(July 30, 2025) After honing his skills in some of the world’s most celebrated kitchens—including the Michelin-starred Gaggan in Bangkok—Chef Vardaan Marwah returned to India with a clear vision: to create a dining space that reflected both innovation and authenticity. Armed with experience under culinary heavyweights like Chef Sujan Sarkar and Chef Suvir Saran, Marwah launched FARRO in Pune, a restaurant where he brings together everything he’s learned—discipline, creativity, and a deep respect for flavour—to build a space that feels personal, rooted, and quietly ambitious.
From Delhi Kitchens to Culinary School
Marwah grew up in Delhi, where food meant more than just a meal—it was a way of life. His earliest and most vivid memories are of watching his grandmother cook, her hands moving with practiced ease. “There was something magical about how she brought everything together, no recipes, no measurements, just instinct, heart, and a whole lot of love,” he tells Global Indian. That spark eventually led him follow his passion and join the International Institute of Culinary Arts, where he started formally learning the craft. That experience became the foundation of his culinary journey, where he first learnt the discipline and structure that a professional kitchen demands and where his respect for the craft truly began to take shape.
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Shaped by Global Kitchens, Rooted in India
“One of the big turning points for me was working at Gaggan in Bangkok. Being part of a kitchen like that really opened my eyes. It taught me so much about precision, discipline, and how to tell a story through food.” The stagiaire programme immersed him in a world of cutting-edge techniques and molecular gastronomy. “It was all about pushing boundaries and creating dishes that felt almost surreal. It opened my eyes to an entirely new dimension of cooking and sparked my curiosity for the hot kitchen, where I could explore creativity and innovation more freely.”
That spark carried into his time at Rooh, where he began experimenting more boldly under Chef Sujan Sarkar. “I started as a pastry chef and eventually became the executive chef,” reminisces the chef who in his words still had a lot to learn about flavour and depth. Later, his culinary journey took him to Chef Suvir Saran at The House of Celeste, an experience that deepened his understanding of Indian flavours and how powerful storytelling can be when it is rooted in tradition. “Working with him wasn’t just about refining my skills; it was about understanding the soul of food. He taught me how to think in flavours, how to connect emotion and memory with every dish. I had the ideas, and he helped me ground them with balance and nuance. It was truly a mentorship in every sense, a modern version of the guru-shishya tradition. That guidance helped shape the chef I am today, one who respects both technique and tradition while building a style that’s uniquely mine,” says Vardaan.
FARRO: A Restaurant with a Personal Story
But the most defining milestone so far has been the creation of FARRO. “It is more than just a restaurant; it’s a space where I’ve poured in years of learning, inspiration, and heart. Every dish carries a piece of my journey, and every detail has intention. It’s my most honest expression as a chef.” Interestingly, he was recently recognised as the Rising Star Chef of the Year 2025 by NDTV Food Awards. “It reminded me that none of this would be possible without the belief and support of all those who stood by me along the way, says Vardaan, who is currently the Chef Partner at FARRO and the Culinary Director at Oi Brewhouse, Murphie’s, and Qora in Pune. “Each place gives me a chance to explore, experiment, and keep evolving. I’m always learning, and that’s what keeps it exciting.”
At FARRO, he leads the kitchen and drives the culinary vision. He is deeply involved in everything from developing the menu to sourcing ingredients and training the team. “For me, it’s about putting out good food and creating an experience that feels real and consistent. Every dish is designed to tell a story, and I work closely with the team to make sure that story comes through in the flavours, the plating, and even the way we talk about it,” he explains.
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Owning the Narrative, Shaping the Future of Food
Globally, Indian chefs are being recognised at prestigious platforms, and he believes it’s because Indian chefs today aren’t trying to fit into anyone else’s idea of what food should be. “We are owning our stories, tapping into regional roots, cooking with a lot more intention. Earlier, Indian food abroad was either too boxed in or overly simplified. But now, there’s a real shift. People are curious about the layers, the history, and the techniques, and we’re not afraid to present all of that in a fresh, bold way. I think that confidence and honesty are what’s really connecting with global audiences right now,” he explains.
One of the big shifts in terms of food trends, according to him, is a return to simplicity. People want food that feels real. “There’s a lot more focus on produce-driven menus, seasonal cooking, and local sourcing no matter where you are in the world. I’m also seeing chefs experiment with fermentation, ancestral techniques, and nostalgic comfort foods but presenting them in refined ways. Another big one is the blurring of boundaries, global ingredients meeting regional techniques. It’s not fusion for the sake of it but more intuitive and rooted in stories and memory,” he says.
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Looking Ahead
Overcoming long hours, intense kitchens, and moments of self-doubt, he admits that every tough day has shaped him. Working in kitchens across different countries taught him resilience. “You learn to adapt, to listen, and to stay humble. Coming back to India and opening a space like FARRO came with its own learning curve. Balancing creativity with consistency and building a team that believes in the same vision takes time. But I’ve always believed that if the intention is right, things slowly fall into place. And above all, it’s about staying true to why you started,” he says.
He is inspired by people around him who are passionate about what they do and committed to doing it well. “Watching them thrive constantly pushes me to grow, to evolve, and to be better than I was yesterday. One life lesson I hold close is this: keep doing what you love without obsessing over the outcome. Stay grounded, stay consistent. If your heart is in the right place and you put in the work, you will eventually find yourself exactly where you’re meant to be,” he says.
His current focus is on building FARRO into a space that people return to for not just exceptional food but also unforgettable memories. “I want it to be a place where every dish, every detail, reflects intention and joy. I’m working closely with my team to craft experiences that the city hasn’t seen before, unique, thoughtful, and full of character. We also have something exciting in the pipeline; it’s still under wraps for now, but we are looking forward to unveiling it very soon,” he signs off.
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