This weekend pop-up was a masterclass in ingredient-focussed food and teamwork between chef friends
Green Liver Fry, Dindigul Biryani and Hosa Ceviche
Their camaraderie is brilliant. Chef Harish Rao and Hussain Shahzad, Executive Chef, Hunger Inc. Hospitality, have known each other for over 10 years, since they first met at Sea Salt, a small-boat seafood restaurant in Chennai. “Whatever the fishermen brought in that morning, chef cooked. It could be three prawns, a big fish, and a handful of small ones. What struck me about Chef Harish was how he brought out the best in each ingredient. Prawns butter-fried, the big fish turned into a coastal-style curry, the collars used for another preparation, and the heads transformed into something entirely different. His food wasn’t about gimmicks or overcomplication; it was honest, versatile cooking with pure, clean flavours. That was my first impression of him, and it stayed with me,” says Hussain.
For Rao, too, who now heads Hosa, a restaurant that has been stirring things up in Siolim with its fresh take on South Indian food, minus the gimmicks, there have been many fun moments, but one that stands out is when 10 chefs cooked together for the longest table in Chennai in 2024. “We cooked his favourite ingredient — duck. It was truly memorable and so much fun,” laughs Rao. Hussain is amazed at how calm he is under pressure. “While the rest of us came with prep and teams, I was roasting and carving 25 ducks; Harish hadn’t prepped a thing. Yet, when his turn came, he pulled everything together from scratch, with absolute ease. It was effortless, almost magical, and so inspiring,” adds Hussain.
(L) Harish Rao, Executive Chef, Hosa and Hussain Shahzad, Executive Chef, Hunger Inc. Hospitality. PIC courtesy/O Pedro
Last week, we found Rao in Hussain’s kitchen at O Pedro for Pedro’s Pals — a weekend takeover by the brand’s favourite friends from the sunshine state. Hosa means ‘new’ in Kannada, and true to that spirit, Chef Rao and his team played with flavours and textures. “Cooking in his kitchen for this pop-up felt like cooking in my own space. The O Pedro team was incredibly supportive, taking a huge load off my shoulders and executing everything with so much style. For Hussain, I made dishes that I knew he would love — mutton biryani, brain masala with egg white omelette, toddy shop scampis, and fish curry.” Two dishes left a lasting impression on Hussain: the Dindigul Biryani, made with fragrant short-grain rice. “It was the kind of dish that takes you back to the feeling of home. The way it was paired with tender braised lamb shank, and served alongside onion and cucumber raita, made it hearty yet balanced. Then there was the Toddy Shop Scampi with the sauce made from crab heads and prawn shells, that gave it this incredible depth of flavour. Rich, layered, it carried that coastal soulfulness.”
Hussain tells us how Rao was entirely at ease with his team and equally generous with his knowledge. “Harish is a natural teacher. I recall during COVID, we would join late-night Zoom calls with our teams from O Pedro and The Bombay Canteen, leading impromptu masterclasses. We’d give him a topic—like biryanis, for example—and he would talk us through it, weaving in stories and insights while we took notes. For him, it was a way to stay engaged; for us, it was an invaluable means of learning. That spirit of sharing is what makes him more than just a colleague; he is truly a friend, and that made the pop up even more special.”
Rao is now back home in Goa, he speaks of the warmth Mumbai offered. “This city has always been close to my heart—I’ve lived and worked here for eight years. It’s like a second home. I was glad to watch guests embrace the food. It felt special. As for a permanent address in Mumbai for Hosa, let’s say, I’m manifesting it,” Rao signs off.
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