Chef Himanshu Saini at work in his restaurant Trèsind Studio at Dubai
Trèsind Studio, an upscale restaurant at St Regis Gardens in Dubai, has won 3 Michelin stars in the latest Michelin Guide, released earlier this week .
Michelin is a leading guide that ranks restaurants around the world for their quality and innovation. By winning the 3-stars chef Himanshu Saini has become not only the first Indian restaurateur to win the top honours, but the 3-stars also make Trèsind Studio, one of the only two restaurants in Dubai and across entire West Asian region to have bagged the top ranking.
Alongside Trèsind Studio, FZN by by Björn Frantzén, an top notch dining outlet at luxury hotel Atlantis, the Palm, was also honoured with three stars.
Michelin stars are regarded as benchmark test for global eateries and one star means that a restaurant is very good, while two stars make it one of the finest in the region and three stars are only given to restaurants regarded as being among the best in the world. Though the guide covers over 50 global destinations and includes thousands of restaurants, there are only 151 three star restaurants in the world.
On the recognition for Trèsind Studio, Gwendal Poullennec, International Director, Michelin, says that the “time is right for the recognition of Indian food on the world stage”.
According to reports, Poullennec made a special trip to Dubai for the announcement and two days before Tresind Studio’s success was revealed, he went in secret to tell Saini and his team that they had made culinary history. They were sworn to silence and signed Non Disclosure Agreements so the official announcement took the culinary world by surprise.
According to Michelin Guide, the surprise multi-course tasting menu is a masterpiece of originality, intrigue and precision, featuring flavours and tastes from all four compass points of India.
“While the chefs work away with quiet diligence and focus in the open kitchen, the service team provide detailed explanations of each elegant creation. A little theatre here and there with certain courses adds to an unforgettable experience. There is something magical happening here – and with just 20 seats and a rooftop location – you will feel you are in on the secret. Pro tip: arrive to dinner a little earlier to enjoy signature cocktails at the Popadom Botanic Bar,’’ says the guide.
Saini is considered one of the youngest tastemakers in Indian cuisine today, having commenced his culinary career under the mentorship of chef Manish Mehrotra of Indian Accent in Delhi. From the very beginning, Saini’s mission has been to change the perception of Indian cuisine and elevate how we experience Indian food today; the culmination of which is flagship restaurant, Trèsind Studio. His interest in food and cooking was nurtured by his family, in his home kitchen. The evolution of Trèsind Studio is his ode to the culinary legacy of his homeland and his drive for exploration in the culinary world.
“I come from an agricultural family in India. I grew up spending a lot of time around fresh produce, herbs and flowers. This has created an innate inclination towards using locally sourced ingredients, which is organically expressed in our menu at Trèsind Studio. Indian food has so much to offer, with such diversity in the landscape, produce, culture and cuisine. My team and I are passionate about making dishes that we enjoy savouring, dishes that we want to share with our guests,” says Saini.
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