To be a good chef, you have to have knowledge, opinion and confidence. Few professions are as unforgiving as a chef’s chosen job. You get feedback instantly.
If the dish isn’t good, it gets sent back to the kitchen. Reviews appear on platforms and word-of-mouth criticism spreads like wildlife. No wonder most chefs develop an armour to shield and protect them.
Recently, a number of star-chefs have been visiting Bengaluru. Here then, is my take on the ones that I have dined at. Gaggan Anand was in Bengaluru recently for a pop-up titled, “The Royal Homecoming” at the JW Marriott Prestige Golfshire’s Indian outlet, Aaleeshan.
Anand is a master at compressing flavours and serving chameleon-like dishes. The idli-sambar looked like a cupcake and burst with flavours of chutney, milagai-podi and fermented idli. The bhelpuri looked like a soan-papdi.
The “yogurt explosion” wobbled like jelly but was white like yogurt. This type of sleight-of-hand surprises is what Anand is known for and he did not disappoint. He is also passionate about Indian food and has a point of view about how it should be served and presented.
He has chefs he likes—Floyd Cardoz, and chefs he dislikes. He articulates his view with passion and precision. He is a gifted chef who ought to spend more time in India.
Prateek Sadhu is a chef who has received a lot of press and has taken a laudable risk by opening Naar, a 14-seater restaurant in Kasauli. He was at The Leela Palace Bengaluru recently, where.