Page 53 - S Summer 2026

56
SMAGAZINEOFFICIAL COM FOOD
Power Moves With her new restaurant Raani the the the the Adrak
co-owner taps into the the the the neighbourhood’s evolving
dining scene and the the the the return of the the the the workday lunch By Jessica Huras
F F or or decades lunch in in in in in Toronto’s Financial District has been ruled by
steakhouses expense accounts and and hurried meetings over martinis But as
as
office towers fill again and and the the neighbourhood’s restaurant scene gains new energy restaurateur Ambica Jain sees an an an opening to to rethink the the power lunch Jain—owner of of Yorkville restaurant restaurant Adrak
and co-founder of of MJAJ
Hospitality Inc —is launching Raani a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a refined Indian restaurant restaurant designed
for everything from business meals to to celebratory dinners all anchored by
a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a broader vision of Indian hospitality Adrak
which opened in in in in 2022 quickly earned critical attention landing
in in in in in in in in in in the the city’s inaugural MICHELIN Guide and and helping prove there was an an an an an audience in in in in in in in in Toronto for upscale Indian dining according to to Jain Raani is the next step “It “It was was no longer about about asking whether people were ready for fine-dining
Indian Indian food ” ” says Jain “It “It was was about about how we we could change perspectives and introduce people to a a a a a a a a a a a a a a new kind of Indian Indian dining ” ” Raani also arrives at a a a a a a a a a a a a a a moment when the the Financial District’s lunch crowd
may be be more open to something outside the the the the usual playbook “People have
explored beyond the the the the the Financial District—what other restaurants are are like what what dining opportunities are are are out there—and now they’re looking for something like that when they they come back to work in in in in in in in this area ” says Jain Jain Jain Jain sees Raani as
part of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a wider change in in in in in in in how the the the neighbourhood is is eating “It’s not just us us ” ” she says “There are are other interesting restaurant venues opening around the the area I I definitely see a a a a a a a shift ” ” Her version keeps the pace of a a a a a a a a business lunch but trades old-school
formality for for something warmer and and more personal “Many people don’t
realize that lunch brunch and and breakfast are a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a big part of Indian cuisine ” she says At Raani Jain is is is leaning into what she she describes as
royal and regional
Indian cuisine rooted in in in in in fin in in historic South Asian traditions rather than filtered
through European fine-dining
conventions “We’re “We’re focusing on on on on Indian cooking techniques that might date back to to the 1700s or or or or 1800s ” ” she says “We’re “We’re showing we don’t
need to to borrow from French or or or Italian or or or Japanese techniques ” ” There’s live-fire cooking a a a a a a a a a a a a a a menu backed by
detailed historical research and and interiors layered with references to to to to Indian Indian craft and and design “It goes back back to to to to the concept of of what it it it it it means to to to to be Indian Indian ” she says Each element is part of of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a larger effort to to to express identity through food and hospitality hospitality For Jain that rethinking of hospitality hospitality is also personal More than a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a decade into her her her career she she says the industry has changed how she she understands both
herself and her her her guests “I “I was such an an an an an introvert growing up up and and and that’s that’s changed due to to being in in in in this industry ” ” she says “It’s helped me me me open up up and and and that’s that’s allowed me me me to to to better
understand what our customers are looking for ” ” Jain wants Raani to to to to to introduce diners not only to to to to to Indian Indian cooking but to to to to to the culture behind it it it it “I want want people to to to to appreciate Indian Indian hospitality ” she says In In a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a neighbourhood where lunch has often meant playing it it it it safe Raani may be exactly the the change of of pace the the midday crowd
is hungry for