Tony Singh MBE has unveiled his Radge Chaat Indian food stall at Bonnie & Wild in the capital’s St James Quarter, following a soft launch on the 11 May.
The opening comes after Mr Singh and his brother Lucky trialled Radge Chaat as a pop-up in the west end of the city, with the chefs wanting to “take the next step and open a city centre venue”.
Mr Singh said: “I launched Radge Chaat in 2021 because I wanted to bring high quality, authentic Indian street food to Edinburgh.
"Amid the pessimism of lockdown, especially for hospitality, I wanted to give people accessible, colourful and soul-lifting Indian food.
“After the success of our pop-up, I wanted to take the next step and open a city centre venue. I’m really excited to be joining Bonnie & Wild’s Scottish Marketplace.
"There are already some great chefs involved and I’m delighted to now be part of this community.
"I’ll be using the finest spices and freshest ingredients, and cooking everything right in front of guests. I’m really excited about showing off this amazing food in this amazing venue.”
Mr Singh explained that “Chaat” is a savoury snack that originated in India, often served from roadside stalls or food carts.
The word, which derived from “Chaatna”, meaning “to lick”, describes a host of savoury snacks characterised by their “full and punchy flavours” and sweet, sour, spicy, tangy, and crunchy taste.
He added: “Expect full and punchy flavours from India, made using the best ingredients we can get our hands on.
"Everything is vegetarian and there will be vegan and gluten-free options too, so no-one has to miss out.”
Radge Chaat will be offering staple menu items such as Samosa Chaat, Pakora Chaat and Chana Chaat; as well as monthly specials including a vegan butter chicken tikka dish, dosa, gol guppas and Fur Fur, described as “Quavers crisps without the cheese...but on steroids, with a Bollywood makeover.”
Mr Singh said Radge Chaat had opened with a trial menu, with the full menu launching on the 25 May.
After opening in the Toll Cross area of the capital and operating from a pop-up, Radge Chaat quickly became a popular addition to the city’s vibrant food scene.
Mr Singh said: “When we were offered the chance to join the Scottish marketplace we jumped at the chance.
"I’m hugely passionate about Scottish food and drink, and we share so many of the same values about hospitality, including local sourcing, sustainability, and quality ingredients.”
Commenting on the wider food and drink sector in Scotland, the chef said: “I think as a whole it’s one of the best and most supportive in the world.
"It’s vibrant, dynamic and outward looking, and embraces a huge spectrum of cuisines. Plus Scotland has some of the most fantastic produce available.”
Radge Chaat joins a string of leading chefs and F&B businesses at Bonnie & Wild, including National Chef of Scotland Gary Maclean’s seafood restaurant Creel Caught, BBC chef Jimmy Lee’s Salt & Chilli Oriental, El Perro Negro, east PIZZAS, artisanal gelateria Joelato, and the boutique bottleshop run by the leading drinks wholesaler, Inverarity Morton.
Ryan Barrie, Operations Director at Bonnie & Wild, said: “Tony and Lucky are brilliant additions to B&W. We’re all delighted to have them here.
"Their quality banter and characters are matched by their exceptional cooking, and like us all at B&W, they are focused on promoting Scottish food and drink, and bring another example of the range and diversity of cooking and ingredients available here.
"I can’t wait to try their full menu when it launches next week.”
