Interviews

It is our belief that “Chef is the only artist who can tantalise all senses”, Kedar has more than 25 years of experience in culinary arts and few awards on hand. He always says a great dish is not just assembling and cooking or tossing the ingredients but it's care and love that goes into finishing it. Working with Michelin starred Chef Massimilliano “Max” Milleri to industry stalwarts like Chef Jean Christophe Fieschi, his cooking skills were refined to a great extent under their skilled tutelage. His views on the kitchen are as follows.

What is your first impression when you hear the word 'Kitchen'?
It is very tough to put it into words because the instant I heard "Kitchen," I imagined everything from my grandmother's kitchen with limited access to today's commercial kitchen in that one moment. I can almost hear the concerto of pans and pots accompanying the fragrances of the tandoor. My extended family handling and balancing diverse guest requirements just like a ballet dancer.

What is the importance of the kitchen in your day-to-day life?
Every living being requires food to function, but kitchens go above and beyond to create culinary experiences, whether that is an old time classic or a modern era of mixing robust combinations to entice patrons. We all commence our day in the kitchen, whether it is a tiny pantry to grab a cup of tea/coffee or a large kitchen to prepare a delicious meal. The kitchen is the heart of the house, and it sets the tone for all that follows.

On the other hand, it is a place for learning and applying different elements such as time and place management, optimum use of technology, combining beauty and functionality, and so on.

What do you have to say on the gradual development of the concept of working kitchen when you started your career and now?
I would say over a period of time designers and entrepreneurs have stressed on better place utilization and giving better technological support to produce and function well, at the same point of time there are few business models that have emerged specially in India where needs are totally different that one would have imagined two decades ago.

What is the most challenging job in the kitchen in your opinion?
My personal conviction is that with the appropriate attitude, one can learn everything and anything, and that is where the most difficult job is “Attitude” of the person you either have it or you don't. Because the culinary industry needs strong willpower to withstand day-to-day pressures ranging from daily supplies to guest criticism. Getting drawn to this job with only the glamour of a famous chef in mind is a major issue, especially for the young brigade.

How do you maintain hygiene and cleanliness in the Kitchen?
I would certainly say that the fundamental and good old checklist technique works quite well when combined with sufficient team training. As a result, anyone who is unsure may simply pick up the checklist and double-check that each criterion is met. To maintain high standards, we obviously require assistance and cooperation from other departments such as engineering, materials, and stewards.

Tell us about the safety features of your kitchen.
To ensure the safety of our team and our consumers, we have a variety of safety measures in place, including an automated gas leak detection alarm, an automated fire suppression system, a manual check list for all refrigeration temperatures, a personal hygiene checklist for team members, certain hygiene mandated procedures such as a separate hand wash sink, and daily hygiene rounds by a hygiene manager with her own checklist in accordance with local laws and international HACCP / ISO standards.

Which method of cooking do you pursue in your kitchen, traditional or modern?
Cooking methods vary depending upon the requirements and the intended results. I personally believe that being open to technology has its additional benefits, but for those few preparations, such as stocks, I prefer to stick to conventional practices. Using ready-made powder is still a no-no for me, but one could also make the argument that this is due to a mental block. Nowadays because, we make substantial use of sous vide equipment and supplies or dehydrators, which also actually produce consistent and predictable outcomes. Their popularity graph is on rise.

Do you have a penchant for using new technology gadgets in your kitchen? Have you added any lately?
Indeed, like any other chef when it comes to trying something new, the kid in our heart is overjoyed to experiment. Last addition to my kitchen were definitely the two equipment I mentioned above i.e Sous vide and Dehydrator. Next on my wish list is “Automated refrigerator alert system”.

Describe the role of the trained staff in your kitchen? Do you face any specific challenges in hiring the desired staff?
Ideally, today's industry is experiencing a big bottleneck in attracting and maintaining skilled team members; all of us invest a lot of time and attention on training and streamlining product to brand and customer satisfaction with quality standards. Having a certain skill set is critical to maintaining consistency of experience delivered repeatedly. This is where training and retention come into play, but today's post-pandemic market is opening up, and with the financial setbacks that our industry has experienced, it is understandable that everyone is looking for better opportunities with higher financial returns.

Frozen foods are becoming popular nowadays. What are your views on Frozen Foods?
Food from the freezer I would reiterate that it is a better use of technology for convenience of business; nevertheless, it now depends on the type of company and specific demands where one can determine the prudent use of frozen products. I will not use the same parameters for QSR and fine dine and that is how it varies. To preserve profitability and consistency in relation to the skill set that is employed, frozen food works well there; nevertheless, for a high-status restaurant, patrons are prepared to splurge top dollar, therefore one should minimize the adoption of frozen food. Also, keep in mind that freezing products (properly) will assure availability not just in remote locations, but also throughout the off-season, and berries are one example. Ideally, this could be the subject of a protracted debate.

What are the different sources of inspiration that you look up to while designing the menu of the restaurant and buffet? How frequently do you change the same?
My inspiration comes from diverse chefs as well as indigenous food. Indian cuisine is largely undiscovered, with the exception of a few specifics that consistently reappear on the menu, and I will not defer here since this might be due to popularity garnered through time. If we look at our own traditional food, we can notice numerous flavour combinations that have been tested and proven over time. Here is an example of Anans cha sheera, which is a type of halwa prepared with pineapple and coconut that we have been enjoying since childhood. There are many others like this, so we can work on the menu with this in mind. Of course, we cannot forget about the local favorites. Menu modification is a continual process, and with the introduction of QR codes, we now have the freedom to make seasonal adjustments, enhancements for festivals or special events, or even if something is underperforming at any time, unlike the days of printed menus.

What are the essential health and lifestyle trends prevailing now-a-days that you like to incorporate in the kitchen?
We have all seen changing trends in diet, from low calorie, low carb to Keto and plenty more, and they also come with religious beliefs that are unique to each individual. If we talk about diet, it is a huge topic in and of itself, with at least 50+ known diets on the globe. So, while engaging with guests, I prefer one-on-one interactions to understand their needs and work with them to attain the highest level of satisfaction. At the same time, we ensure that the menu includes a range of current trends and popular diet demands, such as low calorie, ketogenic, and sugar free options (no added sugar).

More and more people are becoming calorie conscious. Keeping the statement in mind, what are the dessert trends followed in the restaurants?
It's quite typical for health-conscious and calorie-conscious individuals to avoid white sugar since it contains empty calories and it's thought that "white sugar" causes inflammation; therefore, customers are either avoiding it or switching to natural sweeteners like dates or jaggery. This has undoubtedly opened up a new area for all chefs in recent years, and with ingenuity and research, we can see practically every good restaurant discussing their own invention or inspiration to present to guests. Molasses, jaggery, dates, raisins, and other natural sweeteners are popular choices.

Ingredients play an important role in food preparation. Do you prefer using local ingredients in your preparations? How do you select the vendors?
Indeed, only good resources can produce a fantastic final result, so that's the first step toward transitioning from a decent restaurant to a spectacular dining establishment. Here, my process is really simple: I decide on quality first, then we find vendors who can offer that. Negotiated settlement for a few rupees at this level is absolutely not worth it, as I have learned in the profession that "money is long forgotten and quality is remembered."

Now, when it comes to local ingredients, I really adore utilising them since they have so many benefits, especially in India, where our topography is so vast that creating a book of ingredients would be a mammoth task for anyone. Local foods also provide seasonal flavours and uniqueness to our menu. I began to firmly believe this when I organised a seafood festival. You may be thinking, "OK, so" well there we utilised an abundance of local seafood with preparations unique to the "Like Mumma make" this opened completely fresh doors not only to guests but also to my team with an excess of accolades.

What is your criteria for selecting the utensils? Is there any specific brand that you use more than others?
When picking utensils or crockery, the first thought process is the sort of restaurant that has been planned, the lifetime of equipment based on market feedback, generally brand reputation, after sales service, and budget. There are a few well-established brands that have endured the test of time, such as Rational, Hobart, and Rondo, but competition in this sector is increasing, so a few new entrants are doing well as well. Similar selection criteria apply to cutlery and crockery. Because these are consumable items, we must bear in mind regular supply and minimum order amount so that we do not wind up with mix and match in the future. On the other hand, few restaurants these days use a comprehensive mix and match of designs.

Which are the upcoming cuisines in focus?
India is a big nation with an abundance of regional cuisines that are completely distinct to itself. We do have a few prominent cuisines that I believe will remain in the spotlight, but there is still much to be discovered with the rest of the cuisines. Given the present pattern of lockdown and social isolation, online ordering will continue to be popular, even if it cannot replace restaurant dining. More than cuisines, I believe that product-specific attractions such as Moringa, black garlic, cold pressed oils and healthy millets will be prominent. I believe that this year will see a greater emphasis on a well-balanced diet and healthy eating in order to maintain immunity and invulnerability.

Do you conduct food festivals? How do you decide on a particular theme? Do you think that regional cuisines are a good theme?
Food festivals with regional cuisine are something I enjoy doing for my own learning and to provide a diverse range of options to our customers. When deciding on food festivals, especially for Indian regional cuisine, I like to taste the food that the chef will produce and serve; these tasting sessions are similar to laymen eating with someone from the region, so we can decide on taste palate and authenticity (even though every regional food has it own variants, ex Undhiyo in Surat is different than the one in Rajkot). So, if we as a panel appreciate the dish, we choose Chef. On the other hand, if a chef is well-known for their local cuisine, the process becomes a little easier. I urge one and all chefs to promote Indian food since it is vastly unexplored. The kind of flavours one can bring to the table is just fantastic.

Do you agree that there is a need to change the curriculum of culinary courses in India?
Unquestionably, youngsters are still learning what we did nearly 30 years ago, but the gastronomic world has advanced significantly with new techniques and practices over the years. Yes, some fundamentals are required for academic knowledge and skills, while contemporary methods and approaches, whether in terms of hygiene or basic understanding of ingredients, must be upgraded (ISO was unheard and HACCP used to be a big thing today ISO certification is kind of must have).

What are your views on framing the curriculum designed especially for Indian food?
There is undoubtedly a necessity, and all major institutes must address this. Also, there should be a greater emphasis on Indian cuisine. Aside from the menu's regulars. As of present-day, we have students entering the hotel industry with limited understanding of traditional Indian cuisine.

India is extremely diversified whereas its food culture is concerned. What according to you is the scope of popularizing Indian regional cuisines across the globe?
This has vast scope but block building needs to start from Institutes so that there is a certain inclination in students to work in Indian kitchens. Also major onus lies with industry as well where we have not promoted regional Indian food to the extent that can be done. Very few hotel brands are into it but that's with a limited spectrum of offering. This may not give immediate commercial benefits but with SMART goals this is still achievable.

How do you define your 'Dream Kitchen'?
My dream kitchen is simple “I just want a bunch of happy team members” who should sing and whistle while cooking and that is when the best of taste comes out. My mantra “Whenever you are cooking, cook as if your family is out there”.