Joshi founded Nilgiri’s in the late Nineties and has turned it into more than just a restaurant. He has organised many other activities that enable him to share his enthusiasm and knowledge about Indian food, its correct preparation, sourcing the best ingredients and passing on simple, yet essential culinary facts that he is always happy to share.

Ajoy was trained in Madras (now Chennai), India and started his career at the prestigious Taj Group of Hotels where he was soon promoted to executive chef of the Taj Hotel, Bangalore. During this time he was also involved in setting up Karavali Restaurant, renowned for its ethnic coastal South Indian cuisine.

Ajoy’s training was completed in the gruelling culinary education he received from six Indian master chefs, experts in their own regional cuisine, who took him into their confidence with their own techniques of cooking.

Ajoy opened the Malabar Restaurant in Crows Nest, Sydney, serving traditional South Indian cuisine which won awards and accolades both in Australia and India. In 1997, Ajoy sold the Malabar and embarked on a tour to study food trends around the world. It was from this tour that Ajoy then launched nilgiri’s which has received many awards, the most recent being the 2010 “Best Indian” award for excellence in catering from Restaurant & Catering (R&C NSW/ACT).

Ajoy has appeared as a guest chef on numerous TV, web-clip and radio programmes and is respected as one of Australia’s top Indian chefs. Ajoy is regarded as an authority on Indian food, both overseas and in Australia, where he is frequently asked to advise cookery schools and hotels.

Ajoy is supported by his wife Meera, son Aniruddh, and a highly competent culinary team.