Our Story
Our founder and the inspiration behind our restaurants, Amit Kumar was born in the Northern part of India and gained his love of cooking from his Grandmother, by watching her as she created simple yet complex traditional Indian dishes, using amazing spices and herbs. Eager to learn more, his professional education began at the culinary school of New Delhi and later moving to Goa to understand more about hospitality management. Goa proved to be an inspiration, as this melting pot of Indian Cuisine was the perfect location to discover and perfect his delicate use of spices and the importance of getting the correct balance by blending and grinding, for both culinary and medicinal benefits. This southwestern coastal region of India produces some of India’s favorite foods which also allowed Amit to explore his use of spectacular seafood and experiment with traditional but lighter cooking combinations and techniques.
His subsequent move to the USA opened up the world of International Foods, gaining some critical experience by learning from top chefs about technique, presentation, timings and volume during his tenure on prestigious cruise lines operating out of Miami.
Armed with this knowledge and passion, Amit searched for the correct location to open his first restaurant. After researching locations in NY and Atlanta he chose Orlando as his base because he believed the climate, environment and lifestyle fit his long-term goals. Amit opened his first restaurant Aashirwad in 2004. The name means “Blessing” as he felt truly blessed to take the inspiration he gained from his Grandmother and be able to share it with the world. The restaurant was simply decorated but by serving amazing food he won critical acclaim for his culinary talents and unique approach to Indian Food.
His second restaurant followed in 2008 in the shape of Bombay Cafe, serving Indian Street Food which brought to Orlando a totally different aspect of Indian Food thus far unexplored and it quickly became an Orlando favorite destination especially with vegetarians. Tamarind Winter Park followed in 2010 and Tamarind U.C.F in 2013 both with a more traditional edge. 2016 saw the relocation of his original restaurant Aashirwad to its current and much larger home on S Kirkman and a change to more Modern Indian Cuisine. Amit is an avid reader and follower of all things food related, keeping up to date with chef colleagues in India and around the world, but most importantly he takes inspiration from his customers and Indian expatriates to ensure his food always stays relevant and authentic.
Scratch cooking is an absolute must in all of Amit’s restaurants, as is the use of authentic ingredients that speak to the culture and heritage of Indian Cuisine. Happy to be different from your usual Indian Food for over sixteen years, Amit has been successful in offering Modern Indian, Indian Street Food and Traditional Indian styles to Orlando and Central Florida, and is the number one choice for Indian catered events in the city.
Amit’s vision and passion for Indian Food continues and we are excited to see where his leadership will take us in the years to come.