Ajoy Joshi trained in Madras (now Chennai), India and started his career at the prestigious Taj Group of Hotels in 1980, where he learnt to prepare a wide variety of regional Indian cuisines. He was promoted to executive chef of the Taj Hotel, Bangalore and during his time there opened the Karavali Restaurant, which became renowned for its coastal South Indian cuisine.

Ajoy arrived in Australia in 1988 and worked in Brisbane and Melbourne before settling in Sydney where, in 1992 with wife Meera, he opened Malabar Restaurant in Crows Nest, serving traditional South Indian cuisine. Malabar won many awards and accolades locally and in India.

In 1997, Ajoy and Meera sold Malabar and embarked on a worldwide journey to study food trends, returning bursting with enthusiasm and the desire to create a unique food experience - a harmonious blend of dining, prepared Indian food products, and cooking classes for the more eager and adventurous. And so Nilgiri’s was born.

At Nilgiri’s restaurant, Ajoy combines his extensive experience, training and passion for Indian food to produce distinctive contemporary Indian cuisine. Nilgiri’s Fine Foods evolved in response to a growing demand for quality, locally-produced Indian ingredients including pickles, marinades, chutneys, masalas (spice mixes), paneer (Indian cottage cheese), kulfis (Indian ice creams) and batters, freshly made from natural ingredients.

Visit Nilgiri's for more information.