Mumbai, April 17 – Gauri Khan’s luxury restaurant Torii in Mumbai has firmly refuted claims that it served adulterated paneer, stating that the allegations are rooted in a misinterpretation of food science.
The controversy began when a YouTuber visited several celebrity-owned restaurants in Mumbai, testing paneer samples with iodine tincture to check for starch – a common method used to detect adulteration. While paneer at Virat Kohli’s One8 Commune, Shilpa Shetty’s Bastian, and Bobby Deol’s Someplace Else showed no reaction, the paneer at Torii darkened, prompting the YouTuber to declare, “Shah Rukh Khan ke restaurant mein paneer nakli tha.”
The video quickly went viral on social media: Instagram Link
In response, Torii, co-owned by interior designer Gauri Khan, issued a clarification in the comments section, explaining that the iodine test result was due to soy-based ingredients in the dish.
“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 stated.
The YouTuber, Sarthak, acknowledged the clarification with a humorous reply:
“So am I banned now? Btw your food is amazing.”
Torii has gained popularity for its elegant design and gourmet menu, often frequented by Bollywood celebrities. The incident, while sparking debate, has also brought attention to the limitations of DIY food tests and the importance of understanding food composition before jumping to conclusions.