Cloud Kitchens: Rehan Mehta, East seventh Pizza & Deli
Wine & Dine
Textual content and Images by Mallika Chandra.
Rehan Mehta, 31
East seventh Pizza & Deli
Location: Colaba
Speciality: Pizzas, sandwiches, burgers, puddings
Rehan, inform me about your journey as a chef.
The primary time I went to cooking faculty was after I completed my education in Mumbai. I had taken a spot 12 months in 2010 and I did a three-month course at Le Cordon Bleu London. That have truly made me not need to turn into a chef so I went to a liberal arts school within the US, the place I graduated in psychology.
In my third 12 months at school, I occurred to look at a video of Anthony Bourdain (the late superstar chef and journey documentarian) and David Chang (restaurateur and tv persona) consuming at one among Chang’s New York eating places. That made me need to return to cooking. Actually, I felt like I simply couldn’t do anything! I enrolled within the cooking faculty David Chang had been to, which was the French Culinary Institute in New York. I had found a course that will enable me to take six months off from school, come again and nonetheless graduate on time. I beloved it there.
The way in which it labored in America on the time was that I had three months to discover a job after commencement. So I utilized to a bunch of locations. Lastly, through Craigslist, I received a job as a pastry cook dinner at Momofuku Milk Bar in New York (now referred to as Milk Bar), although it wasn’t what I had particularly skilled in. I used to be making cookies, desserts and bread and I nonetheless suppose it’s the very best job I’ve ever had. Sadly, I needed to go away after a 12 months as a result of they had been unable to sponsor my work visa.
Once I returned to Mumbai in 2015, I used to be given a job within the pastry division wherever I utilized due to my expertise at Momofuku Milk Bar. My first job was in Colaba on the modern-American restaurant Ellipsis (now shut), headed by Chef Kelvin Cheung. Chef Kelvin was a Milk Bar fan so he was eager to have me onboard. Sadly, he left the restaurant six months after I joined.
Then, in September 2016, I joined Masque in Mahalaxmi in Mumbai. Chef Prateek Sadhu and co-owner Aditi Dugar received in contact with me whereas the restaurant was nonetheless beneath development. Even on my first go to, I may inform the kitchen and the house had been going to be particular. The primary 12 months of Masque was actually fascinating however we had been struggling to determine our type or what may make it distinctive. Finally, Chef Prateek began digging deeper into his personal Kashmiri roots, and that’s when it actually took off. It made extra sense as a result of it was private and culturally related reasonably than simply attempting to be like many different Scandinavian-inspired tasting menu eating places. What I loved most from my time there was the truth that the cooks would serve all of the dishes and received to work together with the purchasers, who had been normally captivated with meals, and that made it enjoyable. We additionally had numerous freedom to work on new dishes which stored issues fascinating.
Later, I grew disillusioned with nice eating. I used to be eager on beginning one thing that would feed much more folks. I considered opening a sandwich store. I did a couple of pop-ups and began on the lookout for areas however nothing labored out. On the identical time, I heard concerning the legendary chef Rahul Akerkar opening a brand new restaurant (Qualia) and I utilized for a place within the sizzling kitchen. I used to be answerable for the pasta part, which was wonderful as a result of I like working with dough and the pasta turned actually fashionable.
What led you to start out a cloud kitchen and the way did you propose to face out?
Quickly after I left Qualia, the pandemic struck, which rekindled the concept of a sandwich store since folks had been hungry for well-executed consolation meals. There wasn’t actually a Western-inspired sandwich tradition in Mumbai on the time however as a result of folks received into baking bread through the lockdown, a sandwich tradition was sure to observe.
My unique sandwich store thought advanced to incorporate pizza. My considering was that pizza and sandwiches go hand in hand. I had eaten numerous nice pizza throughout my time in New York, which received me obsessed — and through the pandemic I began playing around with it, making it at dwelling for my household. It was a no brainer to start out as a cloud kitchen on the time as a result of if there had been one other lockdown, you’d be caught paying lease for a restaurant with out anybody coming in there. I discovered a spot in Colaba in December 2021.
How did you go about organising your operations? What did you herald from previous expertise?
It took me three months to arrange the place. I used to be very finicky concerning the kitchen being a sure method. I needed to discover the correct oven. I knew I didn’t desire a wood-fired oven, I needed an electrical one. In New York, most of my favorite pizza locations used electrical ovens. Wooden hearth may be very charming, however I don’t suppose it provides a lot by way of style. I really feel like you probably have the correct electrical oven, the pizza can style simply nearly as good and it’s much more constant, which is essential. While you’re attempting to churn the pizzas out actually quick and have 10 to fifteen orders at a time, that wood-fired oven goes to be a ache and possibly a couple of will not be going to be nearly as good as the remaining as a result of it’s so arduous to keep up and management the warmth, not like electrical ovens.
Having mulled over the concept of the sandwich and pizza store for thus lengthy, what has the menu improvement course of been like?
Once I began engaged on the recipes, I assumed it will take possibly a couple of weeks or a month, however it took me 5 months simply to determine a pizza dough that I used to be proud of. I did nearly 100 trials. I used to be simply making pizza each day and attempting to determine it out. I by no means imagined how sophisticated it may very well be, provided that it’s simply 4 substances that you simply’re working with. However, the way in which you combine these substances, the proportions, how a lot water you add, which flour you utilize, how lengthy you ferment it — all these wanted to be discovered. Lastly, I settled on a dough after trial quantity 96. I needed to simplify the dough course of as a result of it’s essential for my staff to have the ability to execute it in addition to I might. That’s the reason I dominated out a sourdough pizza dough as a result of it has an excessive amount of margin for error. Now, we’re on pizza dough trial quantity 103. The pizza dough recipe remains to be referred to as a trial, although we’ve been open for a 12 months. And we preserve making changes in step with adjustments within the climate to get that excellent gentle and ethereal but crispy pizza crust.
Subsequent got here the sandwich bread. We had been outsourcing the bread initially however the numbers didn’t work out. It was simpler to decide on a recipe, however it nonetheless took a number of trials. We use a Vietnamese Bánh mì-style baguette. In comparison with a French baguette, it has a really skinny crust and a fluffy inside. The sandwiches received loads higher after we began making our personal bread.
The one factor I knew I had to determine was dessert. Most pizza locations serve dough balls with Nutella and stuff like that. However I needed one thing lighter. I assumed an American-style pudding would match the invoice. Our lemon cheesecake and chocolate puddings do rather well. We had a strawberries-and-cream pudding and one with mango, which had been seasonal and actually fashionable. We’re utilizing fancy vanilla beans, however in addition to that they’re primarily fruity, creamy and crunchy.
You place out a job opening on Instagram someday again and it communicated loads concerning the work tradition you are attempting to each desist from and construct. Was that intentional?
Most eating places I’ve labored at, the hours have been very lengthy, which has been the benchmark on this business for ages. However I knew I didn’t need to do this. If I used to be doing that and we had been profitable and getting cash, I might have nonetheless thought of it a failure as a result of an overworked staff is just not an indication of success. To me, it makes monetary sense as properly. In the event you push folks so arduous, they’re simply going to get burnt out and go away in a couple of weeks or months, or a 12 months. I might reasonably have folks stick round for the lengthy haul, be completely happy, go dwelling and never take into consideration work.
That’s why, in that hiring put up, I used to be specific that our shift lasts 10 hours solely. In actuality, it’s solely 9 hours, however I’ve accounted for some further time ought to we often want it. Now, after operating this place for a 12 months and seeing how tough it’s to truly earn a living, I see why different restaurateurs demand such lengthy hours from their groups. If restaurant gross sales will not be reaching their goal, the administration one way or the other feels that making folks work longer hours will enhance gross sales. Nevertheless, whereas gross sales would possibly improve within the brief time period, if targets will not be met, it’s extra doubtless that there’s a drawback with the product or expertise.
Had been you additionally intending to provide your prospects an perception into what sort of cloud kitchen it’s and the type of folks which might be making the meals?
That’s not why I posted it and I didn’t give it some thought on the time. I used to be simply attempting to rent a very good candidate. However, in fact, if I had been to see a enterprise posting one thing like this, I might be extra prone to strive the meals and would attempt to order typically. Our restaurant business doesn’t have the very best popularity. So, anybody who is aware of something about what goes on behind the scenes can be completely happy for issues to vary for the higher.
Who’s your typical buyer?
Sadly, most of our orders come from Swiggy they usually don’t share buyer knowledge. It’s secure to guess that most people ordering from us are type of like pizza nerds, which appears to be each third particular person these days. Most of our meals is New York-influenced. Those that’ve by no means had this sort of meals are eager to strive it. And people who have been to New York or Philadelphia and have had a cheesesteak sandwich, for instance, will even need to relive that have.
I’ve additionally deliberately not marketed East seventh Pizza & Deli loads as a result of I’m nonetheless tweaking issues. I really feel prefer it’s at all times a piece in progress and I’m type of a perfectionist; and I say that within the worst attainable method. I’ll preserve procrastinating with the advertising as a result of I feel possibly pizza dough trial 104 or 105 would be the excellent one after which we are able to actually push our advertising. At the moment, advertising has primarily been by way of phrase of mouth.
Is that additionally a results of the title East seventh Pizza & Deli? Your official firm title can also be fascinating.
You would say that. Our official firm title is Very Informal Meals. I got here up with that title after leaving Masque as a result of I used to be simply so uninterested in nice eating. It’s humorous to say that now, since Masque is without doubt one of the finest eating places in India. I see myself sticking with quick informal or informal eating places with thoughtfully executed and ingredient-driven meals.
The title East seventh was impressed by the road I lived on in New York. Whereas I used to be in cooking faculty, I lived on East seventh Avenue between 1st Avenue and Avenue A, which is within the East Village. And that one avenue had a lot good meals! You would stroll down the road in 90 seconds however it had numerous nice tiny institutions. And every of them specialised in only one or two issues. There was Luke’s Lobster, which made simply seafood sandwiches. There was a Venezuelan arepas place. The constructing I lived in had an Italian sandwich store referred to as Porchetta, which simply made a roast pork sandwich. Throughout the road was this soft-serve place referred to as Massive Homosexual Ice Cream, which offered actually funky tender serve. After which there was a Chinese language teahouse the place I might sit and drink tea. That avenue actually impressed me.
How would you describe what a deli is?
Within the New York sense, it’s your native sandwich place the place you decide lunch up on a piece day however it additionally may very well be the place you go to get primary groceries, possibly even some baked items, with out having to make a visit to the grocery store. Inside that, there are the bodega-style delis, the place the sandwiches are made merely, utilizing simply packaged substances. Then there are the old-school delis, which make all the things from scratch, like Katz’s Deli, which is known for pastrami. Russ & Daughters is basically well-known for his or her smoked fish. The deli tradition got here from the Jewish inhabitants of New York. However now it has turn into a development that has unfold internationally.
How do you construct belief as a cloud kitchen?
I’m very specific about maintaining the kitchen tremendous clear, and in addition about ensuring that substances are at their prime. That sense of hygiene was ingrained in me due to all my earlier work locations. Clearly, our meals security legal guidelines will not be as strict or as strictly enforced over right here in India, as in comparison with New York, however I implement those self same requirements anyway.
How has juggling the roles of chef and enterprise proprietor been for you?
I want I may simply cook dinner and give attention to the meals as a result of it will be a lot simpler. Half my time is spent managing folks, although I solely have a staff of 9. Simply attempting to maintain all of them on monitor and coaching them retains me considerably occupied.
I’m horrible at advertising. In order that’s one other factor that I want I might simply not need to do. I preserve hoping that if my meals is nice sufficient, I gained’t need to do any advertising and other people will simply come anyway. And that’s clearly the dream. In New York, you probably have an incredible restaurant, even when it’s a tiny one, the phrase goes to unfold so quick that you simply’ll have queues down the highway. However over right here, I don’t suppose that’s attainable as a result of we’re providing a distinct segment product. Having mentioned that, I’m not essentially attempting to achieve a large viewers. I’m simply looking for the correct individuals who need one thing scrumptious that’s made with care, consideration and good substances.
What ended up being simpler than you thought?
I don’t suppose something has been simpler than I assumed. Most issues have been more durable than I assumed. Nevertheless, when somebody tries your meals, particularly if it’s a stranger, and tells you that they beloved it, you’re feeling good and you’re feeling prefer it’s all been price it.
What’s the excellent order from East seventh Pizza & Deli?
Our menu is just not very lengthy as a result of I need each merchandise to be tremendous scrumptious. A Ray’s Cheese Pizza, our model of a margherita with further buffalo mozzarella and parmesan cheese; a Pork Stomach Bánh mì, which is meaty and spicy; and a lemon cheesecake pudding!
Earlier: Kunal Makhija, Arabisque
Subsequent: Kartikeya Ratan and Rishabh Doshi, Kiki & Pastor
