After spending 15 years perfecting his craft in London’s most prestigious kitchens, chef Imran Mansuri has arrived in Putney with an audacious goal: to bring the area a Michelin star.
“Are we going to be the first Michelin star in Putney? I hope so, God willing,” Mansuri said with quiet determination during an interview with Putney.news at his soon-to-open restaurant Raaz at 113 Lower Richmond Road1. “If I do it right and if I’m happy and I make sure local people around Putney and Wandsworth are all happy with the food, they definitely will try to get us into that category.”
The ambitious chef’s vision extends beyond simply serving exceptional Indian cuisine – he wants to fundamentally change how people think about dining in South West London. “Why should Putney people go to Mayfair? Let’s bring Mayfair to Putney.”
A culinary journey through London’s elite kitchens
Mansuri’s confidence isn’t unfounded. His culinary pedigree reads like a masterclass in Indian fine dining, beginning at the age of 15 in what he calls “the big high-end restaurant” world. His career launched at Michelin-starred establishments Tamarind and Benares, where he trained under celebrated chefs and contributed to achieving the highest level of culinary recognition.
“I was an opening part of Jamavar where we achieved Michelin with amazing chefs and all. My career was always in the hands of all good chefs, which trained me and built that craving to run my own restaurant.”
Most recently, he served as executive chef at Kolamba, the Sri Lankan restaurant group, overseeing their Soho location and opening their new Bayswater site. “That was the thing in my mind when I was training so many years behind this,” he said of his Michelin aspirations.
Respect for Putney’s heart and soul
What sets Mansuri apart is his connection to and respect for the Putney community. Through his friendship with local restaurateurs, he’s spent time understanding what the area truly wants.
“I know Putney very well because I have a few friends with restaurants out here,” he explained. “Chook Chook is my friend’s restaurant. I know them. We are good friends and I know about the area. I know the people here wanted to have good Indian food. The market is there, but we want to do something more better than this, with more high class and sophistication.”
His choice of the former Hudson space wasn’t accidental. “I know this place is like 15, 20 years old. This place has been in the heart of the people of Putney,” he said earnestly. “So I don’t want to disappoint them. We don’t want to break the heart of the market.”
Secrets on every plate
The restaurant’s name, Raaz – meaning “secret” in Hindi – reflects Mansuri’s approach to transforming familiar dishes with unexpected techniques and premium ingredients. “We want to keep that secret in their mind, that something new will come on the plate,” he explained. “There’s something unknown. So it creates excitement – it’s our secret what we are putting in the food.”
Take his reimagined approach to butter chicken, found at virtually every Indian restaurant in London. At Raaz, diners won’t find the typical creamy curry. Instead, Mansuri presents premium black chicken breast, expertly grilled “which will be nice and gorgeous on a plate” and elevated with English vegetables.
The menu journey travels south to the Malabar region, where wild sea bass takes center stage, pan-fried and bathed in authentic Malabar sauce rich with fresh curry leaves, mustard seeds, and coconut, accompanied by perfectly grilled tender stem broccoli.
“All the things – something from the grill, something from the sauce, something from the pan,” Mansuri explained enthusiastically. “It’s the hard work of a whole team with three different techniques to put out one plate with different flavours.”
His philosophy centres on “playing around with British vegetables and ingredients” while maintaining authentic Indian flavours and spices, and sourcing premium ingredients for superior taste.
Creating a cosy Indian home
The interior design reflects the same thoughtful approach. Rather than transforming the beloved Hudson’s space, Mansuri has enhanced its character with warm wooden elements, vibrant colours, and brass lighting to create what he calls a “cosy Indian” atmosphere.
“When we saw the space, I discussed with my investors and partners – let’s come out with this. This is a beautiful place with the back garden, the conservatory, beautiful lighting,” he said. “We want to give them a good touch with Indian elements. We have done wooden and colourful elements and brass lights.”
The drinks program matches this attention to detail, featuring “beautiful, colorful cocktails” that infuse gin and vodka with Indian elements, including coconut and aromatic spices.
The local response has already exceeded expectations. “When I’m here, I have seen many people passing around and they always ask me, ‘Oh, what’s coming here? What’s coming here?'” Mansuri said, his face lighting up. “When I tell them we are doing modern Indian food, they are happy. You know, the smile on their face.”
Interest has been so strong that many locals have already registered on the restaurant’s website, waiting for the opening announcement. Raaz will initially operate Tuesday through Friday evenings, with plans to expand to weekend lunch and brunch offerings after establishing their dinner service.
The weight of first-time ownership
Despite his extensive experience, Mansuri admits the transition to owner-operator brings new pressures. “Very excited at the same time nervous,” he said. “It’s your first restaurant. Even though you are working for everybody, you have worked for all big shots, it’s not the same. But this is my first. So it’s heart and soul, everything is in this.”
With opening planned for the coming weeks, Mansuri’s vision could soon transform Putney’s dining landscape. If successful, his ambitious goal would place South West London on the Michelin map.
“The vibe is going to be cosy Indian,” he told Putney.news, showing us around the reborn restaurant. “It’s like being at home – you’ll feel the comfort, you’ll feel the spices, the flavours. We’d love to serve them at the table and we’d love to provide that comfort at home.”
- Putney has in fact had a Michelin star once before: 25 years ago for the Putney Bridge restaurant under chef Anthony Demetre. It was also located on Lower Richmond Road – at the embankment which is now Thai Square restaurant. ↩︎
