logo
Why Trèsind Studio's three Michelin is a big win for Indian cuisine

Why Trèsind Studio's three Michelin is a big win for Indian cuisine

Indian Express26-05-2025
The 20-seater Trèsind Studio, located in Dubai's Palm Jumeirah and led by chef Himanshu Saini and restaurateur Bhupender Nath, has scripted history. Serving a 17-course degustation menu that celebrates the cuisine and flavours of their homeland, the restaurant last week became the first Indian establishment in the world to be awarded three Michelin stars.
'The surprise multi-course tasting menu is a masterpiece of originality, intrigue and precision, featuring tastes from all four compass points of India,' noted the Michelin Guide, adding, 'While the chefs work away with quiet diligence and focus in the open kitchen, the service team provide detailed explanations of each elegant creation. A little theatre here and there with certain courses adds to an unforgettable experience. There's something magical happening here — and with just 20 seats and a rooftop location — you'll feel you're in on the secret.'
'What began as a dream—a pursuit of storytelling through flavours, tradition and innovation—has today reached a milestone that humbles us beyond words,' read a post on the official Instagram account of Passion F&B, the hospitality company founded by Nath. 'This recognition is not the end, but a reminder: that excellence is a responsibility, and hospitality is a craft we're honoured to uphold every single day.'
The Trèsind restaurant was first founded in 2014 by Nath, with Delhi-born Saini — considered one of the youngest tastemakers of Indian cuisine — at the helm. The goal? To challenge and elevate the global narrative surrounding Indian cuisine and present it in a progressive and expressive format.
Four years later, Saini and Nath launched a chef's table-style studio within Trèsind, which later moved to its current location in St. Regis Gardens, Palm Jumeirah. Priced then at AED 250 per person, it was initially met with skepticism and empty seats. But when the Michelin Guide arrived in Dubai, Trèsind Studio received its first star, and the momentum has only grown since.
Today, priced at AED 1,095, Trèsind Studio offers a 17-course menu across two seatings (6 pm and 9.15 pm), celebrating India's culinary diversity — from the Himalayan mountains to the Thar Desert, from the Deccan Plateau to the Coastal Plains.
The menu, as its website states, aims to 'challenge common perceptions of Indian cuisine by showcasing flavours both new and familiar through a creative lens'.
This isn't the first time Indian cuisine has earned Michelin recognition but it may be the most defining. For years, Indian chefs have championed local flavours and techniques outside, pushing against outdated narratives and reshaping the global perception. The journey began with Vineet Bhatia and Atul Kochhar, the first Indian-origin chefs to win Michelin stars in 2001.
Recalling the long and arduous journey and why this win is momentous for more than one reason, chef Vikas Khanna of New York's award-winning restaurant Bungalow penned a heartfelt note on Instagram. 'I started by working with chefs at the very bottom, and was constantly told, 'This isn't a real cuisine. Focus on Western food — it's superior',' he wrote. The tide, he recalled, began to shift when Bhatia and Kochhar earned stars in London. 'Suddenly, we had a refreshing reference of what was possible.' Still, doubts lingered. Could Indian food win Michelin recognition in the United States? 'And then, the brilliant Chef Hemant Mathur and Chef Suvir Saran won the honour for Devi. I felt the tide turning again.' Khanna followed in 2011, winning a star for Junoon, which he retained for eight years. Since then, chefs like Srijith Gopinathan, Gaggan Anand and Garima Arora have gone on to earn two stars each.
But the elusive third star, Khanna wrote, remained just that — elusive. 'Then I saw Chef Himanshu — I felt the magic. The calmness. The devotion. The vision,' he wrote on Saturday, adding, 'And just a few hours ago, it happened. Himanshu became the first Indian chef to be awarded three Michelin Stars.'
'You can only celebrate like this when you truly know how hard the journey is. This is not just a moment — this is a movement. He has started a new chapter for Indian cuisine — one full of pride,' he wrote.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Goa stands to benefit from India-UK free trade agreement: GCCI
Goa stands to benefit from India-UK free trade agreement: GCCI

Time of India

time18 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Goa stands to benefit from India-UK free trade agreement: GCCI

Panaji: The India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) will significantly benefit Goa's pharmaceutical companies, tourism sector, and feni producers, said the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) on Saturday. GCCI president Pratima Dhond said that the recent signing of the trade agreement between the two nations could provide a much-needed boost to Goa's economy. The FTA provides zero-duty access to the UK market for nearly 99% of Indian exports, including pharmaceuticals. While the UK imports nearly $30 billion worth of medicines and medical devices, India's pharma exports to the UK currently stand at under $1 billion. The bilateral agreement is anticipated to unlock major export opportunities for the sector. Goa is ranked sixth in pharmaceutical exports, with an overall share of 5.6%. 'This landmark agreement is expected to significantly enhance trade and investment opportunities between India and the UK, with far-reaching benefits for the state,' she said. The FTA could lead to increased travel and tourism opportunities between India and the UK, and this will benefit Goa's tourism industry. Dhond said that Goa's feni industry will gain recognition in the British market with geographical indication protection, opening up new export opportunities. 'This will be a major boost for govt, which is promoting exports of Indian alcoholic beverages to global markets,' she said. Meanwhile, duty-free exports of marine products to the UK, textile businesses, and IT services also stand to benefit from the trade agreement, boosting the state's economy over the long term, said GCCI. The UK imports around $5.4 billion worth of marine products such as prawns, tuna, mackerel, sardines, squid, crab, and pomfret. India's current share in the UK's marine imports is just 2.3%, but this share is projected to double after the FTA. All coastal states stand to benefit from export-led job creation. 'Indian professionals, including those from Goa, will have easier access to the UK market, with relaxed visa procedures and exemptions from UK social security contributions,' said Dhond.

Indian mining seminar highlights responsible practices
Indian mining seminar highlights responsible practices

Time of India

time34 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Indian mining seminar highlights responsible practices

Nagpur: The two-day seminar on "Indian Mining: Present Scenario and Future Perspective," organised by the Mining Engineers Association of India (MEAI), ended on Saturday with experts emphasising on responsible mining and understanding the changing landscape of the sector. Chairman-cum-managing director (CMD) of Manganese Ore India Limited (MOIL), Ajik Kumar Saxena, who was the chief guest, spoke on the timely analysis of mining leftovers for identifying the possibility of finding critical minerals from mine waste, tailings, or slags. The CMD of Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Limited (MECL), also a Nagpur-based public sector undertaking, Indra Dev Narayan was the guest of honour. He said PSUs like MECL play a crucial role in shaping the future of the country's mining sector. "We have been instrumental in discovering reserves of nearly all major minerals across the country. In recent years, MECL has expanded its role beyond traditional drilling to advanced exploration technologies, data analytics, and remote sensing. MECL is now working as a knowledge partner to both govt and the private sector in this decade of critical mineral demand and energy transition," Narayan said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play this game for 1 minute and see why everyone is addicted. Undo The controller general of the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), Peeyush Narayan Sharma, stressed on the need for responsible mining along with the adoption of new technology. He also said nothing can be written off as waste in the mining sector.

What happened to UAE's Iceberg Project? The ambitious plan to haul a colossal Antarctic iceberg to the coast of Fujairah
What happened to UAE's Iceberg Project? The ambitious plan to haul a colossal Antarctic iceberg to the coast of Fujairah

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

What happened to UAE's Iceberg Project? The ambitious plan to haul a colossal Antarctic iceberg to the coast of Fujairah

The UAE Iceberg Project planned to tow a massive Antarctic iceberg 6,480 nautical miles to Fujairah but faced major challenges and remains unfulfilled/ Representative Image In a region where rain is rare and water more precious than oil, the United Arab Emirates once had its sights set on an audacious engineering marvel: towing a gigantic Antarctic iceberg to its sun-baked coast to quench thirst, summon clouds, and maybe even reshape climate patterns. But as of 2025, the only glacier ice that has made it to Dubai is not floating off the coast but chilling highball glasses in rooftop bars, courtesy of a boutique Greenland startup. The UAE Iceberg Project : Cold Ambitions in a Hot Desert Launched in 2017 by the National Advisor Bureau Limited, a private Abu Dhabi-based company, the UAE Iceberg Project sought to tow a massive tabular iceberg, measuring roughly 2 kilometers long by 500 meters wide, from Antarctica to Fujairah, a coastal emirate on the Gulf of Oman. 3D concept of the iceberg stationed roughly 3 kilometers off the coast of Fujairah for harvesting/ Image: National Advisor Bureau Ltd. The logic, according to Abdulla Alshehi, the firm's managing director and the project's chief architect, was straightforward: an average iceberg holds over 20 billion gallons of fresh water, enough to supply 1 million people for five years. 'This is the purest water in the world,' he told Gulf News in 2017. And the UAE, consuming 15% of the world's desalinated water and facing depleting groundwater within 15 years, was in no position to ignore unconventional ideas. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Premium 1 BHK at Mahindra Citadel – Coming Soon! Mahindra Citadel Enquire Now Undo The iceberg, selected via satellite near Heard Island in the Southern Ocean, would undertake a 12,000-kilometer (≈6,480 nautical miles), 10-month journey across the Southern, Indian, and Arabian Seas to reach the coast of Fujairah in the UAE. Towed by large ocean-going vessels, it would travel northward through the Indian Ocean before entering the Gulf of Oman. Upon arrival, it would be stationed roughly 3 kilometers off Fujairah's coast. Harvesting would begin immediately, with the aim of extracting potable water within two to three months before significant melting occurs. Computer simulations commissioned by the company projected that up to 30% of the iceberg's mass could be lost during the journey, a challenge the team hopes to mitigate by timing its arrival during the UAE's winter season, when sea temperatures are lower and melting would slow. To prevent breakup during the long journey, Alshehi's firm developed a patent-pending metal belt, a kind of reinforced corset designed to hold the iceberg intact against wave stress and temperature gradients. In 2020, the UK Intellectual Property Office granted Alshehi a patent for his invention, called the "Iceberg Reservoirs" system. The patent was promoted as a credibility boost to attract investment and reinforce the project's technical feasibility. In 2020, the UAE Iceberg Project's 'Iceberg Reservoirs' system was patented by the UK Intellectual Property Office/ Image: National Advisor Bureau Limited A pilot project, costed between $60–80 million, was announced for 2019. A smaller iceberg was to be towed to Cape Town or Perth as proof of concept. The full UAE project carried a price tag of $100–150 million. Despite a splashy website launch ( promises of scientific panels, and a vision of global humanitarian water relief, no trial was ever confirmed to have taken place. As of 2025, there's been no operational progress, no updated logistics, and no official cancellation, just prolonged silence. The Rainmaker Fantasy What made the proposal especially memorable was its near-mystical secondary goal: climate engineering. Alshehi claimed that the presence of a colossal iceberg floating off the UAE coast could induce localized weather changes. 'Cold air gushing from an iceberg close to the Arabian Sea would cause a trough and rainstorms,' he told local media. The iceberg, he argued, could 'create a vortex' that would attract clouds from across the region, generating year-round rain for the desert interior. This, he claimed, could help reverse desertification and transform arid landscapes into lush, green areas, with benefits for agriculture, biodiversity, and the broader ecosystem. Meteorologists weren't sold. While some acknowledged localized effects, like minor cloud formation due to temperature differentials, experts like Linda Lam from said sustained, regional rainstorms were unlikely due to the complex nature of atmospheric dynamics. Water Crisis and the Case for Desperation The UAE's acute water issues form the bedrock of the project's rationale. The country experiences a paltry 120 millimeters of rainfall annually, and according to a 2015 Associated Press report, its groundwater could be fully depleted within 15 years. Meanwhile, the Gulf states have among the highest water usage rates in the world: around 500 liters per person per day. Desalination, though critical, is energy-intensive, costly, and environmentally damaging. Alshehi warned of desalination plants pumping concentrated brine back into the Gulf, increasing salinity and harming marine life. His iceberg initiative, he claimed, would be not only cheaper in the long run but eco-friendlier, despite concerns about dragging a 100,000-year-old ice mass across the globe. He asserted that environmental impact assessments had been conducted, and results suggested minimal disruption to ecosystems,though no independent third-party review was ever published. Ice, Reimagined: A Greenland Startup Finds the Sweet Spot While Alshehi's Antarctic ambitions appear stalled in bureaucratic limbo, a smaller, scrappier company in Greenland has quietly realized a modest version of his vision,not as a humanitarian water source, but as luxury indulgence. Founded in 2022 by Greenlandic entrepreneurs, Arctic Ice ships ice harvested from Greenland's fjords to high-end bars and restaurants in Dubai. Their first commercial shipment, around 22 metric tonnes, arrived recently, offering the 'cleanest H₂O on Earth' to be shaved into ice cubes for cocktails, ice baths, and facial massages in Dubai's spas. Arctic Ice harvests ancient glacier fragments from Greenland's fjords, tests them, and ships purified chunks to Dubai for luxury use/ Image: Arctic Ice The process is artisanal: Using a crane-equipped boat, workers collect naturally calved icebergs from the Nuup Kangerlua fjord near Nuuk. Only the clearest, bubble-free ice, locally known as 'black ice,' is selected. These are believed to be over 100,000 years old, having never touched soil or contaminants. Each chunk is cut with sanitized chainsaws, stored in food-grade insulated crates, and sampled for lab analysis to screen for ancient microorganisms or harmful bacteria. The ice is shipped via refrigerated containers aboard cargo ships already returning empty from Greenland, minimizing additional emissions. The second leg, from Denmark to Dubai, completes the frozen supply chain. Despite the company's carbon-neutral commitment, backlash has been fierce. Critics online lambast the concept as 'climate dystopia,' arguing that glacial ice should not be commodified, especially given the accelerating melt of the Greenland Ice Sheet. Co-founder Malik V. Rasmussen says some messages have verged on death threats. Still, Arctic Ice insists it is creating economic opportunity for a financially dependent Greenland, where 55% of the budget is subsidized by Denmark. 'We make all our money from fish and tourism,' Rasmussen said. 'I've always wanted to find something else we can profit from.' The Fine Line Between Innovation and Spectacle Both projects,the giant iceberg tow from Antarctica and the boutique glacier cubes from Greenland, highlight a pressing tension: how far will humanity go to secure water, and at what cost? Alshehi's vision is bold but fraught with logistical and ethical challenges. Icebergs aren't endlessly renewable, and towing them across hemispheres feels more sci-fi than sustainable. Arctic Ice's venture, meanwhile, has found a controversial niche,combining novelty, luxury, and symbolism. In a time of climate anxiety, it offers an icy illusion of control, frozen fragments of a melting world, crafted into cocktail spheres. Whether climate solution or spectacle, these ideas raise key questions: Who owns natural ice? Can it be harvested responsibly? And as water scarcity grows, how do we balance local needs with global care? For now, the UAE's giant iceberg remains a dream deferred, and Dubai's cocktails are as cold as ever, just sourced from a little farther north, and in smaller, sparkling doses.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store