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Nothing CEO enjoys Michelin-star Indian meal in London, says it’s better than India’s food

Carl Pei, CEO of Nothing, sparked controversy by claiming Indian food in London is superior to that in India. 

Updated on: Jun 4, 2025, 21:07:18 IST
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Nothing CEO Carl Pei recently enjoyed Indian food at a Michelin-star restaurant in London. While sharing a picture of his meal on social media, the Chinese-Swedish entrepreneur also shared a polarising take on Indian food. His post has sparked a debate on X.

Carl Pei, founder and chief executive officer of Nothing, enjoyed an Indian meal in London (Bloomberg)
Carl Pei, founder and chief executive officer of Nothing, enjoyed an Indian meal in London (Bloomberg)

What did Carl Pei say about Indian food?

Carl Pei, CEO of Nothing and co-founder of OnePlus, said that Indian food in London is better than Indian food in India. “Hot take: Indian food in London is better than Indian food in India,” the 35-year-old entrepreneur wrote on X.

Pei had visited India in April this year for the launch event of CMF Phone 2 Pro. His use of the words “hot take” indicates that he already knew his post would prove to be provocative - and he was right.

How did social media react?

Social media users were quick to denounce Pei’s take on Indian food. Many Indians said he was ‘wrong’ for saying that Indian food in London is better than Indian food in India.

Others, however, conceded that foreigners may find Indian food in London more palatable due to lower spice levels.

Sheel Mohnot, founder of Better Tomorrow Ventures, said that Indian food in London is good, but quite different from what one would get in India.

“Rather than ‘Hot take’, it’s actually a ‘Mild take’. Most non-Indians think London’s Indian food is better because the spice level is mild which suits them,” wrote X user Shantanu.

“It seems you haven't been to the right places for good food in India,” another X user countered.

“NOTHING you said makes sense,” one person quipped.

“It’s because non-Indians are the target market for westernized Indian food,” one commenter said by way of explanation.

Where did Carl Pei eat Indian food?

In the comments section, Carl Pei revealed that he ate at Jamavar restaurant in London, which is part of the Leela Group. Jamavar is a Michelin star restaurant in the upmarket Mayfair neighbourhood. This Indian fine dining restaurant is described as the “culinary jewel of The Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts”.

  • Sanya Jain
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Sanya Jain

    Sanya Jain is an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times Digital. She has nearly a decade of experience in covering offbeat stories that speak to the everyday experience - from viral videos to human interest copies that spark conversation. Her interests stretch across business, pop culture, social media trends, entertainment and global affairs. Before joining Hindustan Times, Sanya spent two years with Moneycontrol and five years with NDTV. She holds an undergraduate degree in English literature from St Stephen’s College, Delhi, and a master’s in journalism from the Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai. Sanya has a sharp eye for spotting emerging trends and looking for newsworthy angles to elevate viral posts into meaningful narratives. She was the first one, for example, to cover Narayana Murthy’s remark on 70-hour work weeks that sparked a national conversation. She is equally at ease writing about business leaders as about the common man, about issues of national importance and memes that amuse social media. Sanya enjoys speaking with content creators, newsmakers and entrepreneurs to transform everyday moments into engaging, slice-of-life stories that resonate with readers. When she is not working, Sanya can be found curled up with a good book. Born and raised in Lucknow, she has spent the last several years in Delhi. She is deeply interested in animal welfare and now spends a lot of her time running after her destructive orange cat.Read More

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