Head Chef Arinut Sachdeva – Metita
A Love Story with Fish
You know how some people dream of becoming chefs because of fancy Michelin-starred meals? Well, my story started with a stinky, salty fish.
My dad was an engineer working for an organisation that supported the Indian Army, and his job often took him to South India. Every time he came back, he brought this prized delicacy of salted fish. Apparently, his South Indian friends had introduced him to a salad made with salted fish, fresh coconut, coconut cream, and fermented chilli or chilli pickle (because, let’s be honest, Indians take their pickles very seriously).
At first, I was horrified. Raw fish? No thanks. But as I grew up, my taste buds developed, and suddenly, I was into it. Soon, it wasn’t just my dad we were waiting for when he returned from his trips—it was the fish. My elder brother and I would wait for him, pretending to be interested in his stories but secretly just waiting to dig into that salty, spicy, coconutty goodness. Coming from North India, where this dish was practically unheard of, it felt like a rare treasure. And that’s when I realised I wanted to become a chef so I could explore different cuisines on demand.
Fast forward a few years, and I was working at SIDART when I tried a dish from Fiji—Kokoda. Cured fish with daikon, chilli, cucumber, and coconut. The first bite hit me like a wave of nostalgia, transporting me right back to those childhood moments, waiting eagerly for my dad’s return (again, mostly for the fish).
Life has a funny way of coming full circle. I’ve been lucky enough to work with Chef Michael Meredith and now run his restaurant, Metita, a modern Pacific restaurant. When I was asked to create a dish inspired by my past, there was no doubt in my mind I had to recreate that childhood memory, bringing my love for salted fish (and maybe a little bit of my dad’s travel adventures) to the plate.
