavours and stories. “Kolkata became a second home,” he reflects fondly. “Bengali food, Anglo-Indian dishes, even Chinese — each had its own soul.”
For the Chef who has won many accolades including accolades, including being named among India’s Top 30 Chefs 2024, when asked about memory related to food that is close to his heart and defines what he does is: pitaya, stuffed with coconut, jaggery, potatoes, and lentils, traditionally enjoyed during Makar Sankranti in eastern India. “It’s simple, humble, yet filled with warmth and history. Wherever I cook, I try to bring that sense of home to the table.”
For Neeraj, food is not merely about taste, it is a living archive of culture, family, and memory. “Food makes you happy,” he repeats, “and while the forms may change, the heart behind it is what we must preserve.”