Butter Chicken Battle Heats Up in Indian Court as Restaurants Clash Over Recipe Claim

A bitter legal battle is brewing in New Delhi, India, with butter chicken at the center of the dispute. Two renowned restaurants, Moti Mahal and Daryaganj, are locked in a heated debate over who rightfully holds the title of inventing the beloved dish.

Butter chicken, a national and global crowd-pleaser known for its succulent chicken pieces bathed in a rich, tangy tomato and cream sauce, is now the source of a fiery legal spat. Both restaurants claim historical ties to the dish, dating back to before the partition of India and Pakistan.

The feud stems from a shared ancestor, Kundan Lal. However, the disagreement lies in identifying which Kundan Lal deserves the credit for creating the iconic dish.

Moti Mahal narrates the story of their Kundan Lal Gujral, who learned the art of cooking in Peshawar, now part of Pakistan. Following the partition in 1947, Gujral relocated to Delhi and established the first Moti Mahal restaurant. The eatery soon gained recognition, attracting notable figures like India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and even former US President Richard Nixon.

Years later, Gujral partnered with his cousin, Kundan Lal Jaggi, a decision that would ignite the current dispute decades later. Jaggi’s descendants, in 2019, opened Daryaganj to honor Jaggi’s culinary legacy.

The simmering tension between the two restaurants erupted into a full-fledged legal battle when Moti Mahal filed a 2,752-page lawsuit against Daryaganj. The lawsuit accuses Daryaganj of falsely claiming the invention of both butter chicken and dal makhani, another creamy lentil dish. Daryaganj, however, has been using the slogan “By the inventors of butter chicken and dal makhani” since 2018, even trademarking it.

Manish Gujral, the current owner of Moti Mahal, claims to possess documentary evidence proving his grandfather’s culinary genius. According to his account, Gujral’s grandfather created butter chicken by salvaging leftover chicken pieces and adding a flavorful tomato-based gravy to keep them moist.

Raghav Jaggi, grandson of the other Kundan Lal, presents a similar story, except his version credits his grandfather with the invention. Jaggi’s narrative claims his grandfather, faced with leftover tandoori chicken, whipped up a quick gravy to transform it into a more substantial meal.

Further complicating the matter, Daryaganj contends that their Kundan Lal Jaggi co-founded Moti Mahal in 1947, where the dish was supposedly invented. This, they argue, grants them the right to claim ownership of the creation.

Moti Mahal is seeking significant compensation, demanding 20 million rupees ($240,000) for copyright infringement and unfair competition. Additionally, they aim to obtain a court order prohibiting Daryaganj from attributing the invention of butter chicken and dal makhani to their ancestors.

Tulasi Srinivas, an anthropology professor specializing in South Asian food cultures, views this legal battle as a reflection of the growing commercialization of the food industry. She emphasizes the value of originality in a competitive landscape where quick-service restaurants can generate substantial profits. Srinivas draws an analogy, stating, “Not all sparkling wines are champagne, right?”

Srinivas, who grew up in Delhi and occasionally visited Moti Mahal with her family, describes the restaurant as a “middle-class luxury restaurant, famous for its smokey tandoori flavours.” She acknowledges that disputes over inherited culinary knowledge are common within families involved in the restaurant business.