Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 17 : Gauri Khan's upscale Mumbai restaurant Torii has addressed allegations of using adulterated paneer, clarifying that the claims are unfounded and based on a misinterpretation of food chemistry.
Controversy erupted after a YouTuber posted a video on his social media, in which he visited several celebrity-owned restaurants in Mumbai to test the quality of paneer using an iodine tincture.
Among the stops were Virat Kohli's One8 Commune, Shilpa Shetty's Bastian, and Bobby Deol's Someplace Else.
At each location, the YouTuber applied iodine to samples of paneer to observe any colour change, which is often considered a sign of starch content.
While no paneer samples reacted at the other restaurants, a dish at Torii turned dark when exposed to iodine.
In the video, the YouTuber claimed, "Shah Rukh Khan ke restaurant mein paneer nakli tha. Ye dekh ke mere toh hosh udd gaye the (Shah Rukh Khan's restaurant is selling fake paneer.)!"
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Torii, co-owned by interior designer Gauri Khan, soon issued a statement in response, explaining the science behind the reaction.
"The iodine test reflects the presence of starch, not the authenticity of the paneer. As the dish contains soy-based ingredients, this reaction is expected. We stand by the purity of our paneer and the integrity of our ingredients at Torii," the restaurant clarified in the comments section of the viral video.
In a lighthearted follow-up, Sarthak responded to Torii's clarification with a playful comment, "So am I banned now? Btw your food is amazing."
Gauri Khan, known for her luxury interior design projects under Gauri Khan Designs, has previously styled other restaurants. Torii, one of her latest ventures, is known for its chic ambience and is a regular haunt for Bollywood celebrities.
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