Sunil Kanti Roy joined the Peerless group in 1968. Founded by his father R.S. Roy in 1932, the group flourished under the leadership of B.K. Roy, his elder brother. Tutored in the business by his elder brother, S.K. Roy took over the mantle of the company after the demise of B.K. Roy in 1985. Finance, hospitality, healthcare… S.K. Roy has been at the helm of affairs of every segment of the Peerless group. In 2009, he bagged the Padma Shri. 

At 73, he is still the big enchilada of the company and Aaheli still holds a special place in his heart. The chairman of Peerless Hotels Limited tells us why. 

Aaheli was your brainchild. Twenty-four years ago, why did you think of opening such a Bengali restaurant in a city where Bengali food is made and had at home?

That’s a simple question. The board members and chairman asked the same question at that time. I gave them one statement: ‘If this thought process behind Aaheli will be successful, then your name will get all the credit. And if it doesn’t, then my money will be lost’. No one could refute that statement.

With full effort from everybody, Aaheli opened on May 18, 1993. It was the first Bengali cuisine restaurant in a fine dine format — to my knowledge not only in Calcutta but also in all of India. It opened with 45 covers.

What does ‘Aaheli’ mean?

Aaheli means authentic and pure. It is derived from the Arabic word aahel.

How did Calcutta respond to Aaheli in its first 10 years?

The response was good. The customer is always the best judge. Our success was clearly measured by the large number of sales. At that time, Aaheli was the only name on every lip when it came to Bengali restaurants. 

In the 10 years that followed, a lot many Bengali restaurants emerged. Why? It is because they saw the success of Aaheli.

No businessmen will want to invest if there is no market. We set an example for the rest. Some opened Bengali restaurants where the food was not 100 per cent authentic, some specialised in seafood, others were a fusion of Punjabi and Bengali, a lot of other things…

(The chat is pleasantly interrupted by plates of Machher Patisapta, Pur Bhora Machh and Mishti Doi brought in by S.K. Roy’s daughter Debasree Roy, who is senior vice-president of Peerless Hotels Limited.

“Why we are serving this today is because there is some history behind it. The Machher Patisapta is my father’s creation and the best part about the doi is if you turn the bowl upside down, it won’t fall… you can try it and see,” says Debasree.
As we hesitate to try, S.K. Roy reaches for the bowl of doi and hangs it upside down. We cry out ‘wow’ as it stays intact! ‘Please eat,’ smiles Roy, satisfied with the outcome.)

Tell us more about this Machher Patisapta (fish crepe)…

It was inspired by a relative. More than 10 years ago, we visited our relatives staying in Bangalore. They came along with me for a meeting and carried some patisapta. I was offered one and when I tasted it, I asked my relative what the ingredients were. Like most ladies, she tactfully avoided revealing the secret of the recipe. So then I said, ‘Oh, very nice, give me one more’. That’s when I tasted it slowly and tried to find out what was inside!

[At this point, S.K. Roy asks, ‘Can you tell me what’s inside?’

‘Fish, dhania patta, sliced onions, red chilli powder, turmeric, maybe ginger?’ we reply.

Without telling us if we were right or wrong, came his next question ‘And what is the covering made of?’

‘A mix of maida and atta, perhaps?’

‘Yes, and some suji’]

At home, my wife [Shikha] would sometimes make patisapta. She is a very good and efficient cook. So we wondered how to make it different. Our chef put on his thinking cap and said, ‘We must add something to make it stand out’. We experimented with ginger- garlic paste, turmeric powder and it became one of the top sellers at Aaheli. A portion has four pieces for Rs 625. It is stuffed with two types of fish — rui, bekti and ilish when it’s in season.

What other items did you bring into The Peerless Inn?

Boneless Ilish. I love to visit Bangladesh and when I was there around 20 years ago, I had the Boneless Hilsa in Dhaka Club, which was unique. On our return, I spoke to our chef and asked him to do something similar. Now, of course, boneless ilish is everywhere.

You may also have heard about Posto Bora and such items, but the Mochar Bora entered the star-hotel space with The Peerless Inn. Aam Panna is also exclusive to Aaheli, and has been there since the restaurant’s inception. The roasted raw mangoes are de-skinned and mashed, then put into a bowl of water so the juices come out. Sugar, black salt and roasted jeera are added. It is a natural laxative when had in the morning and a refreshing drink on a summer day.

Another creation — not by me but my Mrs — is Anarashi Ilish. It requires prior notice as it’s seasonal. The sweetness of the anaras (pineapple) and the freshness of the ilish is a good combination, with a dash of sorshe (mustard). 

I must also share that almost all the sweet items at Aaheli are made in our own kitchen… some of the popular ones are Mishti Doi, Aaheli Bhapa Sandesh, Baked Mihidana, Aam Doi, Gurer Rosogulla and Rajbhog.

Which are your three favourites from the Aaheli menu?

Shukto without mustard, Posto Bora and any kind of fish.

Tell us something we don’t know about you…

(Smiles) If I enter the kitchen, I can tell you just by the smell and touch, what quality of fish it is. That is why everyone is afraid of me! I don’t smoke, drink or eat paan so my tongue is very sharp.

What is your weakness?

All sweet and fried items! Sadly, due to my diabetes I am a little handicapped.

Where have you had some of your best meals outside of your own hotels? 

My job has entailed travelling throughout India and I have covered most districts by car. Whenever I travel, I have tea or coffee in a small roadside restaurant. Why so? To learn more about the locality. Most of the food at Dak Bungalows in the districts of Bengal and Bihar are very good. I remember the Irrigation Bungalow in Purulia had excellent food.

I am a regular at Chinoiserie in Taj Bengal and recently Threesixtythree° in The Oberoi Grand because of the new look. In between I liked Mainland China but I feel the character of the food has changed in the last five-six years.

In 1973, we travelled from Silchar to Agartala for around 10-12 hours by an Ambassasor. The road was very rough. Along the route, we ate lunch at a restaurant… a roadside hotel. I cannot even remember the name! What was its beauty? Everything was clean. It was simple rice, dal and baingan fry… but it was an unforgettable experience.

What was the idea behind opening Aaheli in Axis Mall, Rajarhat, in 2010?

We wanted to slowly expand the Bengali restaurant. This was a test case. We are slow but steady. This was our first standalone restaurant and in a new area. Initially, there were few takers for dinner but as the mall picked up, so did the food sale. In the future, it will only grow.

If you decide to further expand Aaheli, what format would you consider?

The format depends on the local demand. There has never been a bar inside Aaheli in The Peerless Inn. But if you look at the Rajarhat Aaheli, the restaurant has a bar. So we need to modify to cater to today’s needs. However, without compromising on the authenticity of the food, quality or the decor.

A chat on Aaheli would be incomplete without talking about the bell metal thali…

The thalis are made of bell metal and to find people who can make these thalis is getting more difficult with each passing year. They are expensive too — more than steel, less than silver. Today, we have specialised machines to clean them. When we started the thali, we would lose a lot of utensils. Then we improved the checking system. 

At Aaheli, we offer four types of thali — Mahotsab (veg), Bhoj, Raj Bhoj and Bhuribhoj, which has the highest number of non-veg items.

What is the average spend per person at Aaheli?

It is Rs 1,895 per person (plus taxes) if we consider thali. If it’s a la carte, Rs 2,000 (plus taxes). We don’t compromise on quality. 

Peerless Hotels turns 25 next year. What changes are being planned?

In Mukutmanipur, we have a property, which is an associated concern. It opened in 1989. At that time, no one thought about Mukutmanipur. Today, it is being largely focused on because of its rich history. We will add six cottages based on the concept of village resort. The theme and decor will be inspired by the rich history of the place, its art and culture. 
Even our Durgapur property is adding a lot of inventory.

The Peerless Inn, Calcutta, is renovating 26 of its rooms. Work has started and we expect them to be ready next year. They are being remodelled keeping in mind the needs of the modern customer.

The biggest news I can reveal is that there are plans to expand in the area of Port Blair, either in Havelock or Neil Island. At present, we have one property in Port Blair (Corbyn’s Cove beach). 

What according to you is an area of improvement at The Peerless Inn, Calcutta?

Our banqueting; the numbers could be better. 

What do you have to say about the many modern hotels coming up in New Town? 

The question is unique and so is my reply. Peerless is unparalleled. Our position is unparalleled. Though many offices have shifted to Rajarhat, there continue to be segments that will never shift. We are in the midst of Calcutta’s business district surrounded by New Market, The Oberoi Grand and so many offices. We offer one of the best views from our top-floor rooms — you can see Eden Gardens, both the Howrah bridges, this is what I would call the beauty spot. 

ALL ABOUT AAHELI 

• Aaheli opened its doors on May 18, 1993, a month after The Peerless Inn started operations
• It was the first “fine dining” Bengali cuisine restaurant in India 
• Aaheli is the brainchild of S.K. Roy, chairman, Peerless Hotels Limited 
• The word Aaheli is derived from the Arabic word aahel, meaning pure 
• When Aaheli opened in 1993, it had 45 covers and no bar 
• The USP of Aaheli is their bell metal thali 
• In 2007, after a complete revamp, the covers were increased to 61
• In 2010, another branch of Aaheli was opened at Axis Mall Rajarhat, this time with a bar 
• The interiors and theme of Aaheli depicts Bengal’s rural life 
• Some of the famous dishes loved by people are Dhumrogondhi Ilish (a boneless ilish dish), Rui Machher Patisapta, Anarashi Ilish and Koi Paturi  
• The hotel has been patronised by guests like Rishi Kapoor, Sourav Ganguly, Kangana Ranaut, Sivamani, Madhur Bhandarkar...

Text: Karo Christine Kumar