It was his then-boss Pierre Koffmann who encouraged French-trained Indian chef Sameer Taneja to try his hand at Indian cooking. It was good advice. For Taneja is now executive chef at Benares, having taken over from founding chef Atul Kochhar in 2018. The smart Berkeley Square spot remains one of London’s premier addresses for modern Indian cooking, with an offering that spans set menu, a bottomless Thali lunch and a tasting menu. The cellar is global, and many bottles pair well with the spice-laden food.