Bangkok Chef Garima Arora to Open Gurugram Restaurant

Garima Arora is the first Indian woman to earn a Michelin star, and her Bangkok restaurant, Gaa, now holds two. Before starting her own restaurant, she trained at the renowned Noma in Copenhagen and studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Her culinary approach at Gaa is known for applying Indian techniques to Thai ingredients. For Banng, Arora is partnering with Riyaaz Amlani, the founder and MD of Impresario Handmade Restaurants, known for brands like Social and Smoke House Deli. The new restaurant is located at Two Horizon Centre on Golf Course Road, Gurugram. While both Arora and Amlani have roots in Mumbai, they chose Delhi-NCR for this venture, calling it an "exciting canvas" for their concept. The menu at Banng aims to capture the "unapologetic street food ethos" of Bangkok, offering authentic Thai flavors. In a reversal of her Gaa philosophy, Banng will use local Indian ingredients to recreate Thai dishes. To ensure authenticity, however, some items like fresh curry paste are flown in from Bangkok twice a week. The restaurant's design, by Studio Renesa, reflects the vibrant energy of Bangkok with red walls and murals depicting a fusion of Indian and Thai culture. The space is designed to be dynamic, transitioning from a sunlit dining room during the day to a high-energy bar with louder music after 11 pm. The cocktail menu, designed by Attapon De-Silva, is themed around Muay Thai, with drinks categorized by their strength as "Flyweight," "Middleweight," and "Heavyweight."