Gurdarshan Singh, Owner, Sagar Northern Indian

Gurdarshan Singh

Gurdarshan Singh, the owner of Sagar, a Northern Indian restaurant in Bangsar and Sunway Lagoon, tells of his journey in the food and beverage industry.

What do you do and how did you get into the industry?

I’m an owner of an authentic northern Indian fine-dining restaurant located in Bangsar. I, together with my brother supervise the operations of the restaurant to ensure we achieve best-in-class standards as we live by our motto, which is “Your Satisfaction is Our Pride”. We entered the industry in 1998, as there was significant demand for Northern Indian food catering during that period. Thus, we opened our first outlet at Jalan Kemuja, Bangsar. The outlet was a small shop lot with a small seating area, as our focus was mainly towards catering. However, we were honoured, that within two months we had many dine-in customers. This resulted in us expanding our location by taking over the next shop lot. Fast forward 22 years, the passion and satisfaction of our valued customers have kept us going.

Share with us an interesting story from behind the scenes.

A few years ago, we were doing a catering event for a destination Indian wedding at the Palace of Golden Horses. It was a three-day event where the client had personally handpicked a few restaurants from various cuisines to serve food. It was a unique experience, as the client had instructed that there should be food served 24 hours for all three days. For the event, the client requested for certain Indian dishes that required specific spices and equipment, which were not available in Malaysia at that period of time. Thus, I tried explaining to the client that it would be difficult to make as the spices and equipment are not available and it was not possible to get it shipped from India on time. However, the client was very adamant on having those dishes. Thus, the only possible solution was for me to fly to India, to buy the specific raw materials from different states, as well as the specific equipment. It was extremely exhaustive as I had to travel to many different states within a short period and only made it back to Malaysia a few hours before the event started. In the end, it was worth it as the client was extremely satisfied.

What’s something you’d like guests to know about Sagar Restaurant?

We opened in 1998 and currently have two branches; one in Bangsar and another in Sunway Lagoon Theme Park. Previously, we also had outlets in Langkawi, Penang and in KL, while also operating a dining cruise with Mines Resort. Over the last 22 years, we have had the opportunity to serve more than two million tourists from around the world. We also take great care in designing our restaurant ambience as we want our customers to truly enjoy a dining experience of Maharaja era. I personally believe that It is NEVER only about the food but, the complete package right from the moment they walk in till the time they step outside. We are always striving to create a lasting and wonderful memory for our customers, while also humbly trying our very best to provide some happiness through our food as we live by the motto of, “Your Satisfaction is Our Pride”.

What’s your view on the food scene in KL?

With its unique mix of cultures, languages and religions, Kuala Lumpur is often described as a food haven. With so many cultures converging in KL, there is always a sense of discovery, not only for newcomers but even for existing people living here. My view is that people in KL appreciate good quality food and are willing to explore. Food is always the quickest way to get acquainted with the culture and what food in Malaysia tells us is that a multiracial society can work, really well. It’s amazing how you can have three different cuisines in a day, with entirely different spices and ways of cooking.

The perfect day off for Gurdarshan Singh would be…

To be very honest, I’m a simple, straight forward person. On my rare off-days, I like to stay in and have quality time with my family, while enjoying some home-cooked food. Besides that, my hobby is to watch TV, so I do try to clock in some hours of TV on my off day.

What’s a food memory from your childhood or travels that stands out?

One of the food memories from my childhood that really stands out is when I was visiting New Delhi (India) for holidays. There was this small restaurant that served fried fish only. Not only were they famous for their tender and soft fried fish, but also how they cook it. They fry the fish with their bare hands in sizzling hot oil. As a child, I was simply amazed and this is one of the memories which I will always cherish. It was this surreal experience which sparked my interest in the food industry, as I realized that it has no boundaries.

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