As a boy growing up in Asansol, West Bengal, Vivek was expected to follow in his father’s footsteps and become and engineer. Thankfully for us, he discovered a love of food early in life thanks to his father’s cooking and his copy of Marco Pierre White’s seminal book, White Heat. Vivek’s talent was quickly recognised in India as he rose through the ranks at the renowned Oberoi Hotel group. In 2001 he moved to London to open The Cinnamon Club in Westminster to rave reviews.

Whilst Vivek’s food at The Cinnamon Club has a distinct East-meets-West feel about it, his menus at Cinnamon Kitchen – though influenced by his Anglo-Indian upbringing – are more typically Indian. Dishes like Hyderabadi-style stir-fried baby aubergine with sesame tamarind sauce and pickled pea aubergine, and pan-seared hake with yellow lentils, bitter melon chutney and kachumber fenugreek salad are typical of his cooking – intense, Indian flavours with glimmers of invention dotted all over. He makes good use of the tandoor in his kitchen too, cooking the likes of green spiced monkfish with tomato tamarind sauce and lemon rice, and tandoori chicken breast with pomegranate, mint chilli korma in the searing heat of the clay oven.

Cinnamon Kitchen is a little more understated in comparison to its older brother in Westminster – slightly more informal and certainly cheaper thanks to the excellent lunch and set menu deals – but it’s still a beautiful space. It’s plush without being stuffy, perfect for a speedy business lunch, and particularly fantastic during the summer when the large terrace allows for alfresco thrills.

If you’re in the area and just looking for a drink and a snack, Cinnamon Kitchen’s Anise Bar is the perfect stop for an Indian-inspired cocktail, and also offers cocktail masterclasses and pairing events.