Chef Rahul Punjabi, the force behind Mumbai’s popular modern Asian restaurant Bang Bang! Noodle, has built an unconventional journey shaped by passion, and persistence. From struggling academically and briefly working at Google to training in some of Australia’s most respected kitchens, his story reflects a dramatic shift from corporate life to culinary success.
Early struggles and finding purpose
Growing up, Punjabi describes himself as an average student who lacked focus and often questioned authority. While academics did not interest him, team sports such as cricket and rugby became an important part of his life. In 2010, he even represented India at the U-20 Asian 5 Nations Rugby tournament. Sports taught him discipline, teamwork, and the importance of collective effort—lessons that would later influence his work in professional kitchens.
“Team sports gave me a sense of belonging in a collective,” he recalls, adding that they taught him people succeed together rather than alone.
Coming from a business family, there was always an expectation that he would eventually join the family enterprise. However, a major financial setback changed everything when government restrictions on export fishing caused the business to collapse soon after his grandfather’s passing. During that difficult phase, Punjabi found comfort in watching food shows instead of cartoons or sports. Chefs and television personalities like Vir Sanghvi, Gordon Ramsay, and Tom Colicchio became his early inspirations.
Even as a student, he was far more interested in global cuisines and culinary history than textbooks. Although he completed college and secured a job at Google, his passion for cooking never faded. “I still had a burning desire to become a chef,” he says. After spending a year at the tech giant, he quit and moved to the United States for an unpaid internship at 212 Bar and Grill, marking the beginning of his culinary career.
Learning the craft in Australia
Punjabi later relocated to Sydney to study at Le Cordon Bleu while simultaneously working multiple jobs to support himself. He worked breakfast shifts at cafés before classes and washed dishes at night in kebab shops. During his mandatory work placement, he landed a role at The Boathouse on Blackwattle Bay, a highly regarded one-hat restaurant near Sydney Fish Market. His dedication helped him rise to the position of junior sous chef within three and a half years.
He later joined Restaurant Quay, one of Australia’s most celebrated fine-dining restaurants, where he spent three years refining his craft in a demanding environment built on precision and excellence.
“The level of cuisine, precision, cleanliness, and sky-high standards was a dream come true for any young chef,” he says while recalling his years in Sydney.
Returning to India and building Bang Bang! Noodle
In 2022, Punjabi returned to India with his wife and joined Masala Library under restaurateur Zorawar Kalra. During his tenure, the restaurant earned three Culinary Culture Stars and ranked among India’s leading restaurants at the Hospitality Horizon Awards. Before launching Bang Bang! Noodle, he also served as corporate chef for Aspect Hospitality, overseeing multiple brands and opening 50 quick-service outlets across India in just four months.
Over time, his food philosophy evolved from technical fine dining towards comfort-focused cooking. Inspired by the late-night noodle bowls he depended on during long shifts in Sydney’s Chinatown, Bang Bang! Noodle reflects his desire to create deeply satisfying and flavourful dishes.
“When someone eats my dishes, I don’t want them to stop and click photos. I want them to greedily inhale the food,” he says.
Punjabi believes India’s hospitality industry is entering an exciting phase, with talented chefs returning from overseas to build world-class kitchens locally. His advice to aspiring chefs is simple: stay disciplined, work hard, keep improving, and never lose the love for food and hospitality. Read More