It's about putting world-class food on the plate

Manisha Bhasin Jun 18, 2020

Being a Corporate Chef at a five-star hotel has given me immense opportunities over the years to explore the world of food and create new dishes by experimenting with different recipes.

Today’s diner is widely travelled and exposed to many different cuisine genres, which makes a chef's job all the more exciting and challenging, as he has to ensure that he serves world-class cuisine on the table. One also sees increased awareness towards community cuisines and region-specific cuisines, whether Indian or international. It is no longer merely Italian or Spanish food that the guest asks for; being more aware of cuisine specifics, he inquires about Tuscan or Catalan cuisine.

A greater challenge faced by Chefs is regarding the authenticity and purity of the ingredients, which, of course, depends on the terrain it grows in. For example, Arborio rice is used in risotto, while shisho leaf, the freshness of fish or Japanese horseradish plays a very important role in sushi experience. It is a never-ending journey in self-learning, which is what makes being a Chef so interesting and fulfilling, as it motivates one to explore and learn.

Definitely, ingredient availability and cuisine standardization are big challenges faced by chefs and irrespective of the ingredient input, the dish output has to match the standard, which is where their individual talents are revealed. Manpower attrition has made the situation all the more challenging, and hence, training of Chefs has become a very crucial function in a hotel.

More than a decade as a Senior Executive Chef at ITC Maurya has been a great learning. One realises that people are one's biggest asset and nurturing and encouraging them is crucial for ensuring that objectives are met. Focus, open-mindedness, hard work, and a never-say-die attitude has brought me this far. In fact, I've considered a second career choice, I've always wanted to be a Chef.

Chef's Special

I like to cook traditional foods with a twist of modernity, keeping Gen Z in mind but without compromising on the basic recipe or taste. I started as a Western Chef specialist, but over the years, have explored South Indian, Asian and regional Indian cuisines, too. Researching and coming up with Dehlnavi was actualising potential, as I cooked Indian but visualised the food from a purely food science perspective, bringing in required additions to make it more adaptable.

It also widened my perspective on various Indian food nuances. Today, when the whole world is moving towards 'slow food', which is a basic tenet of ancient Indian food philosophy and followed in our homes till today. Indeed, in our homes, we cook our food from scratch and rarely do we use pre-packed mixtures or frozen produce to make a dish. As one explores deeper, one realises that it is a healthier way to cook a meal, which is good for body and soul.

My mantra is not to complicate the dish, but to use just one ingredient that stands out, rather than multiple ingredients which tamper with the flavour. The layering of flavour is also very essential to create a winning dish in Indian cuisine and that art comes only with years of experience.

Role Models

There have been many role models at different stages of my life, starting with my grandmother who was an exceptional home chef. I still recall her checking the quality of the fish (caught from the Ganges river) by its gills and eyes, a lesson I learnt early in life. She also taught me the importance of good and fresh ingredients.

Hence, when I graduated as a Junior Sous Chef and got my first posting at the erstwhile Towers Club in ITC Maurya in 1990, we were the first ones to create a menu with no names. The dishes were merely descriptive and based on what was seasonal and locally available. This was followed by West View in 1996, where once again we did not have any menu and the daily offering was written on the blackboard (unheard of in those days), with the menu depending on the fresh vegetables/meat produce or catch of the day.

Then, as I got into professional training, many mentors influenced and shaped my cooking styles. I learnt the most from home chefs' recipes from rural areas. In the last two decades, I have been more and more inclined towards Indian cuisine styles and its health benefits.

Sustainable Initiatives

Sustainability is very close to my heart. I believe that a Chef must use local ingredients which are available in that particular season. This not only has a positive effect on the body but also helps society in many ways by helping the farmer and by helping us in conserving our resources.

Another initiative has been nurturing our famous and much-loved branded restaurants over the years - West View, Pan-Asian, Dehlnavi, Dakshin, Relaunch of Westview...each of these restaurants are very unique in concept and cuisine and were the first of its kind in the country.

Keeping the standards of legendary restaurants like Bukhara and ensuring classics like Dum Pukht maintain their aura is another thing we are proud of.

Some of our future goals are to practice self-learning and come up with unique concepts. We are also opening ITC Colombo, which will have some very unique F&B offerings.

It's Advantage, Women!

A woman being a Chef is an added advantage, as most women cook at home too. Often, while cooking at home, one gets ideas about using an ingredient or process at work, which when implemented, gives one great results. Moreover, cooking is instinctive in women, hence it seems like an ideal choice when one makes a career of it.

I myself never felt any discrimination. On the contrary, at ITC, I got equal opportunities, with gender never a factor in the face of competence. Of course, it takes time for one to establish oneself, but once they realise how dedicated you are to your work, you get respect as a chef and a boss and not as a lady chef.

My advice to young women planning to enter this tough but fulfilling career is to get the basics right for building a strong culinary foundation. It may be tough, but also very fulfilling. And remember that taste is very important on a platter, serving is secondary.