“Throughout my culinary journey, I’ve held onto one simple philosophy - you’re only as good as your last meal. It’s a mantra that keeps me grounded and constantly striving for excellence. Equally important to me is the opportunity to impart my knowledge and experience to the younger generation—the future of our industry.”
Chetan Pangam is the Executive Chef at One80° Restaurant in Wellington.
Chetan developed a love for cooking from a young age inspired by his mother’s incredible cooking skills. He went on to begin his career as a chef by working at some of India’s luxury hotels such as Oberoi, Taj, Radisson & Leela. During this time he worked hard at developing his cooking skills and gaining valuable experience to become the chef he is today.
Chetan moved to New Zealand in 2002 and has called it home ever since. His signature style of cooking is combining the distinctive cuisine of his native India with the exceptional quality New Zealand ingredients he has available to him.
He has worked as a hotel chef his whole career saying that an integral part of his job in hotels has been mentoring young chefs in different stages of their careers. Chetan has been part of the Millennium Hotels and Resorts for over 17 years and loves being able to impart his knowledge and passion to the young talented chefs that come through his kitchens, always striving to be a positive influence. He strongly believes in leading by example and constantly adapting, while cherishing the good people who surround him, saying he owes a lot of his success to his team.
Grass-fed beef and lamb has been an integral part of Chetan’s menus since day one. In his 23 years in New Zealand, he has consistently been amazed by its flavour profile, taste, and consistency. Chetan prides himself on offering an exceptional dining experience by sourcing the finest and freshest seasonal ingredients to serve with beef and lamb, blending the essence of New Zealand flavours with innovative Indian, French techniques, and other global culinary influences.
signature DISH
Angus Pure Fillet of Beef Wellington | Mushroom Duxelle | Potato Fondant | Carrot Purée | Glazed Greens | Porcini Jus
Beef Wellington has been Chetan’s signature dish for over fifteen years. He was inspired to recreate an all time classic to showcase the very best of New Zealand beef to local and international customers.
Over the years Chetan has fine tuned the process and trained his chefs to achieve a high consistency in achieving the most perfect result every time, creating an exceptional dining experience.
With a standing order of 100kg of beef fillet every month, Chetan uses an Angus Pure beef fillet for its consistency in quality and flavour.
Chetan builds the perfect Wellington by carefully creating layers of flavour including locally sourced mushrooms that add a touch of umami. He wraps everything in a lattice of golden pastry and serves the Wellington with classic ingredients to create a showcase of New Zealand cuisine on a plate.
A rich Porcini jus brings all the flavours together, and it’s easy to see why this has been the star on Chetan’s menu for so long.
