Today we’d like to introduce you to RAJ MUTTI
Hi RAJ, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born and grew up in the small village Seh Jhangi located just outside of Jalandhar city in Punjab. Moving to a new country is equal parts exhilarating and scary. You never realize how strongly tied to the culture of your home country you are until you move abroad and are faced with a culture. I was 16 years old when I moved to LA. It all starts in Los Angeles. I started working in restaurants bussing tables when I was 16. Soon after I moved into kitchen work, prepping and line cooking. After working in the same kitchen for ten years. I moved to San Diego to start my own restaurant Spice Lounge on Pacific Beach and now CURRYOSITY.
It all started in LA when I studied at Santa Monica College and, I had a part-time job at an Indian restaurant in Beverly Hills. I was new and the people who worked there said many celebrities came over, and I barely knew any of them. I was a small boy from a village in Punjab, dreaming of coming to America. Other kids would say doctor, or engineer, and my vision was to be in America besides Hollywood. And here I was in Hollywood, with all the opportunities available.
I initially wanted to do CPA. but education requires a lot of money. And at the other hand, I felt at home while I worked at the restaurant. I decided to do one semester in EMT studies, and while I was doing the practical work of EMT and my part-time job at the restaurant, I saved as much as I could and moved to San Diego.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It was never a smooth road. The restaurant industry is a daily challenge. Starting your own business It’s never easy. I brought Indian food to a different level at Curryosity, and it was a difficult task for me. I was afraid to be lost in the transition but I kept telling myself each day that ” Failure isn’t an option”. It gave me more confidence to change things around.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Curryosity?
Curryosity welcomes its guests to experience the region’s legendary and excellent hospitality. Curryosity is a new avatar of Indian Cuisine with a mix of California style. Our Curryosity Family takes pride in ensuring our products are made with only the best ingredients and they will make sure your plate arrives from the chef’s table to yours in highly pleasant to the taste. We’ve stayed committed to keeping the best ingredients possible in our dishes to give you the highest quality dishes at Curryosity. We craft balanced feasts with flavors for all. Signature dishes include Curry mussels, Curry fried, Naan smoked salmon, Softshell Crab, Green coconut curry, Deconstructed samosa, and Samosas stuffed with mozzarella cheese & spices.
Along with comfort fusion and classics, Curryosity has developed a craft cocktail selection. Indian spices like saffron and cardamom are now pantry staples for many cooks, but Raj Mutti has also found uses for the aromatic seasonings in deliciously complex cocktails. I began experimenting by making syrups with coriander, cumin, garam masala clove, cardamom, cinnamon, and black pepper. A newer creation is the sea salt, asafetida which stars in a bright and tangy cocktail called Imli Temptation. It features finely strained Imli roots, vodka, and a bar spoon of the citrusy tincture. Shaken and strained over large ice cubes, the cocktail is garnished with dehydrated lemon and brim cumin powder. Other Indian-influenced cocktails include black mint tea with green cardamom, Indian herbs, spices, and lemon ginger homemade syrup spiked with vodka.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Childhood” – This word is enough to bring a wide smile. one of the best memory that I can still remember and be proud of was going to golden temple and offering free services as a serving langer (The meal that is shared with the community) Langar is the communal meal shared by all who come to the gurdwara (Sikh Temple), and it has been a part of Sikh community since 1500 CE. Attendees all sit at an equal level on the floor and eat the same food, prepared in the same pots. In this way, langar serves as a ritualistic expression of the equality of all humans. This childhood memory has also helped shape my path to opening a restaurant.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.curryositysd.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curryositysd/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/curryositysd/
Image Credits
Curryosity (Raj Mutti)
