SIFR, a modern, Middle Eastern restaurant, spearheaded by chefs Sujan Sarkar and Sahil Sethi, opened its doors in June 2023 at Chicago’s River North neighborhood. The pleasantly inviting space boasts of a crossover between Sarkar and Sethi’s global culinary experiences and their Indian roots. The two have worked together for almost nine years eventually embarking on a journey to explore this unique combination of cuisines through SIFR. Sethi is the brain behind creation and design of SIFR’s menu that offers a burst of flavors from across Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia.
“It’s bringing all the flavors from that region into a modern interpretation of the food we think is a part of that culture,” said Sethi.
Brown Girl Magazine recently chatted with chefs Sarkar and Sethi, as the restaurant approaches its one-year anniversary, who shared their insights into how they found the culinary arts and how their lived experiences contributed to the spaces and culinary experiences they’ve cultivated today.
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During the interview, Sethi described the culmination of SIFR as an illustration of the flavors and spices of each region of the Middle East that he had worked in, and how they collectively combine in each dish to represent “modern Middle Eastern cuisine.”
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Sethi spoke as to how SIFR is supposed to be an experience for individuals across age, race, gender, and generations.
“The style of the restaurant is such that where common South Asian spices, used in South Asian cooking across the diaspora, are repurposed to be used in common Middle Eastern dishes to inspire the bridge between two cultures. While both cultures overlap in the spices and styles used in the kitchen, finding ways for these to compliment one another using techniques like open grilling and fermentation fuels a whole new game.”
Sethi shared how his inspiration for SIFR, both in its menu and atmosphere, came from this idea of wanting to display not just one country’s flavors but that of an entire region to capture the culture as a whole. By doing so, Sethi and Sarkar are able to share the experiences from their travels abroad with the Greater Chicagoland area as well as those who are visiting.
“When folks come to the restaurant – whether for a date, a business meeting to entertain clients, or any other reason —we want them to feel the global experience that we have felt on our journeys and, at the same time, feel the roots of their upbringing. And if it’s a non-South Asian individual, we want them to walk away having been inspired and excited about what they have just experienced. We are planning to be the top chefs with the number one restaurant in the Chicagoland area, as well as the United States. We are honored to be able to showcase what our South Asian culture is all about and where it comes from, but also the heights and new spaces we can take it to through unique, culinary experiences such as SIFR,” Sarkar added.
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As the interview continued, Sethi and Sarkar shared how there are many evolutions in the culinary industry, especially when it comes to South Asian and Middle Eastern food cultures.
“We have seen the original food movements from India and other parts of South Asia, and how those observations have overlapped with similarities to Middle Eastern cooking,” Sarkar said.
He noted that as his restaurants, SIFR and Indienne, continue to change and grow, they grow along with the trends of cuisine and food movements like the “New India Food Movement.”
Chef Sarkar also spoke on the idea of the “New India Food Movement,” a concept or experience in which Indian food, and even South Asian food as a whole, are reimagined in new ways.
“It’s not just about reinventing recipes, but involves new ways of presenting food, creating a specific ambiance during the dining experience, choosing the right cocktails and pairings, etc.”
[Read Related: From Doha to Toronto: Bakery Patisseh’s Journey]
Both Sarkar and Sethi have more global experience than most chefs do, in addition to their record of opening restaurants individually and collaboratively. They are known for their work with Indienne, Bar Goa, ROOH Chicago, Swadesi Cafe, and more. While Sarkar has mentored Sethi in the past, they are excited to be back together again for a new journey and experience at SIFR. SIFR, which stands for ‘zero’ in Arabic, a number corresponding to infinity, aims to stay true to its name by offering an infinite number of flavorful experiences under one roof.
On the evening of June 4th, 2024, SIFR will be welcoming Chef Edy Massih to celebrate the release of his “Keep It Zesty” cookbook!
