When you think of Indian food, what comes to mind? For most people, it’s takeout curries, naan and aromatic rice dishes that allow you to over-indulge for a reasonable price. Perhaps the warm spices that fill the air of your local takeout spot that you’ve been ordering from every other Friday for the past five years.
We often associate most Middle- to Far-Eastern cuisines with takeout food, mainly because that is the most common delivery method in much of North America.
Plus, it’s no secret that Ottawa is generally not the first to innovate in the hospitality world. Barring a few hyper-specific examples, we tend to be behind the eight-ball when compared to the Torontos and Montreals of the world.
So when Sarath Mohan opened Katha on Preston Street in Ottawa’s Little Italy three years ago, he had a plan to change these narratives.
For those who don’t know Mohan or have never heard of Katha, the chef describes the now-closed restaurant as an Indian-inspired, fine-dining tasting course restaurant. It was about storytelling dishes from Indian cuisine that are lesser known to the public and finding ways to elevate them in unique ways.
The idea for Katha was born in 2023 when Mohan was visiting his home country of India for his wedding. He went to a restaurant called Mask, which is still considered one of the best that Asia has to offer.
“It was an orchestra of service,” claims Mohan. “I wanted to find a way to recreate that experience of high-level Indian food while adding the storytelling piece to bridge the gap with what Canadians think Indian food can and should be. People here aren’t used to Indian food being elevated and the storytelling might help express that.”
At its peak, Katha was nothing short of exceptional. Every meal was loaded with flavour, every story was rooted in culture and personal memory, and there wasn’t a coconut rice or garlic butter naan dish to be seen. It was a true elevation of familiar flavours in unfamiliar ways.
When Katha closed in early 2025, it left many foodies (myself included) confused as to why. Mohan explains there were a number of reasons that the concept didn’t work.
“The location was beautiful, but rent was tough. A project like that needed a smaller space, less overhead, which is something I didn’t initially think of. Constant menu changing and wine pairings needed more inventory scope and more cash flow.
“Ottawa, being a smaller city, people supported us, but we didn’t have enough people coming consistently. We needed more butts in seats, more often. The model became unsustainable.”
Mohan also notes the struggles of trying to showcase high-end Indian food in a market like Ottawa.
“Because the concept is fairly new to Canada and Ottawa being smaller, it was not approachable for everybody. It wasn’t something everyone could access or get used to. To put Indian food on that kind of scale was a challenge and then trying to make people understand that it isn’t classic Indian food that they’re used to was difficult. We tried to express that Indian food isn’t just naan and rice.
“Indian food is about respecting techniques and ingredients. There needs to be education on the change of Indian food and its evolution.”
Although Katha has closed, there are two pieces of good news. The first is that Mohan is opening a new concept.
Inspired by his many trips to New York City, specifically his visits to Coqodaq, Mohan has announced the launch of his high-end fried chicken concept Kozhi.
Kozhi is a South Indian term meaning “chicken,” but it’s also a play on words for the cozy vibe the restaurant plans to offer. By pairing expertly made fried chicken with quality glazes, sauces, high-end accoutrements like caviar and an elevated beverage program, Kozhi aims to bring Mohan’s expertise to a more approachable concept.
“I want to do something fun, something that is exciting but casual. There are not a ton of fried chicken places in the city and almost none that provide a full service experience. I do plan to get back into a tasting menu soon, but this is what brings joy for now.”
The second piece of good news is that while Katha is closed, it is not completely gone. Mohan says he has a number of pop-ups planned, where diners can experience the essence of what Katha was.
I was lucky enough to join the first iteration of a collaboration dinner with local restaurant Perch last month. The dinner brought together chefs Mohan and Justin Champagne-Lagarde in a way that highlighted Katha, Perch and their ability to collaborate on dishes. The multi-course tasting menu was a symphony of two of Ottawa’s greatest restaurants and was an opportunity for diners to experience them both in one place.
I asked Mohan what he learned from his collaboration dinner with Perch and from Champagne-Lagarde, since they are at the top of the game in Ottawa’s hospitality scene.
“The organization they have in the kitchen is amazing,” says Mohan, “as smooth as it can possibly get. I want to achieve that no matter what style of dining I’m providing. Those prep and organizational values and how a service can look so beautiful and seamless is something I will carry with me.
“I would love to eventually have my own restaurant on Canada’s top 100 list and a service like Perch provides is where it starts.”
When asked if there were any takeaways from the collaboration that would affect Kozhi, Mohan expressed his desire to continue doing pop-ups. Not only as Katha, but to offer the space at Kozhi to other chefs in the city looking to collaborate on new and fun ideas.
“I miss Katha dearly. I want people to have their own chance to experience what it’s like,” he says. “Kozhi is going to be fun, casual and approachable, but the product is going to amaze you. I’m going to find a way to bring my high-end background to something more accessible. I want to be a part of the community. Host industry nights, work with other chefs and just continue to grow in Ottawa while bringing people together.”
The journey Mohan has been on — from the opening and closing of Katha to working with incredible restaurants like Perch on mini-Katha revival moments to the beginning of this new venture — is a true representation of what it’s like to love your craft as a hospitality professional in Canada’s capital and of the risk involved when trying something new.
Kozhi is planned to open the first week of June.
Jordan Pizzuti has been a local Ottawa food writer, content creator and hospitality professional for over 10 years. Through his “best of” series, Jordan has cemented himself as an expert in Ottawa hospitality and nightlife. He continues to promote the Ottawa hospitality scene through his “Are We Having Fun Yet?” brand and his work with OBJ.
