Culineer (culinary engineer) noun:  a person who constructs, by use of culinary expertise and knowledgeable means, the art and science of good eating.  

It is a term created especially for Raghavan Iyer, for he is more than a chef.  Raghavan Iyer is a nationally and internationally awarded cookbook author, culinary educator, magazine writer, spokesman, and travel consultant.  He is a true innovator and OM is honored to have him create their cuisine.

“We are extremely fortunate to have the foremost authority on contemporary Indian cuisine in the United States work with us.  We couldn’t have made a better choice.”  Randy Norman, co-owner, OM

Raghavan has over 24 years of experience in the hospitality industry and has authored several cookbooks, including Betty Crocker’s Indian Home Cooking, The Turmeric Trail: Recipes and Memories from an Indian Childhood (a 2003 James Beard Awards Finalist) and the recently released and highly acclaimed 660 Curries which has been shortlisted among the top cookbooks for 2008 by National Public Radio, the New York Times, Boston Globe, and Food and Wine Magazine (among many others).  The book has also been named 2008 Best Asian Cookbook in the USA by World Gourmand Awards.

Raghavan received the highly coveted 2004 International Association of Culinary Professional’s Award of Excellence (formerly the Julia Child Awards) for cooking teacher of the year, and was a finalist for a 2005 James Beard Journalism Award.  As co-founder of the Asian Culinary Arts Institute, Raghavan contributes to the preservation, understanding, and enjoyment of Asian culinary arts.  He is an instructor at many international venues, is fluent in six languages, and leads yearly food and cultural tours of India.

“As is true in life, this aspect of my career [the restaurant business] has come full circle.  Prior to teaching and writing, I worked in restaurants.  In fact, my second Bachelor’s Degree was in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Michigan State University.  I’ve built a national reputation based on the quality of food I have served in an educational and commercial setting for over 20 years.  I expect top performance at all times and in order for the food to be a perennial draw, I will be involved on an ongoing basis, teaching and tweaking menus and recipes as necessary.”  Raghavan Iyer, Culineer, OM