Five minutes into the interview and we're able to tell that Raghvendra Pratap Singh, the prince of Jhalamand Garh, Jodhpur, is a man of few words. Despite our unabashed prodding, the answers are measured and pointed. He would rather allow his food do the talking. And why not. Driven by his passion for hospitality, Singh even converted a part of the Jhalamand Fort into a heritage resort a couple of years ago, where he helms the kitchen with his trusted team of khansamas. The 18th century castle sits pretty on the outskirts of Jodhpur in the village of Jhalamand. "Actually, cooking and serving delectable dishes is a legacy I have inherited from my father. When he would be in the kitchen, I loved being the sous chef," recalls Singh who has been cooking since the age of 14.

Only within royal homes
But you don't need to make the journey to Jodhpur to sample royal fare. Singh has collaborated with Sahil Arora, executive chef, Renaissance Hotel and Convention Centre, Powai, to serve khana from the rajgharana, which is available at the Nawab Saheb restaurant for dinner till April 10. Incidentally, Singh and Arora met a couple of years ago when the latter was working at a five-star hotel in Jodhpur. "At the time, it made little sense to collaborate on a Rajasthani royal food festival within Jodhpur. Nobody would be interested," he says. Later, when Arora moved to Mumbai, the idea popped up again and the two decided to put it to action.