Having won the hearts of a number of people from Delhi-NCR over the past few years with her culinary ventures Ivy & Bean, Shahpur Jat, and Fig & Maple, Greater Kailash 2, Chef Radhika Khandelwal has taken up a new challenge. Posting about it for the first time on Instagram last week, the chef declared that she was ready to open the first franchise of Fig & Maple at Assagao, Goa.
Though the announcement is just a few days old, Khandelwal shares that her plans to expand the hospitality venture date back before the pandemic. “I was in Goa in March 2020 and came back to Delhi the day before the first lockdown. We had almost closed the deal but the plan fell through because of COVID,” she says.
Now that the world is finally recovering, the chef realised that there was no better time than the present to put the plan into action. However, it was after the passing away of her mother in February this year that she finally pushed herself to take up this project once again. “It made sense for me to focus my energy somewhere else and in a very positive way.
My mother was known for her hard work and resilience, and I wanted to be able to carry that forward and honour her,” Khandelwal shares. She further adds, “To be honest, I also wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life, and go into a much quieter place, which would allow healing and, at the same time, not stop me from working.”
A twist in the menu
While her vision towards local, sustainable, and seasonal cooking remains the same, Khandelwal hints that she has chalked out fresh plans for her upcoming venture in Goa. “I will continue to work closely with farmers and small-scale food producers, and I think Goa has that in ample quantity. I am looking forward to exploring these new relations that I will build along the way.”
Fig & Maple has been known for elevating regional flavours—it is also known for its European cuisine—and making them enjoyable for millennial patrons. Speaking about choosing Goa as the location for her first franchise, Khandelwal elaborates, “It had a lot to do with the produce and being close to the coastline. I love working with fresh seafood and the produce of Goa has always fascinated me, whether it is Bimbli [cucumber tree], Goa beans, chillies, or cashew. It will be exciting to experiment with such produce.”
Going beyond the classics that are served in her Delhi restaurants, Khandelwal mentions that Fig & Maple, Goa, will feature flavours from all across the country. When asked if she was willing to reveal a few of them, she quipped, “I would not like to reveal too much at the moment. I’d rather keep it a surprise.” However, she does mention that the location will not have any effect on the menu. “I believe there are already people who have mastered the Goan cuisine—the Goans themselves.”
Judging by how excited Khandelwal is—she is travelling to Goa again this week—-we can hope that this franchise is soon to become the talk of the town(s). Is this the first step towards launching pan-India restaurants of her brand Fig & Maple? Khandelwal concludes, “It is too soon to say anything, but who knows. I am keeping myself open to all opportunities that come my way.”