By Mewati Sitaram
A quiet Chef with loud skills is an apt description of Chef Santokh Singh. He prefers to let his food do the talking. Prod him about his food philosophy, and he says “It’s simple! Respect the ingredients, respect the techniques, respect the history, the dish will reciprocate its love for you!”
MAHAL is the entrepreneurial venture of Chef Singh. This place is always crowded with many Americans and members of the Indian diaspora. Santokh Singh’s flair for elevating the traditional flavors and textures of Indian fare make dining at the restaurant a feast for both the eyes and the palate.
From farming fields of Punjab, to owning an upscale Indian restaurant in New York, it has been an incredible journey of Chef Santokh Singh. This journey began more than three decades ago when he left the shores of India and landed in New York. His early career was peppered with a whole host of odd jobs, including yellow cab driver, an electrician’s assistant and being a handyman.
A friend Chef in Manhattan’s famous Dawat restaurant, widely regarded in the ’90s and 2000s as the finest Indian Restaurant in NYC, gave him the opportunity to work in the restaurant kitchen. Madhur Jaffrey, Award-winning actress, chef, and cookbook author served as culinary consultant for this upscale East Side Indian restaurant. He honed his craft by working alongside the experienced chefs, further developing his skills and perfecting his signature dishes. He then moved on to Tamarind Tribeca, as a Head chef. For over 15 years he plied his skills and culinary magic in this restaurant — contributing to its success and being awarded a Michelin star.
His ‘dream’ of owning and running a high-end Indian restaurant came true in 2021. Fourteen months in the making, overcoming a number of challenges brought on by the pandemic, in December 2021 he finally opened the doors of “MAHAL” an upscale Indian restaurant in the heart of Long Island, New York.
Mahal restaurant is designed to delight all your senses — lavish interiors, a carefully crafted menu that is loaded with crowd-pleasing fare and Chef’s Signature dishes—Peshawari Lamb Chops, Geruwa Murg, Kesari Halibut, Tawa Brussels to name a few. It has a variety of options for meat-eaters and vegetarians alike. A full bar and an extensive wine list that includes selections for both the wine connoisseur and the novice wine drinkers. The restaurant space includes an 80-seat dining room, plus a cocktail lounge and private room that can accommodate parties from 25 to 125 guests.
Chef Singh emphasizes quality and consistency at his restaurant so as to ensure high standards. The restaurant has received rave reviews ever since it opened and recently was adjudged among the Top Restaurants in Long Island by the prestigious Newsday Newspaper.
Outside of work, which incidentally is 14-hour shifts six days a week, the Chef loves to go out and eat at the neighborhood eateries along with his family. A resident of Hicksville on Long Island, NY, he can be seen on Sunday mornings visiting the local Gurudwara along with his wife and two sons and at other times the husband-wife duo can be spotted cheering enthusiastically for their son and his team at the local high school basketball games.
Editor in Chief : Mewati SItaram
