Imtiaz Qureshi dies at 93, tributes pour in for the legendary chef

Chef Imtiaz Qureshi has died at the age of 93

Legendary chef Imtiaz Qureshi, who was known for having revived the old-Lucknowi tradition of dum pukht style of cooking, died of age-related ailments at Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital in the early hours of Friday. He was 93.

Qureshi’s son Ishtiyaque Qureshi told PTI that he had been in the hospital for the last 14 days. “There was no one specific health condition. He was diabetic, so there were problems related to that,” Ishtiyaque said.

Born on February 2, 1931 in Lucknow, Qureshi has been credited for transforming the idea of “North Indian” restaurant food through his revival of Awadhi cuisine.

Journalist and food writer Vir Sanghvi remembered him as the man who invented “Dum Pukth biryani that is still the model for all North Indian biryani served everywhere in the world.”

Rest In Peace Imtiaz Qureshi who,in his years at ⁦@ITCHotels⁩, transformed North Indian restaurant food by popularising the haute cuisine of Awadh and who invented the Dum Pukth biryani that is still the model for all North Indian biryani served everywhere in the world pic.twitter.com/8fUinVQmcs

— vir sanghvi (@virsanghvi) February 16, 2024

Imtiaz Qureshi was also the mastermind behind some of the iconic hotels across the country, including the world-renowned brands like Delhi's Dum Pukht and Bukhara at ITC Maurya.

In his storied career spanning five decades, he served several lavish banquets to high-profile guests like Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. For his contributions to the culinary arts, he was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri in 2016, becoming the first in the chef community to receive it.

Tributes poured in for the legend on social media:

Ranveer Brar, another Lucknow-born chef, remembered his days as a trainee chef at the Taj Palace when he went ITC Maurya next door to have Galouti Kebab at Dum Pukht. “The fact that I was eating Imtiaz Qureshi’s food in an ITC hotel was life changing for me. Not only had he pulled the dum pukht technique out of Lucknow, he had given it a personality, an unmistakable refinement,” Brar wrote.

As a Lucknow boy with dreams of becoming a chef, the folklore of Imtiaz Qureshi is something I grew up with. It was around 1998-1999 when I was working as a trainee chef at the Taj Palace in Delhi. I remember once taking the Rs. 612/- I had earned to ITC Maurya next door and… pic.twitter.com/XaICbf2T3j

— Ranveer Brar (@ranveerbrar) February 16, 2024

"With great sadness and a heavy heart, I regret to inform you of the heartbreaking news of the passing of Padmashree Chef Mr. Imtiaz Qureshi, who departed from this world earlier this morning. His culinary legacy and contributions will forever be remembered and cherished. May his soul find eternal peace and may his memory continue to inspire us all," chef Kunal Kapur posted on X.

With great sadness and a heavy heart, I regret to inform you of the heartbreaking news of the passing of Padmashree Chef Mr. Imtiaz Qureshi, who departed from this world earlier this morning. His culinary legacy and contributions will forever be remembered and cherished. May his… pic.twitter.com/o4NE0dAPg7 — Kunal Kapur (@ChefKunalKapur) February 16, 2024

Actor Tara Deshpande remembered his contribution to Indian cuisine: “He revived the Dum Pukht tradition and reintroduced so many great dishes to Indian food lovers be it Sikandari Raan or Dal Bukhara.”

Legendary chef and Padma Shri recipient Imtiaz Qureshi passes away. His contribution to Indian cuisine is unparalleled. He revived the Dum Pukht tradition and reintroduced so many great dishes to Indian food lovers be it Sikandari Raan or Dal Bukhara. May his soul Rest in… pic.twitter.com/iBNYx04EmI

— Tara Deshpande (@Tara_Deshpande) February 16, 2024

“There are a lot of cooks and chefs out there, but none like Imtiaz Qureshi,” wrote author Sadaf Hussain.

There are a lot of cooks and chefs out there, but none like Imtiaz Qureshi. Anyone involved in the culinary arts will look up to him as an icon and source of inspiration. He had an amazing curiosity about food and a desire to motivate people. Chef, we will greatly miss you. pic.twitter.com/0U1CM184Tt — Sadaf Hussain (@hussainsadaf1) February 16, 2024

Qureshi is survived by five sons and two daughters. His last rites were performed on Friday afternoon.