Venkatesh Ramachandran wants you to know he is not retiring. While he's closing his restaurant Indian Accent on Thursday after more than three decades of cooking in Canberra, he's got a long list of things he wants to do.
First up it's catering for a couple of weddings, he's thinking about cooking demonstrations, and a trip back to India in the new year. It's obvious he likes to keep busy.
Ramachandran has been at the helm of several top Indian restaurants over the years, from Ruchi in Belconnen, to Jewel of India in Manuka, setting the standard in the nation's capital since he moved here with his wife Anandi in 1990.
"We'd been married for two weeks and I came from Bombay to Canberra in September and it was so cold, such a culture shock," says Anandi.
Helping people learn about the culture of India, through its food, has always been at the forefront of what he likes to do.
"I've always liked to help educate the customers, push them to try something different," he said.
"I love it when the regulars come in and I don't let them order, but just send food out for them, they're never disappointed."
Tennis superstar Nick Kyrgios is one of those regulars when he's in town, along with his Canberra-based family. When he went vegan in mid-2022 he'd come in for special kulfi Ramachandran would make for him.
"He was vegan but he loved his desserts," he said.
Over the years Ramachandran's served politicians and members of the diplomatic core, television commentators Chris Uhlmann and even Ray Martin dropped in occasionally.
But it's the everyday regulars he's most fond of, people who've followed him from restaurant to restaurant, particularly those who dared to cross the lake when he closed Jewel of India in Manuka.
He says the secret to his success has been the consistency of his food. He puts that down, in a large way, to chef Manjoan Karikattil who's been with him on the journey for those 30 years. Karikattil is retiring and heading back to India to be with family.
Ramachandran said it's been a tough couple of years with lockdown and the ensuing staffing issues. He says immigration policy has made it hard for him to source chefs from India.
At 60, he wants to be able to run his own race, decide what he's going to do. He's leased out the space to Bipin Bhattarai, currently head chef at the Raiders club in Weston, and his wife Isha Shrestha, who, after a revamp of the space, are planning to open before the end of the year, showcasing the food of their native Nepal.
Ramachandran has no regrets from his long career. He and Anandi have raised three daughters in Canberra, have just welcomed their first grandchild.
A recent stint in Brisbane reminded them why they loved Canberra so much.
"The food scene in Brisbane was not that great," says Anandi, adding that Canberra customers were more open and willing to learn about the food they were eating.
"Here in Canberra I can cook big roasts of lamb, try something special with fish, and people will be keen to try things. In Brisbane everyone just wanted to eat vindaloo or butter chicken."
And yes, butter chicken has been the most popular dish for those three decades.
"But Anandi and I don't even eat it," he says.
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