(October 25, 2024) It’s a cool winter morning in London, and the bustling streets outside can’t match the calm and focus inside the Michelin-starred Veeraswamy restaurant. In the kitchen, Chef Suresh Pillai works his magic—perfecting the flavours of his signature Kerala-inspired dishes. It’s hard to imagine that this man, revered as a culinary genius, once worked as a waiter earning ₹450 a month. His journey from a modest beginning in a small town in Kerala to becoming a celebrated name in London’s elite culinary circles is nothing short of extraordinary.
Humble Beginnings and Early Struggles
Born and raised in Chavara Thekkumbhagom, a sleepy village in Kollam, Kerala, Chef Suresh’s early life was far removed from the glitz and glamour of Michelin-star kitchens as his parents were coir labourer. Financial constraints meant Pillai had to abandon his academic pursuits early on. He left school after class X, but his thirst for learning and ambition to break out of his circumstances never waned.
Chef Suresh Pillai
At 17, Pillai took on various jobs, including a security guard. However, the long solitary nights filled him with dread, and soon, he found himself in a new role — a waiter at Chef King – a restaurant in Kollam. Earning a meager salary of ₹450 per month, the young Pillai would work long hours, but it was here that he stumbled upon his passion for cooking. As he helped in the kitchen with odd tasks like chopping vegetables and meat, he began to feel drawn to the culinary world.
“I never thought I would be a chef,” he recalls. But, working in that restaurant, watching the cooks, and helping out, “I slowly realised that I have an interest in cooking.” Over time, the passion grew, and he transitioned from a waiter to a cook on the persistence of the chef, soaking in all the knowledge he could from the chefs he worked alongside. But he was just getting started.
The Journey of a Thousand Miles: From Kollam to London
Kerala’s cuisine, with its rich and diverse flavours, has always had a special place in the hearts of its diaspora, especially in the UK, where the Malayalee community has long craved authentic flavours of home. Chef Suresh was poised to take these familiar flavours to a global audience, but the road was anything but easy. After gaining experience in regional cuisines across Kerala and Bengaluru, Pillai dreamt of working in a five-star hotel. However, the lack of a formal degree in hotel management was the biggest roadblock for Chef Suresh. Despite excelling in cooking tests, he often was rejected due to the lack of a degree.
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After much effort, he landed a job at The Leela Palace in Bengaluru, but the position came with a harsh reality: despite his years of experience, he had to join as a trainee due to his lack of formal culinary education. He had to forgo his 12 years of experience, but I knew this was my chance to grow. “I got an insight into the working of an organised hotel industry, their methods, and best practices. This changed my career and helped me to grow as a professional chef,” said Pillai. He persevered and within two years, became an integral part of the hotel’s kitchen.
It was this determination and drive that eventually led him to the iconic Veeraswamy restaurant in London. Founded in 1927 by a British man, Edward Palmer, who married an Indian lady, Veeraswamy at Piccadilly Circus is the UK’s oldest Indian restaurant, known for serving royalty, celebrities, and politicians. His appointment to work at London’s first Asian restaurant was a pivotal moment in his career. The restaurant, while predominantly known for its North Indian cuisine, offered Pillai the opportunity to introduce authentic Kerala dishes, adding his personal touch to the menu. His cooking was a hit, and soon, he was a name to be reckoned with in London’s elite culinary circles.
Challenges on the International Stage
However, his rise wasn’t without its challenges. Transitioning to life in London, while exciting, was filled with difficulties. For one, navigating the British culinary world as an Indian chef came with cultural and professional hurdles. “I had never travelled outside Kerala, let alone India, before moving to London. It was a completely new world,” Pillai recalled.
Despite these challenges, he thrived. His crowning moment came when he was selected to compete in the BBC MasterChef competition, becoming only the second Malayalee chef to make it to the iconic show. He dazzled the judges with his fish curry made with mackerel and green mangoes — bringing the flavors of Kerala to the world stage.
“MasterChef was a dream come true,” Pillai said, adding that he had applied multiple times before finally making the cut. His appearance on the show catapulted him to even greater heights in the UK’s culinary scene, but perhaps more importantly, it made him a hero for the Indian diaspora.
The UK’s Love for Kerala Cuisine
As Malayalees settled in the UK, which currently is a population of 45,000, they longed for the flavours of home — dishes like fish curry, appams, and traditional sadyas. Kerala cuisine, known for its use of coconut, spices, and seafood, began to gain prominence in London with more restaurants offering the cuisine. Soon, thanks to Chef Suresh Pillai, Veeraswamy became a hotspot for not only the Indian diaspora but also for Londoners eager to explore the unique tastes of South India. Today, Kerala cuisine is celebrated as one of the defining elements of Indian food culture in the UK, thanks to pioneers like Pillai who have brought it to the global stage.
“In London, there’s a deep love for the familiar flavours of Kerala. Whether it’s the spicy fish curries or the traditional appams, people long for a taste of home.” – Chef Suresh Pillai
In a city filled with Indian restaurants, many of which focus on North Indian cuisine, Pillai’s commitment to showcasing the nuances of Kerala’s food set him apart.
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Life came a full circle for the chef when he, who didn’t have a formal education in culinary arts, found an opportunity to deliver lectures on Kerala cuisine to hotel management students of the University of Bahamas in the West Indies. “Teaching at the Bahamas University has been one of my biggest achievements mainly because I was not able to attend and complete college myself,” the Global Indian said, adding, “Their cooking style is entirely different and I showed them how fresh seafood and fresh products could be cooked together.”
A Return to Roots and Family
In 2018, after 14 years of living in the UK, Pillai made a life-changing decision. Despite enjoying a comfortable life in London with his wife and two children, he yearned to give back to his homeland and share the knowledge he had gained abroad. He returned to Kerala, where he joined the Raviz Group of hotels as their culinary director. “I have learnt so much from my experience from different parts of the world in terms of knowledge, ideas and hygiene standards. Whatever I have learnt I wanted to bring it to my people,” he added.
His dishes like the ‘Taste of Ashtamudi’ tasting menu, served at the renowned Raviz Hotel in Kerala, reflect his dedication to presenting the unique flavours of his homeland on an international platform.
His family, deeply connected to his journey, has always been his support system. His wife Remya and his children, Aiswarya and Sreehari, have witnessed his incredible journey from a waiter in Kollam to a celebrated chef in London. “I wanted my children to get them acquainted with India and its culture. They were living in the UK, and I realised that they needed to know the culture and life of India. I wanted them to experience both cultures so that they can choose what they think is best for them.”
A Journey Far from Over
Chef Suresh Pillai’s journey isn’t just about personal achievement — it’s about keeping Kerala’s rich culinary traditions alive on the global stage. By bringing the authentic flavours of his homeland to international audiences, while staying firmly rooted in his culture, Pillai has become a beloved figure, especially within the Indian community abroad. His dedication to showcasing Kerala’s unique cuisine has helped elevate its status, making it not only known but celebrated far beyond India.
In 2021, he started his own restaurant – Restaurant Chef Pillai in Bengaluru, followed by another branch of his restaurant at Hotel Le Meridien, Kochi in 2022.
A chess player, who loves music and books, Chef Suresh remains committed to popularising Kerala cuisine. “It brought me from a small town in Kerala to the world stage, and I want to use that power to give back to my community.”
For Chef Suresh Pillai, the journey from Kollam to London may be complete, but the journey of sharing Kerala’s culinary heritage with the world is far from over.
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