Bringing People Together
The concept for Bollywood Bar & Clay Oven was years in the making.
We are grateful to have an incredibly creative, talented and caring team leading our charge.
food
Chef Niven Patel, 2018 James Beard Award finalist and executive chef at Bollywood Bar & Clay Oven, is an innovator in modern Indian cuisine. An avid farmer and classically trained chef, Patel’s menus marry the ethos of fresh-from-the-garden produce with dynamic flavor profiles. Chef Patel traces his roots to the Indian state of Gujarat, where today he sources the spices used to create authentic dishes at Bollywood. It was at his first restaurant, Ghee (located in Miami) where he met Will Fernandez and Alex Sarria, the chefs de cuisine at Bollywood Bar & Clay Oven. For Will and Alex, being surrounded by Sonoma County agriculture is a constant source of excitement and inspiration.
drinks
Scott Beattie is the creative force behind the beverage program at Bollywood Bar and Clay Oven. Beattie is perhaps best known for his groundbreaking 2008 book “Artisanal Cocktails: Drinks Inspired by the Seasons” and starting some of wine country’s most recognized cocktail programs at Cyrus, Spoonbar, Mateo’s, Goose and Gander, Hog Island Oyster Co.’s Ferry Building, Ramen Gaijin and Meadowood Estate Events, where he currently serves as Beverage Director.
hospitality
The concept for Bollywood Bar & Clay Oven was born out of the Chandi family’s Indian heritage and passion for developing spaces that gather community. A classic example of the American dream, the Chandis moved to the Bay Area in 2000 to find a better life. Their father took a job managing an Indian restaurant in Walnut Creek, where the boys started work as teenagers as dishwashers and pinch hitters at the deep fryer during busy times. Reflecting on their early years in rural Punjab, owner Sonu Chandi and general manager Sunny Chandi recall that, “No one had a freezer. You were lucky if you had a fridge!” Daily meals were prepared for the family, and hosting guests was always a cherished time. Today, the Chandis are intimately woven into the fabric of daily operations at Bollywood, and strive to bring the welcoming spirit they knew as kids to the downtown Santa Rosa community.
Gourmet's
Stories
