From traditional Indian repasts to modern cuisine that literally distills the essence of regional flavours, the award-winning Diya at The Leela Ambience Gurugram Hotels & Residences, with its warm, rich interiors, has hosted them all. What makes their latest popup in collaboration with Michelin Guide Recognised Jhol Bangkok (from 29th to 30th May, 2026), is the sheer artistry and authentic flavour of a cuisine that stretches along India’s coastal route, from Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, Bengal, and Maharashtra, with delightful dollops of ghee roasts, coastal curries, idli with special podis and lots of street food influences sprinkled along the way. We speak to Chef Shreesha Rao, from Jhol Bangkok, about this sensory experience that awaits at Diya, The Leela Ambience Gurugram.

(LI) From pastry chef to chef de cuisine at Jhol, and now bringing the restaurant to India through the collaboration with Diya, what has shaped your culinary journey in terms of influences, education, and mentorship?

(SR) My culinary journey has been shaped by a combination of discipline, curiosity, and a deep respect for regional food traditions. Beginning in pastry gave me a strong foundation in precision and technique, which continues to influence the way I approach savoury cooking today. Over the years, working across different kitchens and alongside mentors who valued both authenticity and innovation helped shape my perspective on Indian cuisine, particularly the importance of storytelling through food.

What drew me increasingly towards coastal cuisine was its incredible diversity and emotional familiarity. Every coastline in India has its own ingredients, techniques, and culinary memory attached to it, and that depth felt endlessly inspiring to explore. At Jhol, the focus has always been on presenting these regional narratives in a way that feels thoughtful and contemporary while remaining deeply rooted in flavour and tradition.

Bringing Jhol to India through this collaboration with Diya at The Leela Ambience Gurugram Hotel & Residences feels particularly meaningful within that journey. It allows us to present the restaurant’s philosophy to an Indian audience in an intimate and immersive setting, while creating a dialogue between regional Indian cuisine and luxury hospitality.

When did you realize you were passionate about coastal cuisine and why?

It wasn't a single moment – it was a gradual pull that grew the more I explored. What drew me in initially was the sheer complexity of coastal ingredients and techniques. The way a curry leaf behaves in hot oil, the way tamarind interacts with coconut, the layering of a Chettinad spice blend or a Malabari fish curry – there's a precision to it that resonated with my pastry background, but also a freedom that savoury cooking allows.

The more I worked with coastal produce and recipes, the more I realized how underrepresented this cuisine was in fine dining. There's such extraordinary depth across India's coastline – from the subtle, rice-based traditions of Bengal to the bold, coconut-forward profiles of Kerala and Karnataka – and yet so much of it hadn't been given the platform it deserved. That became a driving motivation. The ingredients and techniques told stories that I wanted to help share, and Jhol became the space to do exactly that.

As far as Jhol is concerned, what has been the specific focus of this restaurant in coastal food, and what has inspired the menu there?

Jhol was built on a very clear conviction: that India's coastal cuisine deserved a serious, considered fine dining platform outside of India. Bangkok was an interesting choice for that – a city already deeply familiar with the intersection of spice, seafood, and layered technique. That context pushed us to be very intentional about what we were presenting and why.

The focus at Jhol has always been on authenticity in flavour first, and creativity in form. We draw from communities and coastlines that don't always get highlighted – Surti traditions, Berhampuri preparations, Kanchipuram influences – and present them through thoughtful plating and contemporary technique without losing what makes them distinct. The inspiration comes from the food itself: recipes that have been refined over generations, spice combinations that have enormous nuance, and cooking methods that are deeply tied to place. Our role is to honour that and give it a setting worthy of the story.

Is the menu a journey through India's coastal states, and how does bringing Jhol to Diya shape that narrative?

Bringing Jhol to Diya introduces a distinctly coastal culinary narrative into a city that is geographically far removed from the sea, which makes the experience especially exciting for us. The menu is not intended to be a literal documentation of every coastal state, but rather a curated exploration of the flavours, techniques, and memories that define India’s coastline.

With Jhol at Diya, we look at coastal cuisine through a broader lens, one that moves across regions, communities, spice profiles, and local traditions. Certain dishes may draw from Kerala, Karnataka, Bengal, or Maharashtra, but the intention is always to create a menu that feels cohesive rather than segmented. For the Diya popup, the selection has been carefully adapted to suit both the setting and the audience, while still preserving the essence of Jhol’s storytelling approach.

Can you take us through some of the most creative dishes on the menu?

Some of the dishes I find most interesting are the ones where the creative leap isn't immediately obvious. The Surti Paneer Ghotala with chilli cheese toast and shaved truffle, for instance, takes something that is genuinely street-level and beloved in Surat and reframes it in a fine dining context without sanitizing it. The flavours are bold and unapologetic – we've simply elevated the execution and added a layer of texture and luxury that makes it feel new without feeling unfamiliar.

The Ghee Roast Mushroom with Kanchipuram idli is another one I'm proud of. The ghee roast masala from Mangalore is so intensely aromatic and complex – applying it to mushroom instead of the traditional proteins allowed us to create something that vegetarians could experience with the same depth of flavour. Pairing it with a Kanchipuram idli brings in a fermented, spiced rice element that grounds the dish in a very specific regional identity.

The BFC – Berhampur Fried Chicken – is personal. Berhampur has a distinct spice vocabulary that doesn't get talked about nearly enough, and building a fried chicken dish around that profile, paired with our Jhol hot sauce, was a way of shining a light on a region that deserves more recognition.

Which are some of the signature dishes we will see at the Leela popup?

For the popup at Diya, the menu has been thoughtfully curated to reflect Jhol’s distinct interpretation of coastal Indian cuisine while also responding to the setting and audience at The Leela Ambience Gurugram Hotel & Residences. Rather than recreating the Bangkok experience in its entirety, the selection has been adapted specifically for this collaboration.

On the vegetarian menu, guests will experience dishes such as the Piri Piri Corn with coconut pachadi, ruby pomelo, and crisp corn, the Surti Paneer Ghotala served with chilli cheese toast and shaved truffle, and the Ghee Roast Mushroom paired with Kanchipuram idli and coconut chutney. Larger plates like Badanekai Ennegayi with eggplant steak and coconut-peanut podi, alongside Pineapple Menaskai with roasted pumpkin and cashew ghee rice, reflect the layered spice profiles and regional influences that define the menu.

The non-vegetarian experience includes signatures such as BFC (Berhampur Fried Chicken) with Jhol hot sauce, Surti Anda Ghotala with chilli cheese toast and shaved truffle, and Ghee Roast Crab paired with Kanchipuram idli and coconut chutney. Main courses such as Alleppey Fish Curry with kappa puzhukku and matta red rice, as well as the Malabar Lamb Shank with salli and kallappam, further explore the depth and diversity of coastal flavours across regions.

Presentation is a huge part of your repertoire – what are the dishes you are serving in their shells, or then wrapped in banana leaves like Patrani Machi?

Presentation at Jhol is closely tied to memory, geography, and the way these dishes are traditionally experienced across coastal communities. Elements such as banana leaves, textured ceramics, and layered plating are used to preserve a sense of place rather than simply for visual effect.

For the Jhol x Diya popup, several dishes continue that approach through tactile and regionally rooted presentations. Preparations such as the Ghee Roast Crab and Alleppey Fish Curry retain a strong connection to coastal dining traditions, while dishes paired with Kanchipuram idli, coconut chutneys, podis, and rice accompaniments are designed to feel immersive and grounded within their regional references. The idea was to create a presentation style that feels elegant and contemporary while still holding onto the warmth and familiarity of the cuisine itself.

What are some of the innovative twists you have made on dishes that are eaten every day in coastal towns?

The most interesting creative territory for me is always where the familiar becomes unexpected – not through gimmickry, but through craft. The Ghee Roast is a great example. It's a preparation that every family along the Karnataka coast knows intimately, typically made with prawns or chicken. Applying that masala to crab, and serving it alongside a Kanchipuram idli, creates a conversation between two very distinct regional traditions that feels cohesive on the plate.

Similarly, the Ghotala – whether with paneer or egg – is something that belongs entirely to the streets of Surat. It's messy, generous, loaded with flavour. Our version adds chilli cheese toast and shaved truffle, not to make it fancy for the sake of it, but because the richness of the truffle complements the spiced egg base in a way that actually works. The DNA of the dish stays intact; we've just given it a new wardrobe.

The Alleppey Fish Curry is another one – a dish that is humble, every day, deeply tied to Kerala kitchens. We keep the coconut milk base true to form but pair it with kappa puzhukku and matta red rice to create a complete plate that tells the full story of that tradition rather than isolating the curry as a standalone element.

Can you take us through your most popular desserts, and if you've brought any to this pop-up?

At Jhol, desserts are approached with the same balance of familiarity and reinterpretation that shapes the savoury menu. The focus is often on ingredients deeply associated with coastal India, coconut, jaggery, tropical fruit, sesame, and rice-based textures, presented in a way that feels layered yet restrained.

For the Diya popup, guests will experience Tender Coconut Payasam served with sesame snap and mango sorbet. The dessert brings together creamy coconut notes, texture from sesame, and the brightness of mango to create a finish that feels both nostalgic and light, while remaining cohesive with the larger progression of the menu.