For Ranveer Brar, the gastronomical story across the globe is ever-evolving, and he feels it is important to keep exploring new flavours and cuisines to stay relevant as a chef. However, the celebrity chef says in the quest to find new horizons in the food industry, one should not forget the past.
He says it is essential to trace the food culture of the past, and try to infuse new life in it.
"Much as it is about new ways, it's also about exploring the existing ways, methods and nuances. It is important for me as a chef to continue my exploration of cuisines and culture," Brar, who is part of TV show "Raja Rasoi Aur Andaz Anokha", told IANS.
He added: "For me, any cuisine is an extension of the culture it belongs to. What fascinates me is where the food we eat comes from, where it has evolved from and then innovate ways of taking it forward without losing the essence of the dish."
In a pursuit to reinvent, new trends are introduced every now and then. But Brar feels trends might come and go, but nothing can beat the value of 'ghar ka khana' (homemade food).
"Food is an ever-evolving space. Be it ingredients, or cooking and presentation methods, there is always something new to discover and/or experiment with. But at the end of the day one comes back to ghar ka khana. And that's what I see gaining more importance -- home food, people experimenting more in their kitchens, entertaining guests at home. What I do see fading away is the use of molecular elements," he said.
Brar entered household of millions through the Indian small screen courtesy shows like "The Great Indian Rasoi", "Masterchef India" and "Ranveer's Cafe". He is back as a host with Epic channel's new show "Raja Rasoi Aur Andaz Anokha" as part of their "Raja Rasoi" series.
The show presents a discovery oriented show format that transforms table-top cooking into an exciting food lab.
Brar, who has also written books about his culinary experiences, says the format of going back to history to write new chapters on the food culture got him excited.
"'Raja Rasoi' is a favourite of mine. Indian cuisine has a lot of unexplored aspects to it, be it the ingredients, cooking methods or even the stories attached to it. That's the USP of this show. And that's what we have tried to take forward in season three," he said, adding that the show model "deviates from the usual counter-top cooking and highlights back to roots practices and techniques".
Brar took his first step towards the food world in Lucknow through visits in a gurudwara with his grandfather. After working with Taj group, Radisson and The Claridges, he came out with his own restaurants in Boston, Delhi, Goa and Mumbai.
Brar dedicates his passion for food to his mentor -- Munir Ahmed, who as he puts has had a "great influence" on his personal life as well as culinary journey.
He said: "Munir Ustad has been a great influence on both my personal and culinary lives. He instilled in me the importance of hygiene and grasping the basics. He wasn't been a traditional teacher, one had to watch and learn and above all, understand what went into his pot of cooking and why. So that taught me patience and perseverance.
"As a collective, these qualities have come a long way in shaping me as a person and a chef."
Apart from the TV show, Brar is also looking forward to the third season of his Twitter video series "Ranveer on the Road", which is currently airing its second season shot in Seychelles. The third season will be about exploring Turkey.
(Sugandha Rawal can be contacted at sugandha.r@ians.in)
--IANS
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