Smoke House Deli gets 'healthy' update

Over a decade after being the favourite for many for its European comfort food, Smoke House Deli has got a brand new avatar.

Called Smoke House Deli 2.0, the revamped outpost opened for public on March 2 DLF Avenue, Saket. The evolved version of the place now has a fresh new healthy menu and pockets of freshness throughout the space with bright green plants and large windows. While you can continue to enjoy the restaurant's all-time favourite dishes like the Baconator Burger or the Classic Mac 'n Cheese, the new menu is all set to serve indulgent goodness all day every day.

Jaydeep Mukherjee, Business Head, Smoke House Deli, talks about the new version of SHD and the need to revamp the legacy brand of Impresario Handmade Restaurants.

Excerpts:

Please tell us more about the version of Smoke House Deli, the new menu and why was the change required?

Mukherjee: Smoke House Deli was a favourite among diners for its comfort European food. But not much had been changed, in terms of trendiness, health concerns or health requirements. When I came into the company (two years ago) my observation was that there was a lot more we can do. And that was the reason why Smoke House Delhi 2.0 began to take shape.

A lot of changes I have introduced in the new menu which now has great healthy indulgence. We now source from better farms, better cooperatives and farmers. We have started using a lot of local ingredients as well. We wanted to make things different and different not for the sake of being different but different with an integrity. We started working with various people who were playing a good role in the organic and healthy food space.

It includes more options that feature 100 per cent organic ingredients, coming straight from local farms. Sustainability is at the core of everything we do here on.

What kind of research was done?

Mukherjee: Research was primarily on cooking techniques. Research was done around maintaining nutrition, local produce, seasons -- what was good in what season, who were the people doing it.

What kind of challenges did you face?

Mukherjee: The main challenge was of scale. A farmer who produces in Satara, when he is asked to supply in Mumbai, he says 'we can't do it. You come and take it'. So we faced those problems. We have now worked with larger players. Not many NGOs, but people who were doing it as a business but at the same time with the right intentions.

So the challenge was around logistics and supply chain.

'Farm to fork' - seems to be the rising trend. How do you see it?

Mukherjee: It is more about getting the produce - may be it the freshest radishes or even a beautiful watermelon, after being harvested, it reaches me quickly. A lot of food that come to us from the wholesale market were passing through several middlemen. When you begin to buy from source it ensures that all of this come to you as quickly as possible. Farm to fork is a trending concept. For me, it means freshness, minimum manipulation and the integrity that I'm looking to deliver to my customers that is maintained.