Ankush Punhani: Fine Indian Dining
A Foodie Family
By the late eighties, when most American kids were spending their childhood perplexed by Rubik’s cubes and obsessed with calculator watches, Ankush Punhani, a New Delhi-born entrepreneur who came to America when he was three years old, was more interested in management and financial modeling for his father’s gas station in New Jersey. He remembers being intimately involved with the family business, helping his father with Excel sheets and other administrative work when he was just a child. After late nights helping at the gas station, Punhani would come home to the welcoming aromas of his mother’s authentic North Indian cooking; some of his favorite dishes were Chicken Biryani, Paneer Lababdar, Saag Paneer, and Butter Chicken. “We’re definitely a foodie family,” said Punhani.
Nine Indian Restaurants
The examples of hard work and perseverance set by his parents instilled in Punhani a drive to succeed. After earning a degree in criminal justice at Rutgers and a J.D. from John Marshall Law, he would go on to open his own practice specializing in immigration law and manage and launch nine Indian restaurants. “I always had that entrepreneur drive,” Punhani told PARK. “Being involved with my parents’ various businesses for so long taught me a lot and I always felt as though there was no other path than being an entrepreneur.”
A Law Practice
In 2013, Punhani opened his own law practice. His familiarity with Indian culture and vernaculars segued into a busy immigration practice. Punhani’s practice specializes in real estate closings, contracts, and business transactions. Additionally, Punhani said, “We also are able to help people with family immigration issues, such as those applying for an immediate relative and filing for citizenship.”
Nine Restaurants: NYC & NJ
Having established a successful firm just two years out of law school, Punhani roused his father from retirement and invested in Indian restaurants as a silent partner. When Punhani’s not at the
firm, he’s managing his restaurant group that oversees eight locations, five of which are in Manhattan. Currently the group is working on opening its 9th location, the fourth in New Jersey.
Punhani’s restaurant group, “Fine Indian Dining,” manages a lineup of some of New York and New Jersey’s most acclaimed restaurants. In Kips Bay, there’s Wok in the Clouds, an Indian- inspired, Asian fusion restaurant. The concept was the brainchild of the Fine Indian Dining Group, whose beloved portfolio of restaurants includes Sahib, Dhaba, Chote Nawab, Malai Marke, Dhaba Express, Jashan by Dhaba and the newly opened Kebabs & Kurries. The restaurant’s menu features classic dishes with playful twists complete with bold flavor profiles that aim to surprise and excite guests as they gaze up at the playful clouds that hang above. Some restaurants are fine dining, others are a mix between fine dining and fast-casual. Punhani and his family learned how to manage restaurants through a lot of trial and error and first-hand experiences.
A Sweeping Variety of Foods
The restaurants offer a sweeping variety of foods that are suited to please any palate. Punhani says that when it comes to Indian food, having talented chefs and the right ingredients such as spices and masalas are crucial for authenticity. “I would say our food is very authentic to what you get in India. Indian food has a lot to do with the right touch of spices and masalas, it can make dishes very diverse even if they’re from a similar gravy base.”
Master Chefs from India
If there’s anyone who knows the right equations to create perfect Indian dishes, it’s the master chefs that Punhani and his family personally scouted from India. Punhani said, “We have personally sourced and legally sponsored master chefs and executive chefs from 5-Star Hotels in India, to come to the US, to work at our different restaurants to help provide our customers with both authentic and fusion Indian cuisine. My understanding of immigration law helped in legally bringing these talented chefs to the US.”
Authentic Indian Cuisine
In addition to serving premium and authentic Indian cuisine, Punhani also focuses his business on giving back to the community. “Community is definitely an important part of my upbringing.” Punhani added, “My dad was always involved in community events growing up.” Today, Punhani carries on the tradition of community involvement instilled in him by his father. His restaurants have hosted community events and supported patrons and community members during the pandemic. When he’s not managing nine restaurants or servicing clients at his bustling law firm, you might catch Punhani enjoying some of his favorite Indian dishes, or some of his American favorites too: pizza and pasta. fineindiandining.com
