A Twist on Tradition

Ajit Kalra spent his childhood traveling and tasting new foods with his late father, Jiggs Kalra, a renowned restaurateur, food writer and TV personality in New Delhi. He recalls joining his dad at the Singapore Food Festival, a prominent international event, in the ’90s. “Seeing the breadth of the event and watching him casually meet and greet the world’s greatest chefs is a memory that I love reliving,” he says.   

Now Kalra is bringing those culinary adventures to his newest restaurant, Indus Progressive Indian. He and his wife, Sukhu, opened the modern Indian eatery in June 2024 in Highland Park, Ill. The menu is heavily influenced by the traditional Indian food they grew up eating but with modern twists that reflect their experiences in the U.S. Dishes include masala-rubbed prime brisket, done in a classic Texas style, seven-day cured pork belly in a traditional vindaloo sauce, and wagyu steaks with Indian spiced compound butter and served with Indian chutneys. “Our menu is approachable for the American palate … but introduces the layers of Indian flavors,” says Ajit. 

The Kalras opened their first restaurant, Bhoomi Modern Indian Grill, in September 2021 in downtown Chicago and planned to open a second location in another Chicago neighborhood. But after the 2022 Fourth of July mass shooting in downtown Highland Park, the couple reconsidered. 

The Kalras have lived in Highland Park with their two children for over 12 years. Wanting to bring joy back to the devastated city center, they chose a location on the very street where the shooting occurred — now an area of empty storefronts.   

“It was a conscious decision … to invest in the community,” says Sukhu. “We all still think about the shooting and will have that in the back of our minds forever. But it’s important to celebrate the life that we have and contribute towards the success of our beloved hometown.” 

When Ajit decided to pursue a business degree at the Kellogg School of Management, Sukhu audited classes with him through Joint Ventures, an official club for Kellogg students' family members that allows spouses and partners to participate in academic and extracurricular activities. Their combined Kellogg experience helped prepare them to open their first restaurant.   

“You can’t just start producing food in a kitchen and put it out there,” Ajit says of launching a restaurant. “There’s the entire journey with market analysis and testing, product development, real estate and of course marketing and publicity, all of which is part of Kellogg’s curriculum.”