Former India cricketer Suresh Raina won several hearts with his big-hitting ability and exceptional fielding during his playing days. Now, he is set to tickle the taste buds as a restaurateur. The cricketer on Friday, June 23, announced that he has opened the Raina Indian Restaurant in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The 36-year-old revealed the same via Instagram.
He shared some photos of the restaurant along with snippets from his time in the kitchen.
“I am absolutely ecstatic to introduce Raina Indian Restaurant in Amsterdam, where my passion for food and cooking takes centre stage! Over the years, you've seen my love for food and witnessed my culinary adventures, and now, I am on a mission to bring the most authentic and genuine flavours from different parts of India straight to Europe's heart. Join me on this extraordinary gastronomic journey as we embark on a flavorsome adventure together,” Raina posted on Instagram.
Raina’s post has gone viral with over 7.5 lakh likes on Instagram. Many sports stars have congratulated Raina and wished him success for the new venture. Raina’s former India teammate Harbhajan Singh commented, “Congratulations brother. I am coming to eat there.”
Badminton ace Saina Nehwal wrote, “Congratulations.”
Raina, who is a self-confessed foodie, aims to celebrate the diversity of Indian cuisine through his restaurant. The Raina Indian Restaurant will serve North Indian food as well as aromatic curries of South India.
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The decor of Raina’s restaurant will be accentuated by cricket memorabilia and captivating photographs of Suresh Raina's remarkable career. So, the Raina Indian Restaurant will cater to both sports enthusiasts and food lovers.
The restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner, besides a dedicated take-away section for on-the-go meals and a separate fine dining section.
Suresh Raina is not the first Indian cricketer to open a restaurant. Virat Kohli owns a famous resto-bar chain, One8 Commune. Former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan opened his own restaurant, Dine Fine, in Pune in 2005. World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev runs a deluxe hotel-restaurant called Kaptain’s Retreat in the heart of Chandigarh.
