The restaurant, which launched in 2002 as The Painted Heron, was considered something of a trailblazer when it opened for its use of authentic Indian flavours and fine dining focus; qualities that would later become synonymous with the likes of Gymkhana and Benares.
After operating for 15 years, Datta rebranded and relaunched the restaurant as TPH of Chelsea in late 2017 with a menu that focused on more on a sustainable and health-conscious offering.
The restaurant’s most recent menu featured dishes including mutton stew cooked on the bone with aromatic spices; Andhra fish curry with seabass and baby aubergines; and a charcoal-pit roasted whole leg of lamb.
“[This restaurant has] been the most rewarding part of my long food journey,” says Datta.
“I like to think TPH of Chelsea broke boundaries and was a source of inspiration for many Indian restaurants across the country.”
Datta says he will now focus on his other restaurant business, the City-based Bangalore Express, which is approaching its tenth anniversary.