As Indian food gradually makes its way on to the European and American platters, leading chefs say that the desi food with a minor tweak, is being "well enjoyed" by the foreign taste-buds.
Chef Sriram Aylur, who is the master chef at Quilon at Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences in London, says the British capital was very "open to experimentation" and hence the Indian cuisine has been embraced with extended plates.
"Initially, getting people to do away with their preconceived notions of Indian cuisine came across as an obstacle. The challenge lay in getting them to experience our ethnic Indian cuisine in a fine dining format.
"But, I have been in luck, as London is very open to experimentation. And, we have received immense recognition and support from our guests for over 18 years now," says Aylur, a Michelin starred chef.
Similar challenges were faced by Chef Srijith Gopinathan from the American kitchens of Taj Campton Place in San Francisco, who says there is still a long way to go for Indian cuisine to become "mainstream" in the Western world, but admitted that the US platter is experiencing a "gradual change".
To introduce Indian food to the American society, Gopinathan, the only Indian-American chef to have earned two Michelin stars, indulged in "a bit of a give and take" to create a refined version of Californian-Indian cuisine.
"It is a bit of a give and take situation here, given that Indian food is still not considered to be a mainstream one here.
"That's where I step in. We provide a good weaving of both cuisines and take full advantage of the fact that some of the best ingredients in the world lie at our disposal in California," he says.
According to him, the key lay in starting with ingredients and preparations familiar to American palate and then gradually introducing the new or uncommon ones in small quantities.
"We initially tailor and customise the food to suit their tastes, however, at the same time also ensure that we do not lose out on much of its authenticity," he told
