One of the biggest changes in dining in India, since independence, has been in the idea of the chef. No longer the “khansama” or “maharaj” of the past, today’s chef is an infinitely more savvy creature. With owning a restaurant topping young India’s aspirations, being a chef has become glamorous too. You can see it reflected in our films and even in books by our younger authors. (A surprisingly competent fantasy by Payal Dhar that I am currently reading, for instance, has a reversal of roles; Lev, a young “Defender” of Time, loves to do kitchen duties while friend Maya is busy saving the worlds, real and eternal.)
But that said, who are our young and adventurous chefs you should be looking out for? Before I introduce some of them to you, let’s raise an I-Day toast to the fact that more restaurants are now inclined to be chef-driven, and to these young people, many of whom have opted to take up the challenge of working in stand- alone kitchens than in the safety of resource-rich big hotels.
Ironically, none of the people mentioned below have found their idiom in typical “Indian” cooking. That’s a point you may want to ponder over too.
Chef Saby, Olive/ Ai: From Asansol to stylish New Delhi, it has been a long journey for Sabyasachi Gorai, better known as Saby. When I last met him, he had just launched the menu at Ai, a Western-style Japanese restaurant. And while Californian sushi and American-Japanese may be common for the well-travelled, to get a perfect recipe matching European greens with Jap-inspired dressings or even an exquisitely baked miso bread in New Delhi is remarkable. With Olive Bar set to open in Delhi this month, Saby will take charge of its kitchens, interpreting modern Western cuisine in his own, talented way.
Abhijeet Saha, Caperberry: A former Taj hand, Saha has recently launched Caperberry, a modern European restaurant, in Bangalore. In just a few months the restaurant has become quite the rage with its young diners. His food, says Saha, is inspired by Spanish gastronomy — an inspiration that can be quite treacherous. But Saha is happy serving up the likes of hand-cut pastas with beetroot foam, taking his audience on a gourmet journey.
Chef Mayank Tiwari, Smoke House Grill: An IHM Bangalore graduate who started out at The Park and then moved to Touch in Bangalore (owned by a Telugu superstar) and Bohemia in Mumbai, Tiwari found his feet at Smoke House Grill in Delhi, ever since the lounge-restaurant’s inception some time ago. It is a credit to him that the lounge is considered “serious” enough by foodies. From the start, his focus has been on offering a unique, cutting-edge experience. Whether it is a smoked lemon grass soup or halibut in simla mirch sauce, there are elements of surprise in each dish. And apart from carrying out his mandate of smoking each dish — even desserts and cocktails; it is the Smoke House Grill, after all — Tiwari’s creativity comes to fore in the way he concocts his sauces.
Chef Vikas Seth, Aurus: Ferran Adria may be attempting to set up a pizzeria — and one without gimmicks — in Barcelona. But his inventiveness continues to inspire chefs. Like we said, El Bulli-style gastronomy has the scope to be not just a spectacular success but a spectacular failure too. But that hasn’t deterred Seth. In fact, Aurus is possibly the only restaurant in India where you can get a bite of molecular gastronomy. When Seth introduced his special menu, guests merely had to sit back and relinquish all control over their nine-course meal to the chef. It takes a very sure chef to do that; and to play around with flavours: Pani Puri and mozzarella, anyone?
Kishi Arora, Foodaholics: A Culinary Institute of America graduate, Arora came back to India, a year ago, to head the kitchens at Mad Over Donuts, the first donut retail chain in India. She was able to offer some unique, suited-to-Indian palate offerings. Now, she has started Foodaholics, a catering service, that customises desserts (rustic style, French decorations). Customers can either email or call and discuss specifications.
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In a previous article in Business Standard Weekend, I had mentioned Chef Manu Chandra (Olive, Bangalore) and Manish Mehrotra (Indian Accent) as the most talented from the newer lot. They remain on this list. But by all means, send me your own favourites as well.
