This is how chef Sarfaraz Ahmed is redefining Indian summer dining

Growing up in a joint family that felt like a mini map of India, chef Sarfaraz Ahmed’s childhood kitchen was a melting pot of regional secrets. With parents hailing from Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, and relatives stretching across Rajasthan, Kerala, Delhi, and more, he learnt early that flavours don’t belong to a zip code, they are a blend of culinary traditions and micro-cultures.

“When you stay in a joint family, you have influences coming in from everywhere,” he says. Sunday mornings for Ahmed were sacred. The family gathered in the kitchen, his parents and siblings elbow-deep in dough, spices, and laughter. Pulao (a rice dish) made by his father, keema matar (peas and minced meat) simmering on the stove, and galouti kebabs sizzling in a pan. The flavours and rituals became his early lessons in cooking.

Summer menu with a twist

That curiosity now fuels his latest summer menu. As the head chef at fine dining eatery Trèsind Mumbai, Ahmed brings over 15 years of experience, drawing on a deep understanding of Indian flavours and techniques. He pulls seasonal ingredients from across the country and gives them a modern spin. “Seasonally, we are very true to it,” he says (a nod to his practice of only using ingredients when they’re at their absolute peak), adding, “Seasonal fruits and vegetables are always better.”

What makes the menu interesting is how those ingredients are reinterpreted. Zucchini flowers are turned into a crisp papdi (cracker) that anchors a chaat-style (street food) bite, while achappam (a flower shaped Kerala cookie) arrives, paired with sharp black lime, adding a bright, unexpected edge. Even classic mango and rhubarb take on new personalities in playful paani Solkadhi puri (another Indian street food favourite) variations. “With each menu, we pick up a theme,” Ahmed explains. “Then we try to incorporate ingredients that belong to that region, but present them in a slightly different way.”

For Ahmed, summer isn’t just a season—it’s an invitation to play. “Heat changes the way people eat,” he notes. Heavy gravies make way for sharp, bright notes that wake up the palate and cool the body. At his Chef’s Table, the menu evolves every fortnight, often built around a specific regional ‘aha’ moment.

Hydration first

The drink menu follows that same nostalgic-yet-new rhythm. Familiar summer classics are getting a major upgrade, and Ahmed has a few favourites he swears by to beat the heat. Solkadhi—the traditional Konkan cooler made with kokum and coconut milk—is lifted with an unexpected coupling. “I pair it with lychee and a bit of green apple granita,” he says, explaining how the crisp chill brightens the drink without dimming its soul.

Then there’s the Indian summer essential, aam panna. Forget the plastic cups of your childhood; this tangy raw mango cooler arrives tucked inside a cocoa shell. It’s refined, chilled, and exactly what your Instagram feed—and your soul—needs.

For a refreshing summer finish, chef Ahmed suggests having watermelon infused with aromatic basil and cooling mint, or his go-to signature—a classic, perfectly balanced Piña Colada.

Rethinking ‘modern’ Indian cuisine

For Ahmed, the concept of “modern” isn’t about some flashy, tech-heavy reinvention. It’s about recognising that our food has always been a work in progress. He prefers the term “continuing progression”. “Cuisine takes a long time to develop,” he says. “If you look at our historical cookbooks, Indian food has been progressive since the very beginning.”

Over centuries, global ingredients have quietly drifted into our pantries, shaping dishes that now feel entirely our own. That long history of borrowing and adapting is exactly what fuels his kitchen today, and he is looking to nudge it forward. He keeps the roots intact while dressing the flavours in entirely new silhouettes. “We already have the culture and the richness,” he says. “The progression just needs to continue so the world catches up.”

This article first appeared in Cosmopolitan India's March-April 2026 print edition.

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