It’s that time again where we’ll be taking you behind the scenes with our favourite local business owners and creatives to find out where they go to eat, what playlist they’re listening to, where they take their out-of-town friends, and ultimately, what makes them tick.

For our 14th instalment of SPILL, we’re catching up with newcomer to Newcastle and Indian cuisine restaurateur, Rahul Kirtikar of Calamari Kitchen & Bar.

I’m picking up an accent, where are you from?

I am from Mumbai, India.

What made you decide to make Newcastle home?

We came here on a holiday for my wife’s birthday, the drive from Anzac [Memorial Bridge] down to Bar Beach and Newcastle Beach, made me fall in love with Newcastle.

Do you consider yourself more of an early bird or a night owl?

Well, a bit of both.

What’s your morning ritual?

First and foremost a cup of tea with my wife; followed by getting my daughter ready for daycare and heading straight out for purchasing for the restaurant or getting to my laptop for more work.

Where’s your late-night hangout spot?

Well, mostly home but at times I do hang out at mad poet.

What’s your coffee order?

I love flat white, but I am honestly more of a masala chai person. Which we make at Calamari or at home.  

Speaking of coffee, which local venue knows your order by heart?

Hmmm… my own venue, lol!

Tell me about your biggest career highlight…

Just before moving to Australia, my team and I were consulting nine hospitality brands at once, and of course the real highlight would be opening up Calamari Kitchen & Bar within 1 year of moving to Australia.

In your spare time, what are your THREE top favourite things to do in Newcastle?

- Walk down Anzac Memorial Bridge
- Setting up a picnic at Hickson Street lookout
- Having lunch with my wife at Foreshore Park 

If you wanted to dazzle your out-of-town friends and family, where would you take them?

Fingal Bay

On the daily, what’s guaranteed to make you smile?

Happy customers at Calamari.

What do you NEVER leave the house without?

My chef coat.

We’re all about keeping it local here at HUNTERhunter – tell me THREE of your favourite local businesses that you live and breathe by and why you couldn’t live without them…

1. The Commercial Fish Market – that’s where we buy our fish from.
2. ImPrint – they have a solution to more than just printing.
3. Baked Uprising – that’s where we buy sourdough from.

What are you reading / watching / listening to now?

Watching – FRIENDS followed by Modern family.

Listening – the latest Bollywood numbers along with Podcasts of Sadh guru.

If you’re needing a short break away from Newcastle, where do you go and why?

Sydney to my friends place who stay at Milsons Point.

What’s your go-to playlist?

80s Mix on Spotify.

What would you like to see more of in Newcastle?

Wine festivals and more pop-ups.

Lucky last – who would you recommend we interview next for SPILL?

Dylan from mad poet.