DNA

Mumbai, Dec 8: How would you feel if your favourite actor (who you’ve been dying to meet all your life) comes right up to your doorstep but you still don’t manage to meet? Depressing, isn’t it? That’s exactly what happened to Chef Atul Kochhar’s who runs the hugely popular restaurant ‘Benaras’ in London. Apparently Dharmendra and Hema Malini were in London and walked into Kochhar’s restaurant for an Indian meal.

Unfortunately, not only was the place running full with no tables vacant, the British staff at the reception failed to identify the veteran stars and politely said that it would not be possible to accomodate anyone who didn’t have a prior reservation.

“What’s worse is that all this while I was busy in the kitchen and had no clue of what was going on outside. I was just too busy that evening to keep an eye at the reception. How could I known, even in my wildest dreams that Dharmendra and Hema Malini were actually standing right outside and wanted to have a meal at my restaurant? says Kochhar’s  who still regrets the missed opportunity to serve his favourite actors.

“Later when I came to know, I gave my staff the big dressing down and even rushed out in an attempt to catch up with them in the hope they hadn’t gone too far. I even contacted the hotel, tried calling up other places, but unfortunately by that time, they had already left for India and I could never rectify that mistake,”
says Atul.

Several Bollywood stars have visited his restaurant after that but the chef says the special seat he’d have loved to keep reserved for Dharmendra and Hema Malini is still lying vacant. Isn’t it time for dinner, Dharam-ji?