Gauri Khan’s Torii co-founder stresses transparency while maintaining world-class standards

Gauri Khan’s Mumbai restaurant Torii, known for its stream of celebrity guests, is also drawing attention for its approach to food safety. Co-founder Abhayraj Kohli has spoken openly about the challenges of maintaining world-class standards in a demanding business, insisting that transparency is as important as taste.

In a conversation with Pop Diaries, Kohli underlined the strict protocols Torii follows, from supplier delivery to plating. “Restaurants of our calibre pay utmost importance to how food is treated,” he said, highlighting that hygiene also extends to proper storage.

He explained that raw dishes such as sushi, sashimi, ceviche and meats demand special care. “Is it safe to just remove the meat from the freezer and serve it? No,” he noted, adding that Torii uses advanced superfreezers that chill food to -60 or -70 degrees to prevent bacterial growth. According to him, this practice—common in global dining hubs—is still rare in India, and Torii is among the few to adopt it.

Kohli acknowledged that while the restaurant invests heavily in high-end equipment and monitoring, complete elimination of small mishaps may not always be possible. “A fly or insect or a piece of hair that comes into your food—that’s part and parcel of doing work,” he remarked. “It happens at your homes, at your workplace, and it will happen at a restaurant.”

His candid view comes shortly after Torii was in the news over a “fake paneer” claim. Chef Stefan Gadit, addressing the controversy, called it a “blessing in disguise” as it only amplified the restaurant’s visibility.

By addressing concerns directly rather than dismissing them, Torii’s team appears intent on positioning the restaurant as a space that combines fine dining with honesty about the realities of the industry. For Kohli, setting international benchmarks while being upfront with patrons is the way forward.