Vivek Singh on 25 Years of The Cinnamon Club

Vivek Singh has spent the last 25 years redefining what Indian fine dining can be. As the chef behind London's iconic Cinnamon Club, he joins the Good Food podcast to reflect on the restaurant's remarkable journey, the dishes that changed perceptions of Indian cuisine, and the stories that have shaped his career. Vivek shares how he deliberately challenged expectations when The Cinnamon Club first opened, removing familiar curry-house staples in favour of regional flavours, seasonal British ingredients and bold new ideas. He explains why one deeply personal dish, "Papa Pigeon", has never left the menu, how his mother's pumpkin chutney became an unlikely signature, and why the restaurant's 25th anniversary tasting menu celebrates both tradition and innovation. Along the way, Vivek looks back on growing up in eastern India, where community celebrations revolved around home-cooked food, and recalls the Bengali wedding meal that introduced him to the prawn curry that remains his favourite dish to this day. He also reveals his biggest kitchen disaster, the surprising ingredient he thinks is overrated, and the guilty pleasure he can't resist. Whether you're fascinated by restaurant history, passionate about Indian food or simply love hearing the stories behind unforgettable dishes, this episode is packed with warmth, humour and plenty of inspiration. **In this episode:** * 25 years of The Cinnamon Club * Reinventing Indian fine dining * The story behind "Papa Pigeon" * Childhood food memories from Bengal * Why regional Indian cooking matters * His favourite Bengali prawn curry * The biggest kitchen disaster of his career * The Five Guys milkshake he swears by Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices