Celebrity Chef Vikas Khanna Slams Sarthak Sachdeva Over Allegations Of ‘Fake’ Paneer At Gauri Khan’s Torii

Recently, the question of how to identify whether paneer is real or fake has gained traction, especially after food safety and hygiene inspections in Noida and Greater Noida revealed that 40 per cent of sampled paneer was deemed unsafe for consumption.

Amid this growing concern, Shah Rukh Khan’s wife and renowned interior designer, Gauri Khan’s Mumbai restaurant, Torii, found itself at the center of controversy.

Also read: 40% Of Paneer Found Unsafe For Consumption: How To Identify Fake Indian Cottage Cheese

YouTuber Sarthak Sachdeva accused the restaurant of serving ‘fake’ paneer in a video he shared online, following an iodine test on paneer ordered from various celebrity-owned restaurants.

The video, which is widely shared online now, shows how the colour of paneer from Torrii changed, meanwhile it remained the same for the ones Sarthak received from Shilpa Shetty, Bobby Deol and Virat Kohli 's restaurants.

With Gauri Khan’s name tied to major brands and high-profile personalities, the controversy quickly escalated, drawing significant public attention. The situation soon caught the eye of celebrity chef Vikas Khanna, who weighed in on the matter.

The celebrity chef Vikas Khanna took to Instagram and shared his views recently on his knowledge of paneer and took a jab at a YouTuber Sarthak.

He states, “I’ve been cooking and working with the science of food for the past several decades. I’ve never seen such terrible misinformation, like a YouTuber who claims to be a food scientist. IODINE changes colour with reaction under the presence of ingredients: potatoes, rice, bread, cornflour, flour, and unripe bananas. The use of these ingredients (and thus the reaction) could also happen in cross-contamination. It’s scary that unqualified people are taken seriously.”

In a response to the video shared by the YouTuber, which has spread widely now, the Torii team states, "We are utterly surprised at the news of ‘fake paneer’ being served at Torii. The iodine test reflects the presence of starch, not the authenticity of the paneer. For all dishes that contain soy-based ingredients (a staple in Asian food), this reaction is expected. From sourcing our produce to the food being served on the plate to our patrons, there are quality checks at every step of the way. Our commitment to excellence in the food we serve remains unwavering.”