Celebrity chef Suresh Pillai organized and cooked a dinner for Viswanathan Anand and Gukesh Dommaraju. The event for the World Champions took place at Vishy’s home in August.

The dinner was chess-themed, featuring Opening, Gambit, Middlegame, and Checkmate. The first move was Sambharam Kadumanga Pani Puri. It is a Kerala twist on the classic Indian dish.

Then came Gambit — Turmeric prawns cooked in fresh coconut milk, garnished with a shrimp chamandi. Chef Suresh Pillai noted that both Gukesh and Vishy asked for seconds several times.

The centerpiece of the meal was King Fish Nirvana — steamed fish in a banana leaf. King Fish Nirvana is Suresh’s signature dish. Chef explained that Vishy Anand and his wife love seafood but don’t eat it often. This detail became the basis for the meal’s concept.

Suresh explained each dish to the guests between courses. At the table, the guests chatted, joked, and discussed the news. Suresh learned about the ‘ritual’ that Vishy and Gukesh have before important matches.

Suresh Pillai

Suresh Pillai

Celebrity chef and restaurateur

“I asked them what they best like to eat before a game.

Anand and Gukesh, it turns out, share a pre-match ritual of their own — a bowl of curd rice before a big game, when they can get it.”

The dinner concluded with a bowl of soft, silky Paalada Pradaman, a traditional Kerala dessert. The chess players noted that they enjoyed the event and the food. Chef Suresh said he would remember this dinner as his personal favorite.

Suresh Pillai is an Indian-born British celebrity chef and restaurateur. He is renowned for bringing the traditional cuisine of the Indian city of Kerala to the global stage. Suresh has cooked for Indian actors Kamal Haasan and Mammootty, tennis players Roger Federer and Tiger Woods, and other celebrities.

Credit: Special Arrangement