American Egg Board Unveils Next Incredible Egg Trend: Indian Gastropub with Sujan Sarkar

Chef Makes Indian Dishes More Approachable, Pairing Bold Spices with Familiar Pub Foods 

CHICAGO (Jan. 16, 2020) — The latest chapter of the American Egg Board’s (AEB) Incredible Egg Trends series explores “Indian Gastropub,” featuring celebrated restaurateur and innovator Chef Sujan Sarkar.

Inspired by Indian street foods, Indian Gastropub cuisine combines contemporary Indian flavors with comforting pub foods. Exotic Indian flavors are infused into familiar dishes that incorporate local, seasonal ingredients, which introduces diners to new tastes in an accessible manner.

Approachable ethnic

“Fusing ethnic with pub food allows new diners to experience bold, traditional flavors that may have previously been out of their comfort zone and makes it easier for operators to integrate it into a larger menu. This is why Indian Gastropub was the perfect next feature for Incredible Egg Trends (IET),” said Phaedra Ruffalo, senior director, market development at the AEB. “Chef Sujan Sarkar’s championing of progressive cooking rooted in tradition inspired us, and his use of eggs showcases them as an ideal vehicle to marry ethnic and comfort flavors.”

More than 4,450 U.S. foodservice outlets focus on Indian cuisine, and this ethnic food is primed to break out in concepts with a broader focus, according to Datassential. ‘Masala’ menu mentions are up 11% in the past four years. In fact, this report also notes that 61% of those who have tried Indian food either like or love it, and 25% of people are interested in trying dosas, crispy Indian crepe/flatbread.

Chef Sarkar breaks boundaries in Indian food

Known for his vision of modernizing Indian food, Chef Sujan Sarkar started his career at the JW Marriott in Mumbai. After working under numerous Michelin-starred chefs in the U.K., he opened his first concept, Almada, in London and won chef of the year in 2011 and 2013. Four years later, he opened a modern Indian restaurant in the U.S. with locations in San Francisco and Chicago: ROOH. Soon after, he created BAAR BAAR, New York City’s first Indian gastro bar. Recently awarded International Chef of the Year by Elite Magazine, he continues to explore, understand and reconceive what the future of Indian food can be by experimenting with new possibilities and stretching the boundary of traditional Indian cuisine.

“Indian Gastropub is all about traditional food presented in a much more modern way,” said Chef Sarkar. “Our Lamb Keema is an interpretation of a simple roadside dish that you’d get in Mumbai. We’re doing it our way at BAAR BAAR. So, it’s baked egg on top of lamb keema, and it’s delicious.”

View additional Indian Gastropub recipes and concepts

In addition to Sarkar’s creative take on Indian street food, the new IET chronicle includes five other recipes developed for restauranteurs: Butter Chicken Poutine, Potato and Egg Uttapam, Tikka Masala Chili, Cardamom Hollandaise and Lamb Kebabs, and Nachos Chaat.

Find these six recipes and five menu concepts from other restaurants along with Chef Sarkar’s video, as well as research and tips related to the Indian gastropub trend at: aeb.org/incredible-egg-trends.

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About the American Egg Board (AEB)

Home of the Incredible Egg, the AEB is the U.S. egg industry’s national commodity marketing board. The AEB’s mission is to increase demand for eggs and egg products through research, education and promotion. The AEB’s Egg Nutrition Center is the country’s largest repository of egg nutrition research. The AEB is located in Chicago, Ill. For more, visit www.aeb.org.

About the AEB’s Incredible Egg Trends

The Incredible Egg Trends, a series developed by the American Egg Board, focuses on food trends and the chefs setting those trends. Several times a year nationally-acclaimed chefs are highlighted with recipes that talk to a specific ethnic or daypart trend featured on their menus. From competing on Iron Chef and Top Chef to earning Michelin stars to writing their own cookbooks to James Beard Award recipients, these chefs are incredible egg trendsetters.