An Indian chef who previously led the kitchen of a Michelin Guide-listed restaurant in Dubai has left fine dining to sell chole bhature at a small takeaway outlet, where customers have waited more than an hour for their orders.
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Pradeep Khullar opened Bhaturewala in Dubai's Oud Metha neighbourhood on October 16 with business partner Saubhagi Veer, offering the popular North Indian dish for AED 20 (approximately ₹520).
According to an Emirates 24/7 report, the restaurant serves just 200 plates daily, with customers queuing outside the modest establishment.
From financial struggles to a career in cooking
Khullar's journey began under difficult circumstances. He was 15 when his father died of cancer in 1998, leaving his mother to support the family through a day job and a tailoring business in Delhi's Rohini neighbourhood.
Unable to afford a university seat costing ₹4 lakh, he enrolled in a hotel management course after a friend offered him an unused application form.
{{/usCountry}}Unable to afford a university seat costing ₹4 lakh, he enrolled in a hotel management course after a friend offered him an unused application form.
{{/usCountry}}He began his career in 2004, eventually working with restaurants including Indian Accent and Punjab Grill before moving to Dubai in 2015.
The inspiration for Bhaturewala came from his childhood, when he would queue outside a neighbourhood vendor every Sunday to buy chole bhature for his family.
Why did he leave fine dining?
Khullar subsequently worked at Nazaara, which was included among the Michelin Guide Dubai's 2026 Selected restaurants.
The restaurant received Michelin Guide recognition but was not awarded a Michelin star.
Days after the October 6 announcement, Khullar and Veer left Nazaara to focus on their independently funded venture.
Gulf News also reported that Bhaturewala offers chole bhature, mutton bhature and lassi, without a conventional dining area.
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Customers queue for over an hour
Speaking to Emirates 24/7, Khullar recalled an encounter with a customer who had waited more than an hour for his food.
Instead of complaining, the customer hugged him and said, "No, this is pure love, man. Don't drop the quality. Continue with this."
Despite growing demand, Khullar remains particular about food quality. On one occasion, he refused to serve mutton curry because it had been overcooked, even as customers waited outside.
"This is the only asset we have," he explained.
The founders also discussed their venture on Mira Business FM on October 22, confirming their shift from fine dining to a small street-food business.