And he effortlessly waxed eloquence as he took me course by course on this food trip. Next day, three kilos of mutton biryani were delivered to the Masque kitchen. From that inflection point, Prateek has never looked back. His temperament has always underscored his ambition and not the other way around. That speaks volumes for someone who could be encashing on many coveted milestones that have been deservedly earned. And yet, he finds a way to harness the inertia on his own terms. The glory years of building Masque side by side with the dynamic restaurateur and my dearest friend Aditi Duggar saw them rise from season to season. It was fairytalelike, something we often joked about chronicling. On the eve of Masque entering the ‘World’s 50 Best’ list for Asia, they seemed invincible. The pandemic happened literally a week later, stopping the world in its tracks. Closer to home, it gave a forced pause to both partners, at the end of which they respectfully opted for different paths. And, expectedly, both have flourished in their choices. At a time when Prateek was the toast of the town, the culinary world, a rising star, he just disappeared. On a sabbatical for most of 2022, following a punctuated trail of guest appearances in kitchens around the world, he contemplated what next. When he announced NAAR in 2023, there was a scramble to find it on Google Maps... and that was met with heightened scepticism. In Kasauli? A long winding road to reach an outpost isolated from civilisation? All for a meal? Was India ready for such a destination experience? Let’s be honest, destination restaurants have existed in India but with cleverly mapped logistics near an Ahmedabad, or within the growing city limits of a Bengaluru, or a Goa – where one holidays to eat. While I remained ambivalent about his choices, early chatter spoke of the facilities, struggle to reach, lack of bookings. Truthfully, I was curious. NAAR was not just about food and Prateek’s story. It was his first major business bet. And he had gone all in with his hard-earned equity as a chef. I wished him. And he said come...see what he had built. Two years on, I have been to NAAR five times. Taken the flight from Mumbai to Chandigarh, re-routed and endured detours, but made it a fixture I will not miss. My only regret? I wish I hadn’t waited almost a year to get there. I let go of objectivity and allowed others’ experiences to guide my choice. Till I didn’t. (clockwise from top left and next page) NAAR in Kasauli which means ‘fire’ is much more than just about the chef’s story and his evocative food FRESH.DAILYPIONEER.COM • DECEMBER 2025 31
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