Meet Ratan Tata’s favourite chef, who began his career in a garage, now he is...

Ratan Naval Tata, the respected Indian industrialist and former chairman of Tata Sons, passed away on October 9 at the age of 86. He died at Bridge Candy Hospital in Mumbai. A proud member of the Parsi community, Tata had a deep love for traditional Parsi cuisine and often enjoyed homemade meals prepared by his sister. One person who left a lasting impression on him with his cooking was Chef Parvez Patel, a renowned Parsi chef known for his culinary skills.

Chef Parvez Patel is well-known in the culinary world for his expertise in Parsi cuisine, a unique blend of Persian, Gujarati, and British influences. He has a long-standing connection with Tata Industries and was regarded as Ratan Tata’s favourite chef. Born and raised in Mumbai, Parvez began his culinary career in a modest garage that was converted into a small tea-and-snacks joint. This place, known as Ideal Corner, quickly gained popularity due to Parvez's exceptional cooking skills. Originally a garage for Yezdi motorcycles, Ideal Corner became a famous spot for people who loved authentic Parsi food.

Parvez's ability to prepare traditional Parsi dishes eventually caught the attention of the Tata group. This led to him becoming the chef at the annual Tata Steel function in Jamshedpur, an event that Ratan Tata always attended. Parvez's dishes became favourites at this gathering, and his association with the Tata group grew over time.

Ratan Tata was particularly fond of simple, homestyle Parsi dishes. In an interview, Chef Parvez shared that some of Tata's favourite dishes included khatta-meetha masoor dal, a tangy and sweet lentil dish made with garlic, mutton pulao dal, and the famous nut-rich baked custard known as lagan-nu custard. Although Tata never visited Ideal Corner himself, his driver would often pick up his preferred dishes from the restaurant. This culinary relationship lasted for about 10 years. Parvez mentioned that while he had met Tata at a few social events, they did not share a close personal relationship.

Parvez’s journey into the culinary world was inspired by the glamorous life his friends in the hotel industry led. He decided to pursue a career in this field and took a two-month course at The Oberoi Hotel, which led to his first job there. Later, he partnered with Boman Irani's wife, Mrs. Gulcher B. Irani, to transform the garage into Ideal Corner, where Parvez has been managing the restaurant alongside Mr. and Mrs. Irani ever since.

Through his hard work and dedication, Chef Parvez Patel has not only become a well-known figure in the culinary world but has also played a key role in promoting traditional Parsi cuisine.

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