Member Info

Chef Praveen Nayak is an accomplished culinary professional with more than a decade of experience across luxury five-star hotels, heritage palace kitchens, international hospitality, and fine-dining establishments in India, Europe, and the United Kingdom.

Currently serving as Executive Sous Chef at Baluchi, The Lalit London, Chef Praveen has built his career around a deep respect for Indian culinary heritage, combined with a passion for contemporary presentation and international culinary influences. His cooking reflects a journey that has taken him from the royal kitchens of Rajasthan to some of the UK’s most respected hospitality environments.

Originally from Rajasthan, Chef Praveen’s culinary identity is deeply connected to the region’s bold flavours, traditional techniques, and royal gastronomic heritage. During his time at Udaipur, he had the privilege of learning and working with members of the royal culinary tradition. One of the dishes that holds particular significance for him is Ker Sangri Ke Kofte, a traditional Rajasthani preparation that he learned through his experience with the royal family and subsequently developed as part of his own culinary repertoire.

His Rajasthani roots continue to influence his cooking, particularly through dishes such as Mutton Keema with Phulka Roti, Jungli Maas and Laal Maas Serve with Rajasthani Khoba Roti while his broader philosophy is centered on preserving the soul of Indian cuisine while presenting it through a modern fine-dining perspective.

Chef Praveen’s signature creations include:

  • Karahi-Spiced Compressed Watermelon, Rose Infused feta and Masala Olives soil
  • Jerusalem Artichoke Malai Tikka
  • Asparagus & Caviar Pani Puri
  • Lobster Khichdi Risotto
  • Pulled Butter Chicken with White Butter Foam, and
  • Motichoor Rabdi Tart, Black Berry Gel and Fresh Rose Petals

Each dish is designed to retain recognisable Indian flavours while introducing contemporary techniques, textures, and presentation.
Before joining The Lalit London and Baluchi, Chef Praveen served as Senior Sous Chef at Brasserie Blanc, where he worked within the culinary environment established by renowned French chef Raymond Blanc OBE, one of Britain’s most celebrated Michelin-starred chefs.

This experience further developed Praveen’s understanding of French and British cuisine, classical culinary techniques, precision, and fine-dining standards, while adding another important dimension to his international culinary journey.

Working within the Brasserie Blanc environment gave Chef Praveen the opportunity to deepen his appreciation of the relationship between classical French technique and contemporary British dining. These influences continue to inform his approach today, particularly in the way he combines European techniques with the flavours and traditions of Indian cuisine.

At Baluchi, The Lalit London, Chef Praveen has further explored the meeting point between Indian cuisine and French and British culinary traditions. His approach to fusion is not about changing Indian food for the sake of modernity, but about using international techniques and ingredients to create a new expression of familiar flavours.

Among his contemporary creations are Cottage Cheese and Cinnamon Pithivier with Moilee Sauce, bringing together the refined French pastry technique of a pithivier with Indian spices and the coconut-led character of South Indian Moilee. Another creation, Curry Leaf-Infused Monkfish with Coastal Consommé, Red Quinoa and Fish-Bone Tuile, combines classical European presentation and technique with aromatic Indian ingredients and coastal flavours.

These dishes represent Chef Praveen’s belief that Indian cuisine can communicate with the world’s great culinary traditions while retaining its own identity. His cooking brings together the spice and soul of India, the precision of French technique, and the elegance of contemporary British fine dining.

His professional journey has included leading hospitality names such as The Oberoi, Renaissance Hotels, The Lalit, and the HRH Group of Hotels, as well as international experience aboard a TUI cruise in Germany.

Throughout his career, Chef Praveen has developed expertise across Indian regional cuisine, French and British cuisine, fine dining, menu development, kitchen leadership, banquet operations, food presentation, and culinary team management.

For Chef Praveen, cooking is ultimately about heritage, memory, technique, and creativity. His ambition is not simply to modernise Indian cuisine, but to tell its story in a way that connects generations – taking recipes and flavours rooted in India’s royal and regional traditions and giving them a contemporary voice for an international audience.

Today, based in London, Chef Praveen continues to explore the possibilities of Indian cuisine, drawing inspiration from his Rajasthani heritage, his experiences in royal kitchens, and his international culinary journey. His food represents a meeting of tradition and innovation – Rajasthan and London, Indian soul and European technique.

“I carry the legacy of Rajasthan’s royal kitchens, where every spice has a story and every dish has a soul.”