A delicious culinary crusade: we chat to Amar from Corianders about being a Bollywood actor and the road that took him to having an empire of successful Indian restaurants

“My dream was to be a famous Bollywood actor – yet somehow I have ended up in hospitality!” chuckles Amar Singh, owner of the Corianders restaurant group. Amar was indeed a Bollywood actor in India for a time, as well as a model and theatre actor.

But with downtimes in the entertainment industry and the need to pay the rent, Amar began working in hotels. The rest, as they say, is history.
Amar moved up through hotel management ranks and, with his eventual move to New Zealand in 2000, learned more about the cuisine of his native Northern India. Christchurch diners will remember him from his time at Gloucester Street’s Little India and Merivale’s wonderful Leinster House.
Amar was almost lost to hospitality however, after Leinster House was ear-marked for demolition. He was about to take up real estate, but was saved by a finance broker acquaintance who persuaded him to set up his own restaurant. And so, Corianders was born, first of all in Rolleston.
Now Amar wants to pass on his knowledge and love of Indian food through a series of Master Classes at the St Asaph Street Corianders, once a month on Wednesdays from 3pm to 4.30pm, beginning on 2 May. The cost of $30 per person includes a glass of bubbles and all the ingredients to cook one of the succulent dishes on the Corianders’ menu. There are even aprons provided.
To book for Amar’s Master Class phone Miranda on 021 339 707. This will not only be informative, but also great fun.