How does another Punjabi restaurant make you sit up and take note? Ikk Punjab does that by offering recipes of undivided Punjab, fresh flavours and textures and an aura that goes beyond the pind image of the state. Rajan Sethi, founder of Ikk Panjab, explains how he presents a more nuanced picture of what Punjabi food truly is—both celebratory and simple
When you opened yet another Punjabi restaurant, what were you thinking?
We wouldn’t call Ikk Panjab ‘yet another Punjabi restaurant’. In fact, we’ve consciously moved away from the broader umbrella of ‘north Indian cuisine’, which tends to blur regional distinctions. Ikk Panjab is an effort to bridge a long-standing gap in how Punjabi food is represented, especially as a cuisine that extends beyond post-partition borders.
Our focus is on showcasing the diversity and depth of Punjab’s food—from the royal kitchens and bustling street corners to the everyday home kitchens. We dive deep into the micro-regions of both Indian and pre-partition Punjab, offering an authentic, researched, and respectful representation of the cuisine in its many expressions.
How did you go about the research, and what was the process to create the menu? Which regions did you focus on, who did you speak with, and where did the recipes come from?
Crafting the menu at Ikk Panjab has been a deeply immersive and collaborative journey. Over the past few years, our culinary team travelled across Punjab to explore dishes rooted in specific regions. From discovering aata chicken in Kotkapura to learning about the crispy fish of Ferozepur and Jalandhar’s love for pakoras, each dish has a story and a place it belongs to. Many of these recipes come from legendary local establishments that have perfected one dish over generations—and we honour them by dedicating those menu items to their places of origin. We also had the privilege of working with food writer and Punjabi culture researcher Vernika Awal, whose insights helped us refine the narrative and bring greater cultural context to the menu. The process combined on-ground exploration, archival research, old cookbooks, oral histories, and lived experiences. The result is a menu that’s both rooted in tradition and refreshed for today.
Daily Punjabi cooking is more about seasonal produce, but the menu leans heavily on rich meats and paneer—both considered Punjabi stereotypes. Was there no intention to break away from this?
While Ikk Panjab certainly showcases some iconic meat-based dishes, our menu also includes the lighter, everyday fare that Punjabi households are known for—from matthi-chhole and aloo vadiyaan to khatti masar dal, aloo gobhi, dhingri kofta, and a maah ki dal prepared the way it’s cooked in homes— without the usual heavy cream.
We’re also deeply committed to seasonality. Our chefs are constantly working with local produce, and we’re in the process of introducing dishes that reflect what’s growing right now. The goal was never to romanticise the cuisine through stereotypes but to present a fuller, more nuanced picture of what Punjabi food truly is—both celebratory and simple.
The restaurant space feels like someone’s home, which adds a special intimacy. What inspired that aesthetic, and why the fauji angle?
The design is very personal. My maternal grandfather served in the Indian Army, and many elements of Ikk Panjab are a tribute to him and the warmth of his home in Faridabad. The flooring in the restaurant is a direct replica of the one in his house, and several artefacts and keepsakes used in the space from our own family’s collection.
There’s a common notion that Punjab is all about pind life and rustic décor, but we wanted to tell a different story—one of families who have served in the forces, travelled the world, and created homes filled with both tradition and modernity. Ikk Panjab is meant to feel like stepping into the home of a well-travelled Punjabi family with deep roots and wide horizons.
Where else are you planning to expand?
We’ve already opened in Chandigarh and are now gearing up to launch in Gurgaon. The response so far has been incredibly encouraging, and we are excited to take this vision of Ikk Panjab to more cities soon.
