Chef Puja Sahu On The Power Of Ingredients, Her Journey As A Chef, And More
In this conversation, Chef Puja Sahu reflects on her roots, the significance of bringing regional flavours to the forefront, the power of authentic ingredinets, and her latest venture, Mission Bay, that brings a slice of California to Delhi.
Swiggy’s latest “How Indian Eats” report, in partnership with Kearney, reveals some significant shifts in India’s dining habits. One notable trend is the Indian diner’s growing curiosity and preference for hyperlocal and regional flavours. According to the report, released in November 2023, “Goan, Bihari, and Pahari dishes are growing 2-8 times faster than mainstream options.”
For twelve years, prior to the release of this report (since 2012), Chef Puja Sahu has been working to bring authentic Bihari flavours to the forefront through her restaurant, Potbelly.
At a time when a restaurant serving Bihari food was unusual, Sahu invested great trust in her family’s recipes, the power of authentic ingredients, and the lasting effect of the food. Today, Potbelly has become synonymous with authentic Bihari fare and has expanded its presence to four cities, with eight outlets.
For Sahu, food has become a way to unpack her experiences and share them with the world. Building on the success of Potbelly, which brings beloved Bihari recipes to the country’s table, she launched Mission Bay—her latest venture at Delhi’s Eldeco Centre—to introduce Californian dining to the capital. Mission Bay takes the farm-to-table approach and brings the chef’s experiences at her favourite eateries across San Francisco, Napa, Sonoma, and Paso Robles to your table.
In a conversation with Outlook Traveller Eats, Chef Sahu discusses her belief in the power of authentic ingredients and her journey from opening Potbelly 12 years ago to now bringing a slice of California to Delhi.
Q: Growing up, what are some of your earliest food memories from home, and how have they shaped the way you cook today?
My mother’s recipes have always played an important role in shaping my palate. I have countless memories of watching food being prepared with great care — from wheat being coarsely ground to make traditional Bihari sweets, to jars of pickles lined up in the sun, food cooked on mud stoves, litti roasted over dried cow dung cakes, and kebabs slow-cooked over a fire. Everything had its own technique and finesse. Most of what we cooked came from our own kitchen garden. We even caught fish from our private ponds. For us, the ingredient was always the hero.
My travels with my husband and daughter across San Francisco, Napa, and Sonoma further deepened my love for food. Visiting local farmers’ markets, sourcing produce from the finest stores, and dining everywhere from the best restaurants to humble hole-in-the-wall spots — I would go to great lengths just to taste something unique. Those experiences not only changed the way I look at ingredients but also shaped how I connect food with memories and storytelling.
Q: Bihari cuisine is often overlooked in mainstream Indian dining—what role did it play in your upbringing, and when did you realise you wanted to champion it professionally?
Potbelly is earthy, homely, and rustic, yet the flavours are deeply refined and layered. Establishing Potbelly was about showcasing this lesser-known cuisine and giving it the attention it deserves.
Q: Opening the first café dedicated to Bihari cuisine was a bold move. What were the biggest challenges you faced in introducing a regional cuisine to a wider audience?
Fighting the numerous clichés surrounding Bihar and showcasing its beautiful cuisine to the forefront presented immense challenges. Bihar is too often remembered for its lawlessness rather than celebrated for its rich heritage and culture. Its cuisine, though deeply rooted in tradition, is still perceived as a rare novelty by most. I had to move mountains to lay the foundation for Bihari cuisine in India.
Q: Looking back, what did the success of that café teach you about people’s openness to regional food stories and lesser-known traditions?
Fourteen years ago, Potbelly was one of the few restaurants celebrating regional cuisine. Flavourful food and consistency naturally attract guests, but there’s more to it — people love hearing untold stories about the culture behind a region’s cuisine. When a restaurant shares these stories, people not only listen but also connect deeply with the experience.
Q: The food industry can be notoriously tough—what were some of the most transformative moments (good or difficult) that have stayed with you?
One unforgettable moment has been creating something new and seeing guests enjoy it so much that they order it again during the same meal. Their immediate excitement gave me a sense of victory and reinforced why I do what I do. Challenges, of course, include the effort required to educate people about unfamiliar cuisines.
Q: After bringing Bihari cuisine to the spotlight, you’ve now chosen to focus on San Francisco cuisine—two worlds that seem so far apart. What drew you to this shift?
My husband has been living in San Francisco for over two decades, and I, too, am a permanent resident of the U.S., shuttling between India and San Francisco over the past ten years. During this time, I’ve immersed myself in dining at the city’s finest restaurants and eateries, as well as some of my favourite spots in Napa, Sonoma, and Paso Robles, learning the philosophy behind Californian dining.
The farm-to-table approach, which sources ingredients from local purveyors, and the culture of authenticity and sustainability deeply resonated with me. Mission Bay is my tribute to that experience.
Q: In what ways do you see a connection—or a dialogue—between your roots in Bihar and your current inspiration from San Francisco’s food culture?
At Potbelly and Mission Bay, our philosophy is simple: food is only as good as the ingredients you use. That’s why we go to great lengths to source the very best — the freshest, most authentic, and highest-quality ingredients.
At Potbelly, every dish is crafted in wood-pressed mustard oil, making our kitchen 99% refined-oil free. Our masalas are carefully handpicked for their purity and depth of flavour, never sourced from regular grocery shelves. Staples like sattu and makhana are brought directly from Bihar, preserving their origin and integrity.
At Mission Bay, we’ve spent months building relationships with purveyors who share our uncompromising standards. Every ingredient on your plate is selected with care, ensuring that flavour, quality, and authenticity always come first.
This is the foundation of who we are: honest food, rooted in quality, and made with pride.
Q: How do you balance staying authentic to a cuisine while also making it accessible to an audience that might not be familiar with it?
People naturally gravitate toward bold flavours, and since the food I serve is packed with them, guests not only return but also recommend us to others. Word of mouth has been our strongest marketing tool, particularly because the cuisine remains unfamiliar to many.
It takes painstaking effort to train the team and educate diners — sharing the stories behind each dish while keeping the food ingredient-focused, simple, and seasonal. The goal is always to let the ingredients shine while keeping the experience warm and approachable.
Q: If food is a storytelling medium, what is the story you’re trying to tell with your cooking today?
The story is about authenticity, sustainability, and ingredient-forward cooking. My food is a reflection of travels, family experiences, and the farm-to-table ethos — where every dish tells a story of craftsmanship and care.
Q: What do you hope diners take away—not just from the plate, but from the experience of eating at your restaurant?
We want guests to reconnect with food at its truest — vibrant, unmasked, and connected to its source. It’s about experiencing authenticity, sustainability, and a conscious way of dining that goes beyond just eating.
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