Ottawa's culinary scene is about to get a whole lot crispier — and a whole lot spicier — as chef Sarath Mohan pivots from his celebrated Indian restaurant Katha to launch a brand-new fried chicken concept called Kozhi.
A New Direction for a Familiar Face
If you've dined at Katha, you already know Mohan's gift for layering bold, aromatic spices into food that feels both inventive and deeply comforting. Now he's channelling that same sensibility into what might be the most universally beloved comfort food on the planet: fried chicken.
The name Kozhi — meaning "chicken" in Malayalam, the South Indian language spoken in Kerala — signals exactly what this concept is about. This isn't a half-hearted pivot. It's a deliberate, flavour-first exploration of what fried chicken looks like through an Indian culinary lens.
Why Fried Chicken, and Why Now?
In a food landscape where fried chicken has exploded across every cuisine and culture, the timing feels right. Nashville hot, Korean double-fried, Japanese karaage — the world has been riffing on the classic for years. But Indian-spiced fried chicken, done with the depth and intention Mohan brings, remains a relatively rare find, especially in Ottawa.
Think of it this way: instead of the familiar Friday-night takeout curry you've been ordering for years, Kozhi promises to rewire those same warm, complex spice notes — cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili — into something you can hold in your hands.
What Ottawa Eaters Can Expect
While full details on Kozhi's format and location are still emerging, the concept is rooted in a simple but powerful idea: take the spices and techniques that define South Indian cooking and apply them to fried chicken in a way that feels fresh, accessible, and deeply satisfying.
For Ottawa diners who've long associated Indian food with sit-down meals and shareable plates, Kozhi represents something different — a more casual, fast-casual energy wrapped in serious culinary craft.
Mohan's track record at Katha suggests this won't be a gimmick. His cooking has always been about honouring the integrity of Indian flavours while making them feel at home in a Canadian city context. That philosophy translates naturally to a fried chicken concept that could resonate well beyond the Indian-food-enthusiast crowd.
Ottawa's Food Scene Keeps Evolving
Kozhi is another data point in Ottawa's quietly impressive culinary evolution. The city has seen a wave of chef-driven concepts that push beyond the expected — and Mohan's willingness to take creative risks is exactly the kind of energy that keeps the local food scene worth paying attention to.
Whether Kozhi lands as a brick-and-mortar spot, a pop-up, or something in between, the city's food lovers have good reason to keep an eye on where Sarath Mohan takes this next.
Source: Ottawa Business Journal
