Taj India Indian Restaurant

BALWINDER SINGH PASSION FOR COOKING

Balwinder Singh was only 15 years old in his native India when he took the bus to high school. It cook? And I only took a few hours for him to return and to confirm that the love of his life was cooking. "My mother sent me to school and I did not liike it". I took the bus back and went to a restaurant to take a job. They game me a job washing dishes. As a dishwasher sometimes they would ask me to help them cooking. After a month as a cook helper the cook was suddenly gone and they ask me, can you cook? And I say "OK'... I cook". And little by little I cook more and more and became the cook of the restaurant," Balwinder says proudly.
It took close to five years working as a cook in Punjab, in northern India close in Pakistan and Afghanistan, for his brother in law to invite him to Kentucky. Then, in 1996 he decided to take part in the adventure of opening Kashmir's India Restaurant at 341 Limestone in downtown Lexington.
"Even though I know more than 600 recipes, my specialities are chicken tiki masala, korma, chilli and lamb. What makes our restuarant unique is that I cook everything fresh, everyday. Here people find in a restaurant in India, says Balwinder.
For the time being, Balwinder spends most of his time at Kashmir's where he hapily works 12 hours a day, because of his great friendship with his brother in law, the time he dedicates himself to his seven month old baby, born in Kentucky.
I love to cook and that is why I am happy here. I don't even like sports; I only like to cook. And, personally ... I like Kentucky better. In Kentucky better. In India, everything is very hard. Here, everyhing is easier. I visited in December and it was hard to adapt. I like the people and the city."
By 2007, Balwinder hopes to open a new restaurant that can live up to the ones that they opened in Knoxville and Louisville. Bawinder's new restaurant is now called Taj India Indian Restaurant, located at 154 Patchen Drive, Suite 68, Lexington, Ky 40517.
Taj India is open everyday for lunch and dinner, 7 days a week. Call 859-896-0025 . The Lunch Buffet is 7 days a week, 11:30 - 3:00