Interviews

What Exactly is Radhika Desai Up To These Days?

Photo: courtesy Bravo

Radhika Desai — erstwhile Top Cheffer, former executive chef at Between Boutique Cafe & Lounge, rumored New York defector and also hometown restaurant-opener is apparently also now pitching herself as a private chef. Wait, what? There are so many bits and pieces swirling around Rad’s career path that we decided to seek answers from the source itself. Read on to find out what’s really on her plate, and why she’s got no plans to leave Chicago any time soon.

So you’re a private chef now! What happened with the idea of opening your own place?
Well, I do have plans to eventually open a restaurant, but definitely not this year. It’s all very premature. While I’m brainstorming about the restaurant with different folks, I thought doing private events would allow people to experience my cuisine right in their home. It’s a really fun interactive thing for both me and the diners. I hope to make lots more fans of the food this way so they are dying for the future restaurant to open.

What happened with the plan to go to New York?
I’m in Chicago to stay. I just have projects going on that work out better if I’m in Chicago!

What kinds of projects?
I’m writing an auto-biographical cookbook slated to come out next late summer/fall. I’m really excited to get all of my recipes and stories out there. In addition, I’m still doing events through Top Chef and charity events as well. Coming up, I’ll be cooking with many other amazing chefs at “Chef’s and the City” for Vital Bridges on July 24th and I’m also a Chef Chair for “It’s Raining Cats and Dogs”, the annual Anti-Cruelty Society fundraiser on October 2nd. I’ll also be one of the chefs at the Country Chef Challenge on Daley Plaza August 6th. It’s an Iron Chef style event with a few other chefs. Should be fun!

What Exactly is Radhika Desai Up To These Days?