Chef Suryansh on Reinventing Modern Indian Dining at TheySee

At TheySee in Hyderabad, Chef Suryansh is reshaping modern Indian dining with a philosophy rooted in comfort, creativity, and cultural memory. From athlete-inspired private dining experiences to inventive dishes like Kokum Kissed Tuna and Not So Chilli Cheese Toast, the menu balances familiarity with experimentation. In conversation with Deccan Chronicle, Suryansh reflects on Hyderabad’s evolving palate, the importance of ambience, and how TheySee aims to create not just meals, but meaningful dining experiences.Questions for Chef Suryansh How has cooking for athletes and celebrities changed the way you approach comfort food at TheySee?Whether it’s an athlete, a celebrity, or anyone else, food is always deeply personal. Being a private chef teaches you how people connect with what they eat on a daily basis. It gives you the edge to cook for the soul, not just for presentation or aesthetics. At TheySee, everything we create is meant to make people feel at home. The idea is simple: that when someone leaves, they should feel like they’ve been part of a family and want to come back. What was the core thought behind designing the menu at TheySee for today’s Indian diner?Indians are incredibly passionate about their food, especially when it comes to local and traditional flavors. The thought behind the menu was to offer something that feels both exciting and familiar at the same time. We wanted dishes that spark curiosity but still feel familiar enough for people to order comfortably, while also encouraging them to try something new. Inspired by Sunil Shetty’s household, we serve up a Shetty Anna’s Chicken Curry, which is a Mangalorean chicken ghassi, paired not with the traditional kori roti but with a Bombay brun pav that’s crusty and brilliantly pairs with the coconut-based ghassi. It’s familiar and brings the memory of home-style cooking and flavours with a twist.How do you balance experimental flavours while still keeping the food relatable for Hyderabad’s palate?It’s actually quite simple. I don’t believe in trying to reinvent things completely. The idea is to make sure the food never feels so unfamiliar that it intimidates people or makes them hesitant to order. It should look and feel comforting and recognizable at first glance. At the same time, experimentation plays an important role. It’s about enhancing flavours, refining the dish, and ultimately serving a better version of something people already enjoy. What are some of the signature dishes in the menu here at TheySee?Some of our signature dishes include Oh So Corny, Kalimiri Seekh, Kokum Kissed Tuna, Shetty Anna Murga Party, and Not So Chilli Cheese Toast. Each of these reflects our approach of keeping flavours approachable while adding our own twist.Kokum Kissed TunaKokum-cured tuna meets bold tamarind gel, curry leaf boondi, and a teekha aguachile cooled down with a fresh radish and mango ginger slaw. Bright, coastal, and unapologetically punchy. Oh So Corny!A love letter to a single ingredient. Warm corn custard at the base, cold buttery corn mousse in the centre, crunchy corn flakes on top, all lifted by jeeravan masala and a sweet-spicy chutney that brings the chaat feeling home. Not So Chilli Cheese Toast Hyderabad’s bar staple gets a shahi tukda twist. Milk bread soaked in tres leches, crowned with white chocolate rabdi and nutty brunost cheese. It starts as a snack and quietly becomes dessert.How important were ambience and design in shaping the overall identity of TheySee? Ambience plays a huge role in bringing the entire property together. For us, it was never just about creating a visually appealing space, but about building a strong and memorable identity. We have gone the extra mile to pay attention to every detail, especially when it comes to our branding elements across the property. All of it has been done very intentionally so that guests not only recognize the brand but also feel connected to it. From the moment someone walks through the front door, every element has been carefully curated. This includes our collaborations, art installations, furniture, cutlery and crockery, landscaping, and even the consistent use of brand colours throughout the space. Each of these aspects has been thoughtfully designed to align with the kind of experience we want to create for our guests at TheySee.After travelling across so many cities and cultures, what food behaviour did you notice most about Hyderabad diners?Hyderabad has a very interesting palate. Diners here are open to experimentation and are quite confident in their understanding of food, especially when it comes to meats. At the same time, they have high standards and do not settle for anything mediocre. There is a strong appreciation for spice in the city, but that does not simply mean an overload of chillies or masala. It is more about heat that can come from different sources, which reflects a deeper and more nuanced food culture that has developed over time.Interestingly, some of the most iconic dishes and chefs from Hyderabad are not just about spice, but are also rich in flavour and often quite indulgent, with a strong emphasis on fat and depth.Responses from NiharikaAbout the vision behind setting up TheySee in Hyderabad.TheySee was envisioned as a modern Indian dining space that challenges how people perceive food, hospitality, and dining culture. At its core, the idea was to create something that feels deeply connected in Indian flavours and memories, while presenting them through a more contemporary, ingredient-focused way. At its heart, the brand is about perspective, encouraging guests to see familiar dishes and ingredients in a new light. The vision behind TheySee extends beyond just food and cocktails. It was created as a space where storytelling, atmosphere, music, design, and guest interaction all come together to shape a complete experience. Every detail, from the playful naming of dishes and drinks to the approach towards service, is intended to feel expressive, immersive, and memorable without losing warmth or approachability.At a time when dining spaces are increasingly becoming more experience-driven, TheySee aims to contribute a distinct voice to India’s hospitality landscape. It stands for something bold, culturally aware, and unapologetically modern Indian. The intention has always been to create a space people return to not only for what they eat or drink, but for how the space makes them feel.



Source link