MEETTHECHEF The Indigenous Genius Tejas Sovani, Executive Sous Chef at Amaranta, The Oberoi Gurgaon, enjoys turning down-home Indian recipes into food masterpieces. He tells us how… 76 Sommelier INDIA JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2017 t Amaranta – The Oberoi at The Oberoi Gurgaon. regions, and tweak them into their own Gurgaon’s upscale Indian As the man-in-charge at Amaranta, versions using sous-vide, fermentation contemporary dining he heads a team of six regional cuisine and dehydration techniques. Arestaurant – there is a dish specialists from Goa, Kerala, Tamil Some of the imaginative and on the menu called “Simplicity”. It’s Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bengal and innovative results of their taste trials a duo of seared scallops and roasted Rajasthan. “They have been handpicked and food experiments are a Kolkata tomatoes served with a curried coconut from small-town eateries to ensure the Street Bento Box, a funky Japanese- cream sauce. The number of ingredients original simplicity of their skill. Their Bengali mélange that comprises Jhal used in a dish like this one “can be repertoire spans century-old recipes to Muri, Aloo Kabuli, Puchka, Radha counted on one hand” says Executive recently evolved runaway successes,” Ballavi and Ghugni; a Farsan medley Sous Chef Tejas Sovani. notes Sovani. with Dabeli Bao, Khakra Crisps, Though the ingredients are simple, Dhokla Pakodas and Chilli Yogurt dip; it’s his “signature style” of bringing “fun rom the royal food of Lucknow’s a Pondicherry Bouillabaisse (an Indian and flair” to classic flavours that make Fhavelis and authentic classics from coastal take on a Provençal fish stew) this dish and many others a hit with the Jain community to the sumptuous, and a Kanjivaram Bajra Paniyaram patrons. Sovani’s approach favours the rich cuisine cooked in different parts with berry, lemon and mint Kanji soda. “less is more” principle, allowing each of the Punjab – Sovani and his squad Flavours from back home combined in ingredient, whether it’s the Brazilian derive inspiration from diverse Indian a delightfully unusual way! palm heart vegetable or a fresh crab from the Indian coast, to be among the stars of the dish. To put it simply, he ensures that the individual flavours remain intact and the deconstruction doesn’t lead to any culinary confusion. As an expert in European cuisine, Sovani likes his “ingredients to be fresh and treated properly”, as he puts it. Whether it’s a vegetable sambousek or a simple ravioli, the challenge, he explains, lies in giving it the right amount of cooking time. “Even a MEETTHECHEF minute longer on the stove can result in an overcooked risotto, dry fish or a chewy steak.” Armed with a post graduate diploma in Kitchen Management and Food The Indigenous Production from the Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development, Sovani started his career as a senior kitchen executive at The Oberoi Cecil in Shimla Genius and worked at different Oberoi and Aman properties before being stationed Tejas Sovani, Executive Sous Chef at Amaranta, The Oberoi Gurgaon, enjoys turning down-home Indian recipes into food Facing page: Chef Tejas Sovani in his kitchen at Amaranta; right: the chic interior masterpieces. He tells us how… of Amaranta with a lovely burst of blue 76 Sommelier INDIA JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2017 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2017 Sommelier INDIA 77 Clockwise from above: Jackfruit pepper fry and glutinous rice; Gram flour crisps, steamed apricots and milk froth; Torched marrow, smoked aubergine, lamb loin and railway curry; Yeast leavened wafers, steamed finger millet and country style chicken Over the years, Sovani has had the at Noma has been foraging for over a Austrian Grüner Veltliner with 63° privilege of working with a string of decade; they have in-depth knowledge Poached Egg, and the 2009 Gramona celebrated chefs. Such as two Michelin of the regions and have identified Imperial Gran Reserva Cava with star chef, Anton Mosimann OBE pockets in and around Copenhagen for “Wilderness” – a confit of king oyster who has popularised the concept of foraging,” he recalls. mushrooms, croquettes and gram salad. cuisine naturelle, that stresses on using He greatly enjoyed working with Guided and inspired by The Oberoi the freshest ingredients prepared in a Redzepi, the son of a poor immigrant dharma (a clearly articulated code of way that brings out their flavour and who has risen to become such a visionary conduct), Sovani is determined to shine goodness, Naoki Okumura and Jonay chef. “He always breaks down a dish to the spotlight on Indian cuisine, to which Armas who ran the French-Kaiseki its grass root level to dig deeper into the end he continues to explore small-town and Catalan restaurants at The Lodhi history of the flora and fauna of that markets where seasonal ingredients and hotel, during its avatar as The Aman. particular region, much like the way we authentic regional recipes still rule both In 2015, he travelled to Copenhagen present our menus at Amaranta.” plates and palates. for a four-month stagiaire (unpaid At Amaranta, wines are as important When he’s not wearing his internship) at the temple of Nordic as the food and are an integral part of ceremonial white uniform, he’s perusing gastronomy – Chef René Redzepi’s the menu. The restaurant offers a nine- a cookbook, listening to music or playing two-Michelin-star restaurant, Noma. course degustation menu that is teamed table tennis. He also enjoys hitting the Unlike his schedule at Gurgaon, where with exquisite international wines put road to discover “good food” – whether he starts his day by checking emails and together by The Oberoi Gurgaon’s it’s at a dhaba or a fancy eatery. reviewing VIP arrivals, his day at Noma resident sommelier, Rakesh Awaghade. Sovani’s plans for the future include would begin with a treasure hunt. “I believe that food and wine pairing “running a three-Michelin-star restaurant Kitted out in jump suits and should be a dynamic process because and opening a culinary school”. But gumboots, Sovani and a few other chefs it is important to pair wines with the before any of that can happen, he wants with degrees in Botany would head out guests’ personal preferences as well as to “curate menus and look beyond the on daily foraging visits to pluck wild with their meal,” emphasises Sovani. usual to create a revolution.” There’s just berries, exotic plums, wild mushrooms, Some interesting examples of food one condition: “All revolutions must be chanterelles and nettles. “The team and wine pairing at Amaranta are an indigenous!”O 78 Sommelier INDIA JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2017.