Globally Inspired and Locally Served: Cilantro 601 Opens in Riverview

Rajesh (Raj) Govindaraj is a seasoned chef, travel-enthusiast, and restauranteur. He is bringing Riverview’s first Indian Fusion restaurant to life with the opening of Cilantro 601 located at 508 Coverdale Road.

Originally from Chennai, India, Raj was inspired in his culinary pursuits by his uncle, who worked on a cruise line and would bring imported goods and treasured stories home to share. Raj completed culinary school and proceeded to work at five-star hotel restaurants and follow in his uncle’s footsteps working for the Carnival Cruise line, based out of Miami, Florida, for four years. Through the cruise line, Raj worked closely with chefs with diverse backgrounds in Italian, French, and Asian cuisines. This experience led to opening his first fusion (Indo-Chinese) restaurant in Chennai. 

“I sold my restaurants in India and came to Canada in 2019 to work in British Columbia at the restaurant in Prestige Hotels & Resorts in Nelson. My wife and I wanted a different pace and so moved to the East Coast in 2021, and we are now settled down in the tri-community with our two children,” said Raj. “We love the activities here for our family, it is just enough to be fun without being too crowded or busy. I love that I can get all my spices here too.”

Raj has taken his experiences travelling abroad, working at a variety of restaurants around the world, and owning and operating restaurants in India, and become a chef who is passionate about authentic cuisines and their flavours. 

“At Cilantro 601 people with different preferences can enjoy dining together. We take dishes and flavours from the beloved culinary traditions of Indian, Canadian, Chinese, Italian, and Mediterranean cuisines to create dishes for every palate,” said Raj. 

Cilantro 601 is aptly named as cilantro is the traditional ingredient and garnish used with Indian food—akin to parsley in Italian cooking—and 601 has a special meaning for Raj. 

“I worked at a five-star hotel bar that had 601 in its name, so it makes me think of that time in my life when I was learning and exploring new dishes,” explained Raj. 

Cilantro 601 promises to be an exciting new addition to the Riverview restaurant landscape. Although the common myth is that all Indian food is spicy, Raj is excited to show that there is much more than spicy flavour profiles for people to enjoy. 

“There are hundreds of spices that are not spicy,” said Raj. “We will always start with a base level flavour that is mild and can happily accommodate anyone who would like it spicier. I invite you to come try something you haven’t had before—I was trained to make authentic cuisines and can’t wait to meet our new customers.”