City Chefs: Get to know Ann Arbor Chefs

The Ann Arbor area is full of passionate and talented chefs, working in restaurants which range in specialty and cuisine. We spoke with two local chefs about their influences, preferences and proudest moments.

Samir Patel

Owner, Shalimar Restaurant

Who was your biggest food influence growing up?
My mother. She had an incredible way of balancing spices without ever measuring a thing. Watching her build flavor through tadka, slow-cooking gravies and layering aromatics shaped my understanding of North Indian cooking.

Favorite ingredient to experiment with right now?
Black cardamom. Its smoky, earthy depth can transform a dish — I love using it not just in classic curries, but in marinades, rubs, and even desserts for an unexpected twist.

What’s your go-to comfort meal after a long night in the kitchen?
Chicken Tikka Masala. Rich, creamy, and full of warmth — one bowl with fresh naan is all I need to reset after a long service.

Street food you’d fly across the world for?
Perfectly spiced, charred lamb chops — the kind you get from late-night North Indian grill stalls where the marinade has been perfected over decades.

What’s a flavor that instantly makes you nostalgic?
The aroma of ghee and cumin hitting a hot pan. That first sizzling moment reminds me of childhood mornings and family meals.

If I weren’t a chef I would have been:
A food historian. North Indian cuisine has such a rich, layered story — Mughal influences, regional techniques, ancient grains — and I’ve always been fascinated by the origins behind the flavors.

Signature dish that makes you proudest?
My slow-cooked Dal Makhani. I let it simmer for hours to get that velvety texture and deep, smoky flavor, finished with house-made cultured butter. It’s a dish that represents patience, tradition, and true North Indian comfort.

Who was your biggest food influence growing up?
My biggest food influences growing up was my dad and grandpa. Grandpa was the grill master and was always fascinated watching him cook over an open flame. My dad showed me my Filipino side of the family’s cooking style and traditions introducing me to many new ingredients and tastes i wasn’t familiar with.

My favorite ingredient to work with right now is a trick question. My favorite way of cooking is turning anything i can find from nothing into something. Freestyle cooking is the best, i think every great chef should have that intuitive cooking style that comes from instinct. But to answer the question fair i really like breaking down whole fish and finding ways to utilize every element.

Go to meal after a long day at work would be a slice of pizza from Joe’s or hitting that 4th meal at taco bell.

Street food i’d travel far for would be tteokbokki or Spice pork in Korea. One of my best friends and co worker has shown me a lot about the Korean culture and their street food is top notch.

Anything rich and savory or hints of warming spices like cinnamon, all spice or nutmeg are very nostalgic to me.

If i wasn’t a chef I’d be a DJ/Producer traveling the world and creating Electronic Dance Music playing massive festivals.

One of my signature dishes that makes me super proud would be my braised short rib dish thats on our current menu right now.