A Journey Through the Subcontinent
Spice & Story was born from a single conviction: that the depth, diversity and artistry of Indian cooking deserves the same reverence as any great world cuisine. Founded in 2014 by the Malhotra family, we opened our doors on Janpath Road with a handwritten menu of twelve dishes, each tied to a specific memory or region. Today, our kitchen holds those same twelve dishes — and a hundred more — but the spirit remains unchanged.
The Master of Restraint
Chef Arjun Malhotra
Chef Arjun Malhotra trained at the Culinary Institute of America before returning to India to apprentice under legendary ustaads in Lucknow and master fish-curry techniques along the Malabar coast. His cooking is defined by restraint — a belief that great spicing should enhance, never overwhelm. He was named "Chef of the Year" by Food & Drink India in 2022 and 2024.
“"Indian food is not a monolith. It is a thousand conversations happening at once — between regions, seasons, and families. My job is to make sure those conversations are heard."”
10+
Years of Heritage Cooking
3
Locations Across India
50,000+
Guests Served Each Year
2×
Chef of the Year, Food & Drink India
100%
Locally Sourced Produce
40+
Artisanal Spice Blends
Cooking With Conscience
We work directly with small-scale farmers, spice estate cooperatives, and heritage seed preservationists across Rajasthan, Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. Our packaging is fully compostable, our kitchen runs on 60% renewable energy, and our waste-to-compost programme returns nutrients directly to the farms that feed us.
Farm-Direct Sourcing
All vegetables and dairy sourced within 200 km of each location. Spices sourced directly from estate cooperatives in Kerala and Karnataka.
Zero Liquid Waste Kitchen
Our kitchens operate a closed-loop water system. All grey water is treated and reused for irrigation at partner farms.
Compost Loop
Every gram of organic kitchen waste is composted and returned to the farms that supplied us — completing the cycle.
Solar-Powered Cooking
60% of our energy in the Delhi flagship comes from rooftop solar installations installed in partnership with Tata Power Solar.
