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Born around 1902 in Peshawar, British India, Gujral began his culinary journey in a small local restaurant, creating the now-famous tandoori chicken. After the 1947 partition, he moved to Delhi and opened Moti Mahal, transforming North Indian dining. Here, he created iconic dishes like butter chicken and dal makhani. Gujral's legacy endures through his restaurants and their global influence on Indian cuisine.
The 1947 Partition of India led to a Punjabi influx in Delhi. While locals were paralyzed by the tragedy, the Punjabi refugees were determined to rebuild and reclaim their economic dignity, refusing to accept defeat Shri Kundan Lal Gujral, a fearless Punjabi Pathan from the northwestern border, never accepted defeat. Despite his father Shri Dewan Chand being a cloth merchant in Chakwal, young Kundan started his career in Peshawar, where he landed his first job.
After the partition, Kundan arrived in Delhi with five guidelines and twelve thousand rupees, salvaged from the tragedy that had devastated many. Along with his wife Smt. Ram Prakash Devi, mother Smt. Maya Devi, and young son Nand Lal Gujral, they arrived as refugees in 1947, ultimately transforming Indian cooking.
The journey from Peshawar's Gora Bazar ended in Delhi's busy Daryaganj. In 1947, Kundan found a small roadside spot, later granted to him by India's president through a rehabilitation deed, where he re-established Moti Mahal. After 27 years, having made a name for himself, he came to Delhi to start anew.He had come armed with Oscar Wilde's famous aphorism 'to declare nothing but my genius'
After opening his shop in Daryaganj, Kundan implemented one of his six success principles. In Peshawar, he often catered for his friend Mehrchand Khanna, who became a minister in Nehru's cabinet. After partition, Khanna introduced Pandit Nehru to Gujral's tandoori chicken. When Nehru asked about the creator, Khanna named Shri Kundan Lal Gujral. Moti Mahal's specialties became staples at Nehru's banquets and political dinners. The restaurant became the go-to place for visiting dignitaries to experience innovative Indian cuisine. Notable guests included the Shah of Iran, US President Richard Nixon, Jacqueline Kennedy, Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada, the King of Nepal, Soviet leaders Alexei Kosygin and Nikolai Bulganin, and Zulfikar Bhutto
The New Pearl in Delhi
Moti Mahal “The Palace of Pearls”
The goal was not to adorn Delhi's women with pearls, but to win the culinary hearts of Dilliwalas with tandoori chicken. Kundan roasted chicken in a coal and wood-fired mud oven. He also introduced Dal Makhani, a vegetarian specialty of slow-cooked black lentils mixed with tomato puree and fresh cream. Even the most discerning gourmets eagerly visited Moti Mahal for these delights. In his column in Brunch (Hindustan Times Publication), noted journalist and food critic Gautam wrote, "Our story now veers (as does the story of the tandoori chicken) to Delhi's Daryaganj where Shri. Kundan Lal Gujral opened Moti Mahal and made Tandoori cooking famous."
Tandoori Chicken
The goal was not to adorn Delhi's women with pearls, but to win the culinary hearts of Dilliwalas with tandoori chicken. Kundan roasted chicken in a coal and wood-fired mud oven. He also introduced Dal Makhani, a vegetarian specialty of slow-cooked black lentils mixed with tomato puree and fresh cream. Even the most discerning gourmets eagerly visited Moti Mahal for these delights. In his column in Brunch (Hindustan Times Publication), noted journalist and food critic Gautam wrote, "Our story now veers (as does the story of the tandoori chicken) to Delhi's Daryaganj where Shri. Kundan Lal Gujral opened Moti Mahal and made Tandoori cooking famous."
This was a valuable lesson for the family, especially his grandson Ashim Gujral. Ashim, trained by his grandfather, graduated in Business Studies from Delhi University and studied Hotel Management at Pusa. He now manages the global Moti Mahal chain. Influenced by his father, Shri Nand Lal Gujral, who expanded the chain in the 1970s, Ashim has helped Moti Mahal become the largest Indian restaurant chain in the world.
In 2003, Ashim Gujral popularized franchising, allowing Moti Mahal to expand globally. He launched new ventures like Moti Mall Barbecues and China Wall, while preserving and spreading the culinary traditions established by his father, Shri Nand Lal.
Kuvam Gujral, the great-grandson of Shri Kundan Lal Gujral, who introduced tandoori chicken and butter chicken to the world, continues the rich culinary legacy with a modern twist. Educated at the ITC Hospitality Management Institute, Kuvam skillfully blends contemporary techniques with Moti Mahal's traditional recipes. Kuvam Gujral, the great-grandson of Shri Kundan Lal Gujral (the inventor of tandoori chicken).
He is an ITC Hospitality Management Institute alumnus. Following in his father Ashim Gujral's footsteps, Kuvam has modernized Moti Mahal cuisine while preserving the flavors and recipes that made Moti Mahal Delux famous.
History Of Moti Mahal
