Prateek Sadhu ‘11

Chef-Owner, Masque; Mumbai, India

Prateek Sadhu ‘11 is executive chef and co-owner of Masque. Born in Kashmir in 1986, Prateek grew up around family farms, learning the basics of the kitchen from his aunt and mother. This natural curiosity for food soon derailed initial plans to become a commercial pilot; instead, he enrolled at a hotel management school in India, before graduating from The Culinary Institute of America with double gold medals. He went on to work in some of the world’s finest kitchens, including Alinea, The French Laundry, Bourbon Steak, Le Bernardin, and Michelin-starred restaurants across Europe—including a stint under Rene Redzepi at Noma, where Prateek’s intent to source and spotlight local ingredients truly flourished. He later moved back to The Pierre Hotel, New York, followed by a return to India as sous chef at Le Cirque, Bangalore. The move back to India connected Prateek with Aditi Dugar, who shared his vision of using purely local ingredients to create seasonal and sustainable dishes. This ethos led the pair to travel the country in search of the best regional produce and create strong ties with local farmers. After nearly two years of research and development, they opened Masque in Mumbai in September 2016. With Prateek at its helm, Masque has blazed its own trail through India’s culinary landscape, garnering a reputation for constant innovation and numerous accolades along the way. Its commitment to sustainability saw Masque ranked among the top 10 on Food Tank’s 2016 list of restaurant innovators in the world. That same year, Prateek was awarded “Most Innovative Chef of the Year” by the Western Culinary Association of India. In December 2017, he was named “Chef of the Year” at the Conde Nast Traveller Top Restaurant Awards, and in 2018, the restaurant was ranked #5 on the list. (Mumbai, India) @prateeksadhu

Prateek is presenting as part of the “Asia Plant-Forward Strategy: Of Geography and Culture” session on June 3 (Week Four).