DOCSLIB.ORG

Top Table James Brennan Talks to the Indian Chef Aiming to Change the Way the World Perceives His Country’S Cuisine

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Top Table James Brennan Talks to the Indian Chef Aiming to Change the Way the World Perceives His Country’S Cuisine MAY LIVING / FOOD ISSUE 137 Top Table James Brennan talks to the Indian chef aiming to change the way the world perceives his country’s cuisine anish Mehrotra is a man I want to tell the world India is a land on a mission. Not content of spices, not chillies. We believe in with opening a New York spice blends and flavours in the dish outpost of his New Delhi rather than numbing your mouth with Mrestaurant Indian Accent last year, the a whole bunch of chillies.” 43-year-old chef now has his sights He has a point. Along with the tomato set on London. The goal: to bring his and potato, the chilli pepper is a relative internationally attuned Indian cuisine to newcomer to the dinner tables of the a global audience and to do it with style. subcontinent. Its introduction to India by Opened in 2009, the original Indian Portuguese traders in the 15th century Accent was recently ranked 78th best had a powerful impact on an already restaurant in the world for its take ancient and complex cuisine, proving that on traditional Indian food. But while globalisation was just as potent a force Mehrotra has his eyes on some prime then as it is today. The story of Indian locations in Mayfair and Knightsbridge food has been shaped by Persian, Arabian, for its latest iteration, the bigger picture British, European and Chinese influences. involves showcasing to the world a Now Mehrotra is reimagining Indian cuisine he feels has been misrepresented food in a modern fine-dining context and outside India. sending it back out into the world. “Everybody thought we were a “You can say it’s modern Indian country of just curry and naan bread, food but it’s more like inventive Indian which is not true,” he says with a food,” he says. “They are the same hint of exasperation. “Even chefs who , ENGLAND dishes reinvented in a global manner started cooking ‘real’ Indian food got – that’s international ingredients and confused between India as a land of presentation style without compromising spices and India as a land of chilli. But on traditional flavour or taste.” By the time the New York branch of Indian Accent opened in February last year, there was already a buzz about the place. “People had not seen anything like it before,” says Mehrotra. “Firstly it was a different kind of Indian LONDON restaurant. We were the first to do one without biryani, kebabs, chicken tikka masala or saag paneer. It was completely different. The flavours were traditional LCY but the presentation and ingredients were quite modern. We were the first ones to focus on seasonality.” The moment softshell crabs appeared in New York fish markets, they went 84 85 on the menu. In a break with Indian tradition, beef was used instead of lamb in pathar kebabs with bone marrow nihari. And the kulcha stuffed with Peking duck and hoisin sauce, which ruffled so many feathers MAY LIVING / FOOD ISSUE 137 in New Delhi when it first appeared, materialised in New York with pastrami and mustard. Indian Accent had picked up a New York drawl. And so to London. Britain’s long love affair with Indian food produced such delicacies as chicken tikka masala and the balti. Both dishes have become FIVE TO TRY “Indian food is still 1. Campton Place, San Francisco, US considered a cheap, Californian meets Indian at this two-Michelin-starred greasy take-away kind of groundbreaker in San Francisco. Executive chef Srijith Gopinathan’s food combines the restraint and cuisine. There is not that sophistication of European-influenced west coast much respect given” cuisine with the subtle and ingenious flavours of the subcontinent, which makes this Taj Hotel restaurant world famous. But while some purists well worth a detour. shun these Anglo-Indian hybrids for their inauthenticity, Mehrotra isn’t one of them. “When I used to work in London I stayed in Bow, which is 2. Gaggan, 3. Lasan, Birmingham, UK quite near Brick Lane, so I have tried Bangkok, Thailand Once hailed as the UK’s all those dishes,” he says. “I have never Named Asia’s best best local restaurant by judged them as an Indian or as a chef restaurant for the last Gordon Ramsay, this gem so I didn’t find anything offensive about three years and the of a progressive Indian them,” he says, adding that he has seventh best restaurant in in Birmingham’s historic no plans to incorporate them into his the world, Gaggan takes Jewellery Quarter enlivens London menu. an Indian street food choice British ingredients “When we get going it will be Anand’s experimentation with Indian aesthetic and gives it a with authentic and wonderful to do my take on a chicken street food classics and molecular molecular twist. exciting Indian flavours. madras or a Bombay aloo, which don’t gastronomy are perhaps what’s needed A product of Ferran Chef Aktar Islam has exist in India,” he says. But whatever to propel Indian food into the same Adria’s Barcelona research three other restaurants Indian Accent’s London menu has in culinary stratosphere as Nordic or lab, chef Gaggan Anand in the city, including an store, Mehrotra’s inquisitive nature is modern European food. Gaggan plans to close the Argentine steakhouse sure to shine through. recently clinched seventh spot in the restaurant in 2020 and but still finds the time “What I do is explore more of Indian World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards. relocate to Japan so miss for the occasional cuisine,” says Mehrotra. “Even in India, But there remains a problem for chefs out at your peril. TV appearance. we have to explore more [as] a lot of like Anand and Mehrotra. No matter people do not know about their own how ingenious and sophisticated Indian country. So rather than innovating, if we cuisine in all its many forms can be, explore our own different parts of India, it still struggles to shake off its curry 4. Masala Library, 5. Quilon, London, UK we can find thousands of dishes that can house image. Mumbai, India Chef Sriram Aylur’s focus be served in a fine dining restaurant.” “Until now there is still not that much You’re just as likely to may be on the food Indian fine dining is still very much in respect,” admits Mehrotra. “We are still find liquid nitrogen and of India’s southwest its infancy. The likes of Vineet Bhatia and considered [to be] a cheap, greasy, take- lecithin emulsifiers as coast – from Goa to Atul Kochhar raised the bar when they away kind of cuisine. It’s not about the cumin and coriander at Kerala – but his outlook is earned Michelin stars in London in the spices or the complex nature of Indian this Indian in Mumbai. thoroughly international early 2000s. food – it’s because it was not represented While chef Jiggs Kalra at this St James’ Court While they are still active and properly outside India. But things embraces all things Hotel restaurant. Close 86 87 successful, it is a bold new generation of are changing now and in the last two molecular, he retains attention to seafood and chefs such as Gaggan Anand (Gaggan, years Indian cuisine is becoming more a firm a grasp of a combination of classic Bangkok), Srijith Gopinathan (Campton prominent and getting more respect.” the traditions of his dishes and contemporary Place, San Francisco) and Mehrotra who When it comes to changing the way national cuisine, making methodology have are propelling Indian fine dining to the the world sees Indian food, Mehrotra’s membership of Masala earned Quilon a much- next level and new heights. mission has only just begun. Library a must. deserved Michelin star..
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Northcote Obsession
    OBSESSION BOOKING HOTLINE: 0333 999 7762* OPENS 8am TUESDAY 17th OCTOBER 2017 *Bookings cannot be taken before the hotline opens Nurtured, harvested, exported, roasted by artisans... brewed by you. The difference is Gaggenau. You spend time searching out selectively-picked, organic Arabica, sun-dried in deepest Yirgacheffe. All this you stipulate. Because when it comes to actually brewing the bean, you have the means to turn all that potential into your cup of coffee. The new lighting concept of our fully automatic espresso machine puts the cup in the limelight. The intuitive TFT touch display makes it simple to create your ideal coffee and save your preferences; each cup will now be as perfect as the first. However you take your coffee, take it seriously. For more information, please visit www.gaggenau.com. Northcote_CoffeeCulture_210x297_SP_UK.indd 1 14.09.17 09:17 2001 TERRY LAYBOURNE 21 Queen Street, Newcastle PHILIP HOWARD The Square, London NICK NAIRN Nairn’s, Glasgow NIGEL HAWORTH & CHARLES METCALFE Northcote, Lancashire 2002 GERMAIN SCHWAB Winteringham Fields, Lincolnshire PHILIP HOWARD The Square, London ROBBIE MILLAR Shanks Restaurant, Bangor BRIAN TURNER Turners Restaurant, London DANIEL COUET Fredsgaten 12, Stockholm NIGEL HAWORTH & CHARLES METCALFE Northcote, Lancashire 2003 CHRIS & JEFF GALVIN Orrery & The Picasso Room, London CHRISTIAN OLSSON Vassa Eggen, Stockholm PHILIP HOWARD The Square, London HESTON BLUMENTHAL The Fat Duck, Berkshire JOHN TORODE Smiths of Smithfield, London NIGEL WIGGLESWORTH Twin Farms, USA NIGEL
    [Show full text]
  • Bbpi 2015 Booklet Final Web2
    Talent. Success. Leadership inspired TALENT . SUCCESS . LEADERSHIP FOREWORD Chair of the Judging Panel Mr Iqbal Wahhab OBE Thirty years ago my first job was as a trainee reporter for The Asian Times. Arif Ali, the publisher, was fond of saying that minorities in the UK had to have the right to be “as good, as bad and as indifferent as everyone else”. It’s fair to say that some in the British Bangladeshi community have in the past condemned themselves in the last two categories. But whilst our youngsters face big challenges with toxic combination of criminalisation and radicalisation, we do ourselves a disservice by not celebrating the increasing number of good news stories and successes we have amongst us. From the East End of London, Sabirul Islam chose to put his entrepreneurial skills to great use and over the last year has become a global brand. Also from the east end and also now on the international stage is former extremist Ed Husain The word “inspiration” in the title of who travels the world speaking to Ayesha and Abdal’s great project governments about how we need to needs a catalyst to trigger it and go about making the world a safer that involves mentoring. Where we place for us all. have succeeded, let’s bring others into our workplaces whether that’s a In Manchester Iqbal Ahmed big City firm, a television company or continues to grow his giant a football club. commercial empire, worth more than the rest of us put together I’d If everyone on this list mentors one imagine.
    [Show full text]
  • Bangla Food Journeys
    BANGLA FOOD JOURNEYS Aftab Rahman Acknowledgements Contents 1 Forward by Carl Chinn 2 Introduction by Aftab Rahman 3 Four centuries of heritage chapter 4 Shopping Oral interviews: 6 Introduction to the interviews – to follow 7 Abdul Hoque 8 Momuna Bibi 9 Nozib Ullah 10 Mrs Rashid This book is dedicated to the Bangladeshi pioneers of my father’s generation for their courage. 11 Mohammed Abdul Rashid Booya 12 Gyas Uddin Islam 13 Muhammad Idrish 14 Patricia Ali 15 Roger Gwynn 16 Carol Lyndon 17 Paul Fulford Interviews with recipes: 19 Introduction to the interviews – to follow 20 Apsana Khatun 21 Abdul Muhith Chowdhury 22 Fahmida Begum 23 Ataur Rahman 24 Minara Ali 25 Kaisar Rahman 26 Lutfa Hussain 27 Pulish Bibi 28 Shamsun Nehar 29 Yasrina Begum 30 Conclusion – to follow Acknowledgement I set myself a mountain to climb without all the tools. But as the I would like to extend a special thank you to my board of directors, saying goes, I will get by with some help from my friends. And this for the support and guidance they gave and for keeping me on my is just what happened. When I thought, “this is an impossible task” toes. I need to thank the support group as well for being a critical my friends came to my aid. Not to mention that I made many other friend. I would also like to thank my family, my wife and my amazing friends along the way. I need to thank so many people, but I don’t do daughters (Maya and Leya) for enduring my absences and for their so in any order of preference or importance.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 South Asian
    South Asian Sub - c ontinent 1 Sema Jethma , Ruple Patel , Aruna Thaker (Gujarat) , Renuka McArthur , Jevanjot Sihra , Rupinder Sahota , Ravita Taheem , Sunita Wallia (Punjab) , Zenab Ahmad , Bushra Jafri , Afsha Mughal , Rabia Nabi , Shamaela Perwiz , Tahira Sarmar , Ghazala Yousuf (Pakistan) , Kalpana Hussain , Thomina Mirza (Bangladesh) , Thushara Dassanayake , Deepa Kariyawasam , Vanitha Subhu (Sri Lanka) The cultural groups from Gujarat, Punjab, Pakistan, information on migration, traditional diets and Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have migrated from the changes in migration, religious infl uences and on South Asian subcontinent to the United Kingdom dietary considerations for specifi c diseases, such as from different regions over last 60 years, mostly obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. due to economic and political upheavals, and made the UK their home. As a result of the vast distances between the countries there were many 1.1 Gujarati Diet differences in their cultural, traditional beliefs and Sema Jethma , Ruple Patel, Aruna Thaker diets but also many similarities as well. The reasons for these changes are many, but lifestyle changes, 1.1.1 Introduction especially dietary changes, have had the greatest impact on health. The traditional diets which they The South Asian sub - continent comprises India, were following were much healthier, more in line Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Four per cent with what is currently recommended, but inclu- of the total UK population is classifi ed as ‘ Asian ’ sions of some of the host countryCOPYRIGHTED ’ s unhealthy foods or ‘ Asian MATERIAL British ’ and this group makes up 50.2% are having detrimental effects. This is now high- of the UK minority ethnic population (UK Census, lighted in scientifi c research; however, much of this 2001 ).
    [Show full text]
  • Professions Religious and Community Figuresemerging Influence
    2012 - BRITISH BANGLADESHI POWER 100 www.bbpower100.com Professions Religious and Community FiguresEmerging Influence Moorad Choudhury Dr Muhammad Abdul Ed Hussain Managing Director at Royal Bank of Bari MBE Senior fellow at the Council on Scotland Head of Business Treasury Chairman of the East London Foreign Relations in New York Ed is Moorad is a highly-respected Mosque & London Muslim Centre a leading expert on international author, academic and market Abdul Bari was Former Secretary affairs, the co-founder of Quilliam commentator. He is responsible for General of the Muslim Council of Foundation and author of The supported by the management of capital, liquidity, Britain from 2006 until 2010. He is Islamist. A frequent commentator foreign exchange and interest rate a Board member of LOCOG (the for broadcasters such as Sky News, risk at the bank. His 2007 book ‘Bank Asset and Liability body which organises the London 2012 Olympics). CNN, Fox, BBC, Al-Jazeera, and publications including the Management’ has become a definitive textbook for bankers. New York Times, Wall Street Journal, FT and the Guardian. Sultan Choudhury Sheikh Abdul Qayum Aktar Islam Managing Director of Islamic Bank Chief Imam of East London Chef and Restaurateur, Aktar is of Britain Sultan is a member of Mosque He obtained his M.A in emerging as one of the most various Community and Arabic Language from the talented chefs in the UK. TV Government advisory groups and prestigious Muhammad Ibn Saud appearances include Market contributes significantly to the University, Riyadh. He is a former Kitchen and Gordon Ramsay’s F development of Islamic Financial lecturer at the international Islamic Word.
    [Show full text]
  • It Might Not Be the First Place You'd Think of for a Gourmet Getaway, But
    food&drink 23 MEAL DEAL Book in advance and you can get from London to Birmingham from just £7, then splash out on a special dinner in town It might not be the first place you’d think of for a gourmet getaway, but Rosie Birkett travels to the Midlands and finds Birmingham in the midst of a culinary explosion ‘Until very recently Birmingham got a lot hat-trick of Michelin-starred restaurants (Purnell’s, Simpson’s and Turner’s), be traced back to a childhood diet of traditional British food bought from ‘It goes back to the working class roots,’ he says. ‘Birmingham was the Yummof flack for its food scene,’ says Glynn Purnell as well as Lasan (the Indian restaurant that triumphedY in the latest series BrummiesBirmingham’s markets, combined with the flavours of the city’s famous Balti industrial heart of England and people would come home from a hard day’s – arguably Birmingham’s best-known chef of Gordon Ramsay’s F Word) plus enough market stalls, producers and Triangle. Dishes like his trademark poached egg yolk with smoked haddock work and expect proper meals. Not having much money makes you turn – between slurps of peppermint tea. ‘In the past importers to cover any ethnic essentials. And when, at the end of last year, milk foam, cornflakes and curry oil reference his mother’s cooking (‘she to the cheaper ingredients and home-cooking, so I had rabbit more as a kid it’s been seen as a culinary desert, and if you’d the AA awarded three rosettes to newcomer Loves within four months of it used to cook haddock in milk and then use the milk to poach the eggs’), his than I had chicken, and I’d have ox or pig’s liver braised with onions and told someone at the start of the decade that there opening, the expert critics praised Birmingham’s ‘thriving’ dining scene.
    [Show full text]
  • AKTAR ISLAM LASAN 3-4 Dakota Buildings, James Street St Paul’S Square, Birmingham B3 1SD +44 (0)121 212 3664 [email protected]
    TUESDAY 26TH JANUARY 2016 AKTAR ISLAM LASAN 3-4 Dakota Buildings, James Street St Paul’s Square, Birmingham B3 1SD +44 (0)121 212 3664 [email protected] www.lasangroup.com 7.30pm for 8.00pm Louis Roederer Brut Premier and canape reception Five-course signature menu £120 per person Wines to complement every dish are carefully selected by Craig Bancroft and the wine team Please enquire for exclusive wine package price irmingham born Aktar Islam is one but always finding new ways to apply traditional of the leading figures of modern techniques to create a more refined result. Indian cuisine in the UK. Since So he might lightly roast venison rather than B opening his flagship restaurant stewing it and serve it with a spice infused Lasan in 2002 aged just 22, the self-taught chef gravy that allows the flavour of the meat to has acquired numerous accolades, and a sing out. national profile from appearances on TV shows With accolades such as the British Curry such as Gordon Ramsay’s F Word (where Awards three years in a row safely under his Lasan won the show’s Best Local Restaurant belt, Islam has built the Lasan Group (with competition) and Great British Menu. business partner Jabbar Khan) into a diverse Islam got something of a head start in the portfolio of Birmingham restaurants that industry with a grandfather and father who both now includes Raja Monkey, an ‘Indian street owned and ran restaurants. By the age of 13, he food cafe’ serving familiar dishes like dosa, was already working in the family business after thali and biryani, Fiesta del Asado with its learning the fundamentals of authentic Indian range of Argentinian-style steaks and the food at his mother’s side from an early age.
    [Show full text]
  • Food Is GREAT Edition 3, June 2014
    A guide Brought to you by for international media Edition 3 – June 2014 Afternoon Tea Manchester, England visitbritain.com/media Contents Quick facts about Britain’s Food ............................................................................................................................. 3 Food is GREAT – why? ............................................................................................................................................... 4 Breakfast and brunch ................................................................................................................................................ 6 Gourmand-lovers’ Gastropubs ................................................................................................................................ 9 Quirky pubs ................................................................................................................................................................. 12 Ten pub walks ............................................................................................................................................................ 14 Food destinations for serious lovers of eating .................................................................................................. 17 Food with a view – beauty spot restaurants ...................................................................................................... 22 Dine in a treehouse or a prison – ten unusually located eateries ...............................................................
    [Show full text]