Starters – Fine Dining Indian Cookbook by Chef Bobby Geetha

Following the journey of my first book, Beyond Curry, I wanted to continue exploring something that has always been very close to my heart — showing people what Indian cuisine can truly become when tradition, creativity and modern cooking techniques come together.

That journey led me to create Starters, part of my Fine Dining Indian Cuisine series.

For me, Indian food has never been only about curry.

India has an extraordinary food culture shaped by different regions, ingredients, spices, communities and cooking traditions. Every part of the country has something different to offer, and I believe there is still so much of Indian cuisine that deserves to be explored and presented to the world.

Through this book, I wanted to show another side of Indian food.

My Journey After Beyond Curry

My first cookbook, Beyond Curry, was an important milestone for me.

Publishing it gave me the opportunity to share my ideas, my cooking philosophy and my interpretation of Indian food with people beyond the restaurant kitchen.

It also taught me a great deal about writing recipes, food photography, publishing and, most importantly, understanding what readers actually need from a cookbook.

After Beyond Curry, I knew I wanted to continue.

Starters became the next chapter in that journey.

This book focuses on creative starters and small dishes inspired by Indian flavours, ingredients and cooking traditions, but presented using a more contemporary fine-dining approach.

My intention is not to change Indian food simply for the sake of making it modern.

I want to respect the original flavours while exploring new ways to cook, plate and experience them.

Watch My Story

In the video on this page, I talk about the original idea behind Starters, my experience publishing Beyond Curry, and why I wanted to continue creating books dedicated to Fine Dining Indian cuisine.

My message then is still very important to me today:

Indian cuisine has an extraordinary range of flavours, techniques and traditions, and there is much more for the world to discover.

Fine Dining Indian Cuisine at Home

One thing that makes this project particularly important to me is where these recipes were created.

Every recipe in Starters was developed and tested in my own small home kitchen.

I deliberately wanted to work this way.

Fine dining can sometimes appear intimidating. People often imagine expensive equipment, large professional kitchens and complicated techniques.

But I wanted my readers to see that beautiful food can also begin in a simple kitchen.

If I can develop these dishes in my home kitchen, I want you to feel confident that you can recreate many of them in yours too.

You may find modern techniques and restaurant-style presentation throughout the book, but the foundation remains approachable cooking, good ingredients and an understanding of flavour.

That is one of the principles behind my Fine Dining Indian philosophy.

Indian Cuisine Is More Than Curry

When Indian food is discussed internationally, the conversation often revolves around a small group of familiar dishes.

Curries, naan, tandoori dishes and biryani are wonderful parts of our food culture, but they represent only a small part of what India has to offer.

Indian cuisine is incredibly diverse.

Different regions use different spices, cooking fats, grains, vegetables, seafood, meats and preparation techniques.

Even the same ingredient can be treated completely differently depending on where you travel in India.

This diversity is what continues to inspire me as a chef.

Through my books and Indian recipes, I want to encourage people to look beyond the familiar dishes and discover new combinations, regional ingredients and cooking techniques.

For me, modern Indian cuisine should not erase tradition.

It should give us another way to celebrate it.

The Idea Behind Starters

A starter is the beginning of a dining experience.

It is often the first opportunity a chef has to introduce a guest to the flavours, ingredients and ideas behind a menu.

That makes starters particularly exciting for me.

They allow us to experiment with texture, temperature, presentation and flavour without making the dish unnecessarily heavy.

In this cookbook, I explore how familiar Indian flavours can be presented in new and interesting ways.

Some dishes may use traditional spice combinations with modern cooking methods. Others may take familiar Indian ingredients and present them in a completely different form.

The goal remains the same throughout: the food must taste good first.

Presentation matters, but flavour will always be at the centre of my cooking.

Creating Modern Indian Recipes

My approach to modern Indian cuisine begins with understanding the original dish or ingredient.

Only after understanding its character can I start experimenting.

Sometimes that might mean changing the cooking technique.

Sometimes it could mean refining the texture, reducing the heaviness of a preparation or creating a different style of plating.

In other dishes, very little needs to change.

A beautiful ingredient prepared correctly can often speak for itself.

This balance between tradition and creativity is something I continue to explore throughout my work at Fine Dining Indian.

My aim is to create Indian food recipes that remain recognisably Indian while allowing people to experience those flavours in a different way.

From My Kitchen to Yours

One of the greatest compliments I can receive is hearing that somebody has successfully recreated one of my recipes at home.

A cookbook should not simply be something beautiful to look at.

It should encourage you to cook.

That is why I try to explain the methods and techniques behind my dishes rather than simply listing ingredients.

When you understand why something is being done, you become more confident in the kitchen.

You can then adapt the recipe, experiment with ingredients and eventually create something of your own.

That is the confidence I hope Starters gives its readers.

Explore More from Fine Dining Indian

If you enjoy discovering contemporary interpretations of Indian recipes, I invite you to explore more of my work here at Fine Dining Indian.

You will find traditional dishes, modern creations, restaurant-style techniques and recipes designed for passionate home cooks.

My goal has always remained simple:

Respect the tradition. Understand the flavour. Then allow yourself to create.

Thank you for following my journey.

— Chef Bobby Geetha