Fake Paneer Allegations: A recent viral claim about fake paneer being served at Tori, the high-end Mumbai restaurant owned by Shah Rukh Khan’s wife Gauri Khan, has stirred a storm on social media. However, the restaurant’s management has now responded to the accusations and denied any use of adulterated ingredients.
The allegation originated from YouTuber Sarthak Sachdeva, who recently toured several celebrity-owned restaurants in Mumbai to test the quality of food, especially paneer (cottage cheese) dishes. His goal was to identify which place served the best quality paneer. As part of his method, Sarthak carried iodine tincture—a commonly used home test for starch presence in paneer.
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During his visits to restaurants owned by celebrities like Virat Kohli, Shilpa Shetty, Bobby Deol, and Gauri Khan, Sarthak performed iodine tests on their paneer-based dishes. While most places passed the test without issue, Sarthak alleged that paneer served at Tori turned black upon contact with iodine—suggesting starch adulteration.
This revelation quickly went viral, sparking concerns and criticism online.
However, Gauri Khan’s restaurant management swiftly addressed the matter. In an official statement, they clarified that the dish Sarthak ordered was soy-based, not traditional dairy paneer. They added that iodine tests only detect the presence of starch and do not accurately determine paneer purity or quality.
“The paneer used in the dish was made from soy, which naturally reacts to iodine. This doesn’t indicate any adulteration. No fake or unsafe ingredients are used at Tori,” the statement emphasized.
The restaurant’s response has sparked a conversation on the accuracy of at-home food testing methods and the importance of understanding food science before jumping to conclusions.
