The Mehtani name? It’s iconic in the New Jersey hospitality industry. Moghul Restaurant is a legacy brand in the Indian culinary space. As The Mehtani Restaurant Group — now headed by second-generation owner Shaun Mehtani — approaches its 40th year in business, it has refurbished its flagship restaurant in Edison as the first major project of a new partnership with Arora Hospitality Group, founded by entrepreneur Kamal Arora.
Additionally, the restaurant group said Culinary Director Vipul Gupta has joined the team to assist with updating Moghul’s classic North Indian menu at Moghul Ballroom and Moghul Catering as well.
Meet Chef Vipul Gupta
With 18 years of experience, Chef Vipul Gupta is no stranger to the industry. A native of Delhi, he graduated from one of India’s top culinary schools, and was chef/culinary director at luxury properties including Marriott Hotels, Hyatt Hotels and ITC Hotels in India. Gupta’s restaurants (Delhi Pavillion, Anamaya Delhi) were rated the top restaurants in the capital city of India. He had the privilege of being opening chef at ITC’s Grand Bharat Resort, considered the number one resort in Asia by Condé Nast Traveller.
Additionally, Gupta has years of global catering exposure at top luxury hotels: Ritz Carlton Abu Dhabi, Fairmont Monte Carlo, Grand Velas Riviera Maya Cabo to name just a few. He’s been featured as a “Top 50 F&B Professional” of India by London-based BW Hotelier magazine. In March 2020, the Chef was invited to cook a “Creative Holi Dinner” at NYC’s James Beard House. Recently, Gupta was featured in Times Square as a Top Culinary Icon of India worldwide.
New at Moghul
The flagship restaurant on Edison’s Oak Tree Road has undergone a major menu and decor refresh. Chef Gupta is refreshing Moghul’s subtly spiced and seasoned menu of classic Northern Indian cuisine, expanding the offerings of Moghul Caterers, and scouting new projects for the company.
Gupta is bringing in more seasonal/local ingredients, luxurious specials, and cooking techniques and flavors from other regions of the subcontinent including West Bengal, South India and Goa to the menu. New items include Murgh Parda Handi (roasted curried spiced chicken baked in a pot w/buttery puff crust) and Smoked Baingan Bharta (tandoor-grilled eggplant puréed and finished w/Indian spices).
Also in the works: an updated bar/wine menu, drawing on the cutting edge cocktails developed at SM23, MRG’s bar/lounge in Morristown.
The interior space has been re-energized as well. Walls and flooring are lighter and brighter; custom velvet and silk drapes enhance the luxurious and opulent feeling; server uniforms are custom-made and imported from India—as are handsome copper serving bowls and flatware. It’s all been designed to convey a modernized sense of luxury and tradition befitting the Moghul name.
