Chilli Chutney’s new digs bring about big changes

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This article was published 04/07/2015 (3928 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As the old saying goes, variety is the spice of life, and this certainly rings true when it comes to restaurants. It is wonderful to have options, especially when it comes to different types of cuisine.

The Chilli Chutney, which provides foodies with a delicious taste of authentic East Indian food, is definitely one of those restaurants in Brandon that helps to spice things up — and even more so now!

Owner Laxman Negi recently made the big decision to move The Chilli Chutney from its downtown location at 935 Rosser Ave. to 555 34th St. The move brought about many changes; however, to some, the most important is likely to the food itself.

“We now have a buffet that is three times bigger than the one we had before. We used to have eight to 10 hot dishes; now we have 18, plus a salad bar and grill. There’s a lot of variety and we try to have lots of good food that people can enjoy,” he said.

Negi has been in the restaurant industry for 17 years and earned his three-year degree in hotel management in India. He immigrated to Canada in 2005 and has worked at a variety of restaurants, gaining valuable experience from top chefs along the way.

Negi has brought this experience to The Chilli Chutney, where he was first hired as head chef. He eventually bought the restaurant in 2011 and ran it for four years at the Rosser Avenue location before deciding to move.

“In the downtown location, I had some problems with parking, and it was an old building where lots of maintenance was required. Air conditioning was also a big issue for me and for all of our regular customers,” Negi said.

Now at 34th and Victoria Avenue, The Chilli Chutney has ample parking, a much larger restaurant and kitchen area, and many upgrades and changes to the exterior, as well as the interior of the existing building.

“I wanted it to be different and unique. I wanted people to say ‘wow’ when they walked in. We made a lot of changes. All of our regular customers love it here,” he said.

In terms of the food, Negi said that butter chicken still tends to be one of the favourite dishes, but samosas are also a popular choice.

Negi said that he truly enjoys the restaurant industry and loves to create different dishes for people to appreciate.

“It’s all about hard work. I like to work and I like to serve people good food,” he said. “As long as we are maintaining our food quality, providing good customer service and cleanliness, I think people will continue to support us. These are the things that really matter for any food business.”

Negi is pleased to see all of his regular customers making their way to his new location and is grateful for their support. One patron was so pleased with the new restaurant and their meals that they returned three times within one week.

“Here, it’s a different crowd — we’re seeing a lot of different people at this location. We’ve had good reviews and good comments so far. It has been very positive. I really enjoy doing business in Brandon. We’re representing India, so I’m happy to make good food that people enjoy.”

For more information, visit thechillichutney.ca.