The aroma of ghee hits the air long before chef Lakhan Jethani places the first koki, a Sindhi delicacy, on the tawa. The quiet expanse of the Arabian Sea outside mirrors the stillness of his modern, minimal home in Bandra, Mumbai. The soft greys and browns, the plush sofa, a cozy dining table, with a neat stack of cookbooks in one corner reflects the calm confidence of a life spent chasing technique and discipline. The koki sizzles, releasing a fragrance that feels like memory itself. “I can eat this for any meal, with a dollop of ghee on top,” he says, flipping the half-done roti.

Widely regarded among Mumbai ’s most meticulous chefs of Japanese cuisine, Jethani’s story begins long before Mizu Izakaya. Growing up in Bandra, he was a kid obsessed with anime and food. His family of four

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