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Vivek Singh was born and raised in a coal-mining community in Asansol, West Bengal, India, where his father worked as a mining engineer. He attended St. Patrick’s Higher Secondary School in Asansol.[4]
Singh studied at the Institute of Hotel Management, IHM Pusa in New Delhi from 1990 to 1993. In 1993, he was selected for the Oberoi Centre for Learning and Development, training at the Maidens Hotel and Oberoi flight services.[5]
Career
After completing his training in 1995, Singh was appointed to the Oberoi Flight Services in Mumbai. He later worked at the Oberoi Grand in Kolkata and oversaw operations at Gharana, a restaurant specializing in royal Indian cuisine.[6]
In 1998, Singh was appointed Executive Chef at Rajvilas in Jaipur, where he met restaurateur Iqbal Wahhab. A discussion between them about applying French cooking techniques to Indian cuisine led to the establishment of Singh’s first restaurant in London.[7]
Singh co-founded The Cinnamon Club in London in 2001, his first restaurant in the UK. Since then, he has opened several restaurants under the Cinnamon brand.
Modern Indian dish prepared at London-based Indian restaurant- The Cinnamon Club
The Cinnamon Club
In 2001, Singh opened his first Indian restaurant, The Cinnamon Club, in London.[10] The Cinnamon Club is recognized as one of the 'Best Indian Restaurants' by SquareMeal’s food guide in London, UK.[11]
Cinnamon Kitchen & Anise
When Cinnamon Kitchen & Anise opened in 2008, food critic Fay Maschler praised Singh as 'a gifted cook creating striking and exciting dishes.[11]
Cinnamon Kitchen Battersea
In 2018, Singh expanded his modern Indian dining concept with Cinnamon Kitchen Battersea, located in the iconic Battersea Power Station development. The restaurant blends bold Indian flavours with contemporary design, which reflects Singh’s signature style in a vibrant new setting
Cinnamon Kitchen Leeds
In 2025, Singh expanded his Cinnamon Kitchen brand to Leeds, located in The Queens Hotel. The restaurant draws inspiration from the Himsagar Express railway journey through 12 Indian states.[12]
Cinnamon Soho
In 2012, Singh opened his third restaurant, Cinnamon Soho, and published his fourth cookbook, Cinnamon Kitchen: The Cookbook. Guy Dimond, a food critic at Time Out, remarked that "Singh is a master of flavor" and is "highly innovative".[13]
Cinnamon Bazaar
The restaurant opened in Covent Garden in 2016. In 2017, it was listed in the Bib Gourmand, which noted it "[offering] both high-quality food and good value for money [...]"[14]
Cinnamon Bazaar Richmond
This vibrant and eclectic Cinnamon Bazaar opened its doors in the heart of Richmond in the winter of 2024. Situated in this picturesque Richmond, the restaurant brings an innovative dining experience inspired by the bustling marketplaces of India
Afternoon tea by Vivek Singh
Cinnamon Kitchen Oxford (closed permanently in 2021) [15]
Cinnamon Kitchen Oxford, the fifth restaurant in the Cinnamon Collection, opened in 2017 and was Singh’s first UK restaurant outside London. It closed permanently in 2021.
Created by Indian Chef Vivek Singh at Cinnamon Soho, the third official restaurant under Cinnamon venture.
In 2007, Singh collaborated to create an Indian-inspired sausage inspired by Daljit Singh’s childhood memories.[17]
In 2011, Singh was invited to Gourmet Abu Dhabi to showcase modern Indian cuisine.[18] He was also a guest speaker on Maharaja Express "A passage through India" with Allan Jenkins.[19]
The following year, Singh was invited to New York City for a week-long pop-up event at Desmond's NYC.[20]
Charity work
In 2008, Singh became an ambassador for Wooden Spoon, a rugby charity supporting underprivileged children. Singh collaborated with former rugby union players Jason Leonard, Martin Offiah, Lee Mears and Nick Easter to raise funds through an event called Scrum Dine With Me.[21]
Singh has supported Action Against Hunger since 2002, hosting an annual Diwali Charity Event to raise funds.[22] He also supports Find Your Feet and participates in yearly campaigns to raise awareness through the Curry for Change campaign.[23] Singh works with The Prince's Trust charity, Mosaic Network,[24] which aims to inspire young people from deprived communities to realize their talents and potential. Other supported initiatives include the Asian Restaurant Skills Board, which aims to attract new talent to the Indian restaurant sector through college courses, work experience placements, and apprenticeships.[25]
Controversy
In 2008, Singh created a dish for Virgin Media, which the company claimed was the world's hottest, to promote a new Bollywood movie channel. The claim generated debate, as other curry house owners disputed it. Singh commented that while the dish was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records,[26] measuring the "hottest" curry was subjective. The dish was named The Bollywood Burner.[27]
Personal life
In May 1997, Singh married Archana in Bilaspur, India. They have two children; Eshaan (born October 2001) and Maya (born July 2006). Singh resides with his wife and two children in South London. [citation needed]
Cookbooks
The Cinnamon Club Cookbook. Absolute Press. 2003. ISBN9781904573012.
The Cinnamon Club Seafood Cookbook. London UK: Absolute Press. 2007. ISBN978-1904573418.
Curry, Classic & Contemporary 3rd book by Vivek Singh. London: Absolute Press. 2008. ISBN978-1904573883.
Walker, Chrissie (2012). Contribution in Capital Spice. London: Absolute Press. ISBN978-1906650728.
Cinnamon Kitchen The Cookbook by Vivek singh. London: Absolute Press. 2012. ISBN978-1906650803.
Singh; Yaseen, Vivek; Nagaraj, Abdul; Hari (2011). Cinnamon Club: Indian Cuisine Re-invented by Vivek Singh, Abdul Yaseen & Hari Nagaraj. India. ISBN978-8184001143.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
My Kitchen Rules – Episode 39 (Channel 4), with guest judge Vivek Singh
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