Official Magazine
Vol 01 | Issue 08 | October 2015 | Pages 84
12th Annual Chef Awards 2015
Celebrating Indian Culinary Excellence
interview Chef Manoj Rai
interview Chef Rohit Gambhir
Restaurant Owner & Food Blogger
Executive Chef The Oberoi Hotel, New Delhi
I INSIDE New age trends in promoting a restaurant: What is Chef's role?
Thai Red Curry Suggested Application
Kolkata
Kochi
Mumbai
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October 2015 | Incredible chef
Message
H
Dr. Mahesh Sharma
eartiest congratulations on the occasion of the 12th International Chefs' Day, Chefs Awards and Chef & Child Charity Dinner organised by the Indian Culinary Forum and the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations. I am happy that these awards are fraternity awards, given by senior Chefs to upcoming Chefs to motivate, promote excellence and encourage talent. You will be happy to note that the Government has started work on the Indian Culinary Institute in Tirupati and NOIDA. The first of its kind in the country, the Institute is expected to start functioning by 2016-17. The Institute will promote research and innovation, documentation, education and propagation of Indian cuisine apart from providing quality education in the field of culinary arts. This will also result in developing Chefs to meet future demands. The Government has decided to promote Indian cuisine worldwide. It has been promoting Indian Culture internationally and is planning to organize Indian Food festivals along with Cultural festivals. India has the largest number of cuisines with large diversity. The Ministry of Tourism is creating Cuisine circuits so that visiting tourists can enjoy the rich cuisines of different regions. I wish the Indian Culinary Forum and the organizers all the best for organizing the Chef Awards and Chef Summit. I convey my best wishes to the award winners and all the participants.
Dr. Mahesh Sharma
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October 2015 | Incredible chef
I
Vinod Zutshi, IAS Secretary
t gives me great pleasure to congratulate the Indian Culinary Forum and the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations on the occasion of the 12th Chef Awards being organised by the Indian Culinary Forum. The Forum's initiative in supporting the cause of the community of Chefs is commendable. The Chef summit is indeed a means to promote and encourage the fraternity to develop people-to-people contacts, encourage exchange of ideas among Chefs and highlight the culinary excellence of different regions of the country. The subjects chosen for the Chef Summit like promotion of Indian cuisine worldwide, current trends, innovative practices, food safety and challenges in the food industry are very relevant today. The Government initiative in skill development programmes like the Hunar Se Rozgaar Scheme is already creating and developing a large number of skilled persons in different fields including the area of culinary. We are also sure that the Indian Culinary Institutes at Tirupati and NOIDA would be a good platform for the veteran Chefs to be the visiting professors and deliver lectures, inter-act with the students and also act as the resource person for academic programmes in coming days. I wish the 12th International Chef Awards 2015 a grand success.
Vinod Zutshi
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October 2015 | Incredible chef
My Dear Chefs,
M
Anil Bhandari Chairman Indian Culinary Forum
y Heartiest Congratulations to all of you on the occasion of the 12th International Chefs Day and Annual Chef Awards organized and hosted by the Indian Culinary Forum in association with the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations. The evolution and concept of the Chef Awards was to recognize, honour and promote talent among the fraternity of Chefs and encourage people to join the industry. The Chef Awards has achieved considerable success. We are grateful to the Ministry of Tourism for acting on our longpending suggestion to set up the Indian Institute of Culinary Arts which will help in research and documentation of our cuisine as well as produce Chefs with great skills and high-quality standards. The Government also responded to our request and honoured eminent Chefs with the National Awards. We hope that our request of honouring Chefs with Padma Shri awards, which has been pending for the past many years, will be acted upon by the Government this year. The role of Chefs is an important one as they look after our well-being and that of the country by their contribution to the national economy. The current size of the Indian food industry is Rs. 247,680 crore and is estimated to grow to Rs. 408,040 crore by 2018 at a CAGR of 11%. The food industry provides employment to approximately 4.6 million people and is projected to grow to 8 million by 2018. The Chef Summit, in its third consecutive year, is a platform to help promote discussions by eminent Chefs and prominent members of the Hospitality industry with the purpose to raise issues pertaining to Indian cuisine, its status, promotion, trends, importance and regulations governing food safety. I would like to thank all participants and those who have contributed towards this event, especially for the Charity Dinner which is a contribution from leading Hotels and Restaurants of Delhi and showcases dishes prepared by celebrity Chefs. My heartiest congratulations to the award winners. My Best Wishes to all the Awardees, Participants and Fellow Chefs. Happy Cooking and wishing you all the best in the future.
Anil Bhandari
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October 2015 | Incredible chef
Dear Friends,
I
Davinder Kumar President Indian Culinary Forum
feel privileged and proud to announce 12th Annual Chef Awards on the occasion of International Chefs Day – A significant event of the Indian Culinary Forum. ICF has made continuous efforts to elevate standard of Indian Culinary Art and Culinary profession in India and globally. The evolution and concept of this Chef Awards is to recognize honour and promote among the fraternity of Chefs and encourage youngsters to join the industry. The Chef Summit, in its third consecutive year, is also being held alongside Chef Awards. It is a platform for culinary professionals to update on the latest culinary trends, to learn and share experiences, enhance organizational skills, widen culinary capabilities to international standards and beyond. On this joyous occasion of the International Chefs Day I would like to assure our members, corporate members and associates that ICF will constantly thrive to bring our fraternity closer and continue our commitment to encourage the betterment of the culinary profession, through improved education, related industry events and collaboratively setting new benchmarks in the hospitality industry. I wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to fraternity, associates for their outstanding support over the years. Today the forum stands as a chosen platform for chefs to ideate, interact and engage with each other to share new perspective in the world of culinary art. Festive greetings and my heartiest congratulations to the award winners and best wishes to all the participants. Eat Healthy. Think Healthy. Stay Healthy!
Davinder Kumar
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October 2015 | Incredible chef
Dear Chefs, “I would like to congratulate the Indian Culinary Forum for hosting such an amazing event as the 12th Annual Chef Awards. Your commitment to excellence and culinary standard is a great example for all chefs around the globe. I can see that the Indian Culinary Forum is truly dedicated to its Chefs community and is an organization focused on the future and wellbeing of our industry as well as chefs all around the world.
Chef Charles Carroll CEC, AAC President, WORLDCHEFS
I wish you a successful award ceremony and encourage you all to network and share with one another.
“Gaining knowledge is the first step to wisdom, Sharing it is the first step in humanity”
Chef Charles Carroll CEC, AAC
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October 2015 | Incredible chef
W
e are delighted to know that on the occasion of International Chefs Day; the Indian Culinary Forum will be celebrating this event by distributing Awards in 16 categories to chefs that have contributed towards the creativity, promotion and development of Indian cuisine in India and abroad. FHRAI has always been supportive of initiatives that are taken by various segment of the industry in recognizing and encouraging talent. On this happy occasion we convey our good wishes to all the chefs who have given their outstanding contribution to the hospitality industry. I am confident that under the leadership of Chef Davinder Kumar the Indian Culinary Forum will grow from strength to strength.
Mr. Bharat H. Malkani President Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India
Bharat Malkani
With Best Complements from
With Best Wishes
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October 2015 | Incredible chef
Dear Chefs, Greetings from Hotel & Restaurant Association of Northern India!
LUV Malhotra President HOTEL & RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION OF NORTHERN INDIA
I express my immense pleasure to learn that the Indian Culinary Forum and the Indian Federation of Culinary Forum is organising 12th International Chef Day, Chef Awards and Chef Summit on 23rd October 2015 at The Ashok Hotel, New Delhi. The annual event hosted by Indian Culinary Forum has indeed become significant in honoring Chefs and other culinary artisans for their contribution to the Hospitality industry and society at large. I take delight in extending my greetings and good wishes to the entire team of Indian Culinary Forum and Indian Federation of Culinary Forum for a venture that promotes and develops Indian Cuisine in India and abroad. Good Luck for your future endeavours.
With best wishes LUv Malhotra
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October 2015 | Incredible chef
From the Desk of Editorial Director Dear Friends,
I
Chef Vivek Saggar Editorial Director Incredible Chef indianculinaryforum@gmail.com
am pleased to announce that the new managing committee of the Indian Culinary Forum, after its elections held last month, has taken over the responsibility of promoting the cause of the Forum. ICF continues its commitment to encourage chefs for the betterment of the culinary profession, through improved education, related industry events and collaboratively setting new benchmarks in the hospitality industry. On the sidelines of the 12th edition of Annual Chef Awards, celebrated on the occasion of International Chefs Day to promote the community of chefs, I am happy to present to you the latest issue of your own fraternity magazine Incredible Chef – for chefs, by chefs. These Annual Chef Awards are held to celebrate the recognition of a select few who have carved a niche for themselves in the world of culinary delight. Chef Award is not merely a competition, but a platform for chefs to put their culinary skills on display that will surely enhance their culinary quest, knowledge and forte. The whole idea of having the Chef Awards is the selection of the Master Chefs from a national team and bringing them forward to the international forefront. Like previous years, even this year the participants were judged and evaluated by experienced professionals. I am grateful to our esteemed Jury members, Chef Lee Chan Wai from Malaysia and Chef Ong Beng Yew (Shanli) and other WACS Certified Chefs from India for carrying out the judging process and for encouraging all the participants and other members of our chef community to achieve higher goals. On behalf of ICF, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the award winners and encourage members of the chef community to participate in larger numbers in the future editions of the Annual Chef Awards. I would also like to thank all the members of our growing chef community for making this year’s Annual Chef Awards a successful one. No event of this magnitude can be efficiently organised without the support of its sponsors. I want to thank each one of our sponsors, without whose support we would not have been able to create an impact and reach out to our growing community of chefs. We are like a joint family and I want to say a big thank you to all for coming out in large numbers to support the cause of ICF. We received various accolades for our previous issue and I hope you enjoy reading this issue of Incredible Chef as much. In this issue of Incredible Chef, we present to you viewpoints of various industry leaders on a subject of interest to all Chefs and restaurant operators - the new age trend in promoting a restaurant. Like always, I request you to write back with your suggestions and help us improve, both for this publication and for other activities of the association which you would want to see and be part of.
Chef Vivek Saggar
100% VEGETARIAN RANGE
IMPORTED & MARKETED IN INDIA BY
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October 2015 | Incredible chef
Editor's Note
Creating Roadmap for Good Times Ahead
T
Sumit Jha Managing Editor sumitjha.pune@gmail.com
he role of a chef in the success of a restaurant or the food and beverage department of a hotel is pivotal. As master of the kitchen, the chef in charge is looked upon by the owners and management of the restaurant in times of distress for solutions. To tide over difficult times, while most restaurants work out a unique way to offer something special to their customers, its chef is the person who puts together a foolproof plan to ensure the success of his restaurant. Chef today has stepped out of the kitchen and likes to interact with their guests to understand their expectations and experience. Guest feedback, through direct interactions and various other modes of data collection, enables a chef to devise a plan to ensuring success of their restaurant. The promotion of a restaurant is very important since no matter how good the restaurant is, it is of no use unless it has the adequate number of visitors. Thus, restaurants future lies in the hand of its promotions. Judging by the feedback received, orders placed and the popularity of dishes, a chef best understands the pulse of their customers - knowing what will make them come back for more. Based on the reading of their customers and other impending circumstances, the chef devises a promotional plan, which at most times is a successful one. In this issue of Incredible Chef, we present to you viewpoints of various chefs on the subject – “New age trends in promoting a restaurant: What is chef ’s role?” For their continued effort towards ensuring the success of a restaurant and nurturing a happy customer base, there is no better way to acknowledge their work, than to be recognised amongst members of their own community. Annual Chef Awards, this year in its 12th edition, organised by ICF, is one such initiative to acknowledge their good work and encourage them to strive for more. Such platforms, which gives an impetus to the community as a whole and inspires the young members to aim higher, should be encouraged wholeheartedly. Indian chef is getting a stronger foothold in the international arena. The recently concluded meeting of the board members of World Chef Association in Delhi, hosted by IFCA, is a case in point. Such platforms provide an opportunity to our Indian chefs to interact with the world leaders and helps them get aware of the trends being followed internationally. Formation of new associations to bring together more chefs under a larger umbrella is another step which will ensure that the level of awareness amongst all is increased. More such platforms, if anything, only spell good times for the generations of the future.
Sumit Jha
Contents
Incredible chef | October 2015
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22 Executive Committee - Indian Culinary Forum 24 Corporate Members of ICF 25 Food Partners for Gourmet Dinner 2015 26 ICF Elections 30 Flashback Winners of 11th Annual Chef Awards 2014 32 Trade test at the 12th Annual Chef Awards, 2015 34 IFCA: Global Culinary Exchange 2015 36 The Goan Chef Challenge
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38 Chef: The Master of Diligent Practice and Dedication Chef Anand Mittal 40 Promoting Indian Culinary - N. S. Bhuie 42 Planning for Smart Kitchens - Anil Bhandari 46 Is your restaurant profitable? Chefs role in ensuring profitability of a restaurant - Chef Davinder Kumar 48 Interview - Chef Rohit Gambhir: Restaurant business in India has grown and improved dramatically 52 Herbs Precious gift from Mother Nature - Chef Vinod Bhati
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Editorial Associate Anupama Jha Kamal Arora
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58 Food & Beverage - An Ideation Centre - Chef Gautam Chaudhry 62 The question isn’t really about who to target; it is rather how? - Chef Pawan Uppal 64 Interview - Chef Manoj Rai "Chefs are the brand ambassadors for their restaurants' 66 All About Wine 70 Get the Basics Right - Chef Nawab
72 Sweet Success of a Restaurant - Chef Dheeraj Singh Bhandari 74 Reviews Play a Pivotal Role in Building the Brand Image of a Restaurant Chef Vaibhav Bhargava 78 Brand Value of Chef = Brand Value of Restaurant - Chef Sushen Desai 80 Bhoj The Traditional Feast of Bihar - Shakesh Singh
Managing Editor Sumit Jha sumitjha.pune@gmail.com
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Creative Head Vishwanath Vanjire Senior Designer Anadi Nath
EDITORIAL BOARD - ICF
Editorial Director Vivek Saggar Editorial Associate Abhishek Basu Vishal Atreya
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Published By
S 203, Ashoka Mall, Bund Garden Road, Pune 411001
Printed at Bharat Graphics C-83, Basement, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase - I, New Delhi 110020
Indian Culinary Forum # 305, Plot number 2, Vardhman Crown Mall, Sector 19, Dwarka, New Delhi – 110075 Mob: +91-8800339629 email: osicfnorth@gmail.com website: www.icfnorth.org
Printed, Published and edited by Draft on behalf of Indian Culinary Forum. The Publisher makes every effort to ensure that the content of the magazine are accurate; however we accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions. Unsolicited material is submitted entirely at the owner's risk, and the publisher accepts no responsibility for its loss or damage. All material published in Incredible Chef is protected by copyright, and unauthorised reproduction in part or full is forbidden.
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Organising Committee
Ani Bhandari
Chef Davinder Kumar
Chef Manjeet Singh Gill
Chef Sudhir Sibbal
R Kumar
Chef Shaju Zacharia
Chef Vivek Saggar
Chef Vinod Bhatti
Chef Arvind Rai
Chef Rajesh Viriyath
Chef Bharat Alagh
Chef Mahendra Khairiya
Chef Atul Shanker Mishra
Chef Prem Ram
Chairman, AB Smart Concepts
CMD, Continental Group
Joint Secretary
Joint Secretary
President ICF
Vice President
Joint Secretary
Joint Secretary
President IFCA
Genernal Secretary
Joint Secretary
Jatinder Uppal
Executive Member, ICF
Ex Vice President, ITDC
Treasurer
Joint Secretary
Ajay Sood
Executive Member, ICF
12th Annual Chef Awards, 2015 Sireesh Saxena
Ex Vice President, ITDC
Sanjay Agarwal
Executive Member, ICF
Mousumi Dasgupta
Executive Member, ICF
The Brand of Choice in 6 out of 10 finest hotels in India
TABLE RICE
BANQUET RICE
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October 2015 | Incredible chef
Corporate Members of ICF
For Corporate Membership Please Contact Indian Culinary Forum Correspondence Address:305, Third floor, Plot Number - 2, Vardhman Crown Mall, Sector -19, Dwarka,New Delhi-110075 Tel: 8800339629 Email: osicfnorth@gmail.com
Incredible chef | October 2015
Food Partners for Gourmet Dinner 2015
D E L H I C B D S h a hd a r a
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October 2015 | Incredible chef
ICF re-elects Chef Davinder Kumar as its President at AGM
I
ndian Culinary Forum organized their ‘Annual General Election’ on August 24, 2015, in New Delhi as part of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Forum. ICF re-elected Chef Davinder Kumar (Vice President F&B of Le Meridien, New Delhi) as the President for another two-year term, and appointed Chef Vivek Saggar of VS Food Art as the new Secretary General. Other elected members include Chef Shaju Zacharia, an independent food consultant, as Vice President and Chef Vinod Bhatti, Executive Chef, American Embassy (ACSA) as the Treasurer of the Forum. The elected Joint Secretaries include Chef Arvind Rai, Chef Mahendra Khariya, Chef Bharat Alagh, Chef Prem Ram, Chef Rajesh Variyath and Chef Atul Shankar Mishra. Commenting on his selection for the additional term, Chef Davinder Kumar said, “My new team and I are committed to make ICF one of the ‘most professionally managed’ chef associations
not only in India but globally. We want to make the ICF a forum which people look forward to get associated with. We are committed to take the Forum to greater heights”. Chef Vivek Saggar said, “I am really thankful to everyone who voted for me. Here at ICF our purpose is to boost upcoming chefs and train them to raise the standard of Indian Classic Cuisine to Global level. We aim for the success of the Forum.” Apart from strengthening the membership base, the Forum is also working on a couple of new projects related to education, welfare of the underprivileged, etc. ICF aims to encourage and inspire junior chefs through training and competition, to raise the culinary standards in India, and to serve as a platform to leverage the development of Indian culture and cuisine on a global scale and to encourage Indian nationals to consider, pursuing a career within the hospitality industry. n
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October 2015 | Incredible chef
FOR THE LOVE OF TANDOOR
W
ith change being the only constant, there is practically only one industry that stays firm and unbreakable, and bears the test of time to survive the worst downturns: the food industry. Eating out has received a knock but it never touched the lows in the worst of times. Efficient and progressive food outlets have relied on best equipment to tide over this crisis and never compromised on quality. The restaurant business, and in fact the entire hotel business, has food as an essential component of its service.
Food being the prime factor among the lot, has its twists and turns which is followed up with timely progressions and radical turns. The right equipment in the kitchen of hospitality institution is the only thing apart from service, which makes the vital difference between efficient and better cooking. Despite originating from the Indian turfs, Tandoors are one of the most important equipment in the kitchen industry globally now, especially serving Indian cuisine which is an integral part of all hotels. A new company debuts the scene with high quality Tandoors. This business is not new to Avinder Kumar and Fakir Chand, two brothers who are manufacturing tandoor under the name of their company `Kanhaiyalal Tandoor
Pvt. Ltd.' The two have put their more than 30 years of expertise in manufacturing and marketing Tandoors to good use and are selling tandoors of different sizes and shapes. Made with strict adherence to high quality and precision, the Tandoors are available in Copper, Stainless steel, Mild steel, Brass apart from simple clay Tandoors. The duo has come a long way in the industry and with years of dedication and expertise in their fields, the two brothers have seen the ups and downs up close and personal. Their sole motive of strict focus and emphasis on Quality has assured constant business for their enterprises. With a wide range of tandoors coming this season, Kanhaiyalal Tandoor Pvt. Ltd is all set to rock the stage. n
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October 2015 | Incredible chef
Flashback
4 1 0 2 s d r a w A f e h C l Winners of 11 Annua th
chard Graham nt Award - Chef Ri • Lifetime Achieveme Mr. Sid Khullar ard - rovar Group of Hotels • Best Food Writer Aw Chef Tarun Dacha, Sa - ard Aw t LDEN TULIP • Golden Ha Vaneet Wadhera, GO ef Ch - • Silver Hat Award rti Ghai, IHM PUSA ar Award - Chef Aa • Lady Chef of the Ye LE MERIDIEN Chef Jaideep Dutta, - ard Aw ar Ye the of ef • Ch ational Cuisine Award • Master Chef Intern E BITE FOODS ANKIT MANGLA, LIT India Cuisine Award • Master Chef North THE LALIT ABHISHEK GUPTA, India Cuisine Award • Master Chef South LITE BITE FOODS ARUN KUMAR TR, Award • Master Chef Kebabs MON TREE LE H, RAVENDRA SING Sweets Award • Master Chef Indian K HOTEL MONTU SAINI, ASHO Award ational Confectionary • Master Chef Intern ITES I, COUNTRY INN N SU AJAY KUMAR TIWAR Award • Master Chef Baker MERIDIEN ANIL NAGPAL, LE Cuisine Award • Master Chef Oriental A CLUB YUAN SHENG, CHIN • Kitchen Artist Award HOTEL RIVASTAVA, SAMRAT MAHESH KUMAR SH Year • Student Chef of the IHM PUSA , EY ARYA ANIL INGL
Incredible chef | October 2015
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October 2015 | Incredible chef
Trade test at the
12th Annual Chef Awards, 2015 T
rade test for the 12th Annual Chef Awards, 2015 started at IHM Banarsidas Chandiwala, Kalkaji on 16th October 2015. On the first day of the trade test, 23
participants compete in 3 categories - Master Chef International Cuisine Award with 14 participating chefs, Chef of the Year Award with 5 participating chefs and Kitchen Artist Award with 4 participating chefs. Participants showcased a series of live culinary skills, celebrating the preparation and presentation of the food accoutrements in attractive and pleasing forms. The remaining eight categories were covered on 17th at Academy of Pastry Arts, Gurgaon and on 19th and 20th at IHM Banarsidas Chandiwala, Kalkaji. Malaysian
Chef,
Ong
Beng
Yew
(Shanli),
the
Chairperson
of
the
Hon'ble Jury along with renowned national and international chefs for the 12th edition of Annual Chef Awards 2015 interacted with participants and gave their valuable inputs.
With Best Complements from
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October 2015 | Incredible chef
IFCA: Global Culinary Exchange 2015
G
lobal Culinary Exchange 2015, a knowledge-intensive one-day culinary conference was held at Hotel ITC Maurya in New Delhi on 29th September 2015. Organised by Indian Federation of Culinary Associations (IFCA) the conference turned out to be a memorable one for over 300 delegates as they had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet many of the World Chefs Association Board Members. World Chefs represents 9 million chefs across the world. With 110 member countries, World Chefs can as well be regarded as the UN of the Culinary World. The Global Culinary Exchange 2015 was held a day after the Board Meeting of the World Chefs Association. For the first time in the 85 years history, World Chefs Association conducted their Board meeting in India and IFCA proudly hosted the board meeting. IFCA, being the nodal body of culinary professionals in India, organized Global Culinary Exchange 2015 with a view to help Indian chefs widen their culinary knowledge and draw inspiration from some of the globally renowned chefs who are part of the World Chefs board. The global conference helped the attending chefs to update their knowledge on the global culinary trends and link up with the fraternity. The one-day conference was conceived to serve as a platform to discuss new perspectives and trends in the culinary space. The conference served as a feeding ground for the Indian chefs to gather nectar from outstanding global resources and indulge in cross-pollination to widen their culinary skills and capabilities. The speakers deliberated on a wide spectrum of topics. A panel discussion was also conducted on relevant and stimulating issues of interest to the Industry and other stakeholders at large.
Incredible chef | October 2015
The Global Culinary Exchange provided a perfect setting for knowledge sharing, catching up with the current trends in the global culinary scenario and network with some of the best minds in the global culinary space. A grand award ceremony was organised at the end of the conference to honour distinguished professionals, who have made extensive contributions to the culinary industry.
Launch of new associations under IFCA
Chefs Association of Five Rivers (CAFR) was launched during the conference. The association is aimed to cater to the needs of chefs in Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu. The association was launched amidst fanfare. Chefs Guild of India (CGI) is a national association that was launched to include chefs who are not part of any of the existing mainstream regional associations of IFCA. Chef Charles Carroll, President of WACS inaugurated the CGI amidst loud cheers. Young Chefs Association of India (YCAI) was launched during the conference. Chef Sabyasachi Gorai was nominated as the President of YCAI. The body was formed with an aim to nurture young culinary talent in India and provide them a platform to explore new perspectives in the national and international culinary space. n
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October 2015 | Incredible chef
The Goan Chef Challenge C
o-Hosted by Culinary Forum of Goa, The Goan Chef Challenge was conducted along with Food and Hospitality World of Indian Express Group from 29 Sept to 1 Oct, 2015. The Culinary Challenge of Goa was one of its kind professional food contest. Top chefs from all across Goa came together under one roof and competed in groups of two for Goan Cuisine (Day 1) and International Cuisine (Day 2) to bring out the essence of Goan and International food culture as practiced in the leading hotels and restaurants. On Day 3 the challenge provided budding chefs (from the various Institutes of Goa) an opportunity to showcase their talent and innovative creations by creating delectable dishes within a mystery basket provided. The top hotels, restaurants and Institutes fought for the various Awards and category Prizes and it was a close contest and very difficult for the Jury to take their decision. The event was well appreciated by all the participants as well as the industry.
Incredible chef | October 2015
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LIST OF WINNERS - Culinary Challenge of Goa 2015 Day-1, 29-09-2015
Day-2, 30-09-2015
Continental Special - Hotels
Goan Special - Hotels
Any Cuisine - Institutes
1st The Fisherman’s Wharf Chef Ashish.S.Rana & Chef Gurudeep Singh
1st Ramada Resort Chef Prema Bhaskar & Chef Emilio Goes
1st Agnel Institute of Food Craft And Culinary Science Allan Teixeira & Rohan Fernandes
2nd Cidade De Goa Chef Puneet Sharma & Chef Viraj Guonkar
2nd Radisson Blu Cavalosim Chef Anselm D’souza & Chef Mackson Fernandes
2nd Agnel Institute of Food Craft And Culinary Science Anthony & Brefon
3rd Azzure by Spree Hotels Chef Amit.S.Mahangade & Chef Santosh Kumar
3rd The Zuri White sand Resort Chef Abner david & Chef Subhadip Modak
3rd Agnel Institute of Food Craft And Culinary Science Domingos Cruz & Rajesh Vengurlekar
2. Best Starter Winner – Hotel Fidalgo Chef Ankita Honavarkar & Chef Manohar Lal
2.Best Starter Winner – The Crown Chef Rabin Hela & Chef Dayanand Gawas
3.Best Main Course Winner- The Fisherman’s Wharf Chef Ashish. S. Rana & Chef Gurudeep Singh
3.Best Main Course Winner- Hotel Fidalgo Chef Suhas Parab & Chef Suresh Bandodkar
4.Best Rice Winner- Azzure by Spree Hotels Chef Amit.S.Mahangade & Chef Santosh Kumar
4.Best Rice Winner- Cidade De Goa Chef Suraj Dhupad & Chef Mahadev Gawas
5.Best Dessert Winner- Cidade De Goa Chef Puneet Sharma & Chef Viraj Guonkar
5.Best Dessert Winner- Azzure By Spree Hotels Chef Amit.S.Mahangade & Chef Jaladhav Mahato
6.Best Presentation 1st The Crown Chef Vikas Gawade & Chef Rabin Hela
6.Best Presentation 1st The Crown Chef Rabin Hela & Chef Dayanand Gawas 2nd Hotel Fidalgo Chef Suhas Parab & Chef Suresh Bandodkar 7.Unique Presentation by Chef Choice 1st Casa Mordena Mrs Sunitha.C.Shetty & Mr. Deepak 2nd Country Inn Suites Chef Sasi Kumar & Chef Sachit
Day-3, 01-10-2015
2.Best Main Course Winner- Institute Of Hotels Management Anushka Arudra & Nomita 3.Best Rice Winner- Gesto Culinary & Hospitality Academy Shivdas Govind Pandit & Khwaja Abdul Kader 4.Best Dessert Winner- Goa College Hospitality & Culinary Education Sufeeyan Khan & Tarun Kalwani 5.Unique Presentation by Chef Choice Winner- Agnel Institute of Food Craft And Culinary Science Vania Cotta & Sabrina Mascarenhas
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October 2015 | Incredible chef
Chef: The Master of Diligent Practice and Dedication T
he term ‘Chef ’, literally translated from French - meaning ‘Master’, is most commonly applied to cuisine or kitchen, though it may be used in all other spheres too. It is frequently used to describe anyone who cooks but is considered a mark of respect for those within the profession. The title is one that can only be earned by diligent practice and dedication. There are educational courses available throughout the country and abroad, but they only serve as a rung on the ladder. The person himself displaying a plethora of skills along the way can only complete the true climb. There is absolutely no way that one can get installed in the high chair without climbing each step on own merits. A chef can be successful only if he has the ability to fulfil different roles of being a student, teacher, artist, craftsman, leader and manager. An open and enquiring mind, appreciation of and dedication to quality and excellence and a sense of responsibility to self and to the community are among the professional chef ’s cardinal virtues. There is something fascinating about watching a chef who wields a knife with dexterity. Acquiring the skills that enable a person to handle a knife with authority, to flip an omelette with finesse, to toss or sauté on high flame, to create exquisite food decorations, is all part of a chef ’s education. Today, chefs in India are looked
By Chef Anand Mittal
HOD, FCIIM, Dehradun Author of Simply Cooking - Theory and Principles
upon with respect and admiration. Chefs like Arvind Saraswat, Sanjiv Kapoor, Jiggs Kalra etc. have become household names. Books, magazines, newspapers and TV, all exhibit and permanently fea-
ture substantial space towards the art of cooking. The elevation of a chef to a legitimate profession has helped to attract bright and talented people to the industry. Many chefs today have received their basic preliminary training in an accredited catering school; others begin as an apprentice either in a special apprenticeship program or a self-directed course of study. They advance from kitchen to kitchen, position to position, learning at the side of those chefs who are involved in the day to day business of running a professional kitchen. In the Indian hotel industry, the scenario for students aspiring to be chefs is very bright. Tourism is booming here and the government is taking positive steps in consultation with senior hotel professional and various associations that have been set up for this purpose. Mushrooming of good hotels ensures a much higher demand for trained aspiring chefs today than ever before. The interaction of new trends in food and dining, combined with the traditions and customs of the past and cultures, creates a new style of cooking, new dishes and new types of eating establishments. The increased communication between chefs and professionals in other areas (production, farming, computers, etc.) has stimulated growth and has opened up new potentials. n
Incredible chef | October 2015
Spotlight
Ravitej Nath wins National Tourism Award Chef Ravitej Nath of The Oberoi, Gurgaon has won the National Tourism Award 2013 -14 for the Best Chef of the Year in a 5 star Deluxe category. Chef Ravitej Nath received the award from the honourable President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee.
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October 2015 | Incredible chef
Promoting Indian Culinary By N.S.Bhuie
Consultant (Academic) & Ex-Director (Studies) National Council for Hotel Management & Catering Technology, NOIDA (UP)
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he trend prevalent in the Hotel Industry in India currently is to employ an expat as your Corporate Chef or F&B Director, so that the hotel property is projected as an international brand, even if it means giving away higher wages to the foreigner. But on the other hand, some hotels conduct their own in-house training programs or expose their personnel to executive programs of higher learning to develop their staff for specialized roles. From the present 7 million foreign tourist arrivals annually, the new government has set an ambitious target to receive
1.1 billion in three years time. With the tourism sector expected to witness exponential growth, this sector would require matching trained manpower to handle the facilities and services. While hotels are trying to prevent attrition and cope through internal incentives by spending valuable time, money and resources on training, the manpower concern will only multiply in the coming years. Hotels are expanding at the rate of 20-25 per cent every year. The shortage is being felt not just at senior levels, but even for operational areas. The availability
of skilled and trained manpower is a challenge in long-term development and sustainability of the hotel and restaurant industry in India. Although the country has a large network of hotel management institutes, set up specifically for the hospitality industry, the courses conducted are found to be generic in nature. In the above background the Ministry of Tourism has proposed setting up of an Indian Culinary Institute (ICI) as an independent body which would offer, besides structured regular programs, demand driven specialized courses specific to Culinary Arts. This institute will document and disseminate information related to cuisine of India and help the Ministry of Tourism promote the country as a culinary destination. Campuses comprising residential blocks, specialized kitchens with state of the art equipment are to come up with headquarters at Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) and regional institute at Noida (UP). The project cost for ICI Tirupati spread over 14 acres of land is estimated at Rs 98 crore while that for the Noida institute spread in five acres would be Rs 99 crore. With departure from traditional hotel management course,
Incredible chef | October 2015
From the present 7 million foreign tourist arrivals annually, the new government has set an ambitious target to receive 1.1 billion in three years time. With the tourism sector expected to witness exponential growth, this sector would require matching trained manpower to handle the facilities and services. While hotels are trying to prevent attrition and cope through internal incentives while spending valuable time, money and resources on training, the manpower concern will only multiply in the coming years.
the ICI will offer programs in kitchen management, molecular gastronomy, plate presentation, food styling and displays, anthropology, etc. Besides documentation and research of regional and global cuisines, the institute would comprise a patent and legal cell with a studio kitchen. The ICI Tirupati would house a culinary history museum of India and the world. It would be a repository of traditional Indian pots, pans, cooking vessels and manuscripts. Faculty for ICI would be handpicked having sufficient international and local experience. Top foreign chefs would be invited to share their expertise and contribute to the formal training and grooming of students. All programs offered at the ICI would be hundred percent residential. This would ensure intense and focused training of students as well as help groom the right personalities. The composite campus would comprise multiple specialized kitchens and labs to provide skilled training combined with commercial facilities like restaurants, banquets and coffee
shop. It is envisaged that such commercial activity would provide the necessary hands-on real time training to students of the institute. A separate residential block would provide executive accommodation to foreign and local faculty invited for specific assignment. Reputed executing agency has been identified to overview development of both the projects. Leading industry experts from the chef ’s community have been included in the composition of the society. Their advice is taken while planning the infrastructure of the proposed institutes based on current global industry trends. While the labour force is shrinking there is an explosion of restaurants of varying hues. Popularity of food shows on TV, awareness amongst customers and a general desire to break away from traditional careers, the opportunities for young people at ICI would be immense. In the coming years the Indian Culinary Institute is poised to definitely attract the discerning and help bridge the gap of providing skilled, ready to employ kitchen brigade. n
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October 2015 | Incredible chef
Planning for Smart Kitchens By Anil Bhandari
Chairman AB Smart Concepts
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mart kitchens should be planned as efficient kitchens leading to space and energy saving and project a healthy and conducive environment to encourage chefs to work in and produce nutritious, tasty food. Efficient kitchen planning could be done with the guidance of a commercial kitchen designer and an energy consultant having the knowledge of the latest equipment for cooking, refrigeration, storage, exhaust systems, fire and safety equipment, garbage disposal, etc. The consultant could help in introducing a “green footprint”
scheme to incorporate kitchen equipment and design features that use less energy thereby reducing the “carbon footprint” and recover capital costs more quickly. Kitchen planning can also be done with the assistance of the hotel’s engineering team using the Easy Kitchen Planning software as a guide.
The first step to plan a smart kitchen is to define the Food and Beverage concept for the outlet / restaurant. The menu should be planned as per the finalized concept. Feasibility should be done in terms of the guest profile and the number of guests anticipated for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The feasibility helps in selection of proper equipment, allocation of space for various operations, and determination of capacity and purchase. Area planning involves a time-and-motion study as well as formulation of futuristic concepts such as a prospective expansion of the kitchen and service area. For continuous maintenance and life-cycle refurbishment the unit has to withstand the test of time and continue to remain modern, serviceable as well as perform efficiently. Basically, the kitchen is a place where food is stored, processed and assembled, and finally prepared for service. The production unit of a hotel or restaurant, durability, serviceability, efficiency and adaptability to future trends are some of the long-range factors which are the core competence of the kitchen and they can spell the success or failure of the product. The most qualified people in
Incredible chef | October 2015
kitchen planning are experienced Chefs as they have the requisite knowledge. Chefs have the knowhow of an ideal workflow to enable free movement for tasks to be carried out in an easy manner. They also know that the space allocation of various areas is essential for smooth workflow in kitchen operations. They also need to consider the health codes as issued by the local health department. They need to take care of ergonomics that is the theory in which the employee completes a task with the least number of steps. An ergonomicallydesigned kitchen is one where employees stand at one spot and do all of their work with minimal bending, reaching, walking or turning. The advantage of ergonomics is that it can reduce injuries, discomfort and fatigue. Menu planning is essential prior to kitchen planning as only specific
Kitchen is a place where food is stored, processed and assembled, and finally prepared for service. The production unit of a hotel or restaurant, durability, serviceability, efficiency and adaptability to future trends are some of the long-range factors which are the core competence of the kitchen and they can spell the success or failure of the product.
equipment that is required can be ordered thereby reducing kitchen equipment costs by 30-40%. Neglecting advance menu planning could lead to equipment not being used to its full capacity. The responsibility of maintaining such equipment
becomes economically unviable. Energy efficiency should be a primary consideration for any commercial kitchen layout because it saves money on utility costs. In an energy-efficient setup the refrigeration unit and cooking equipment are kept as far apart as possible while still being practical. Also, cooking equipment is strategically placed to maximize the efficiency of the exhaust hood. The kitchen ventilation system represents one of the largest consumers of energy in the kitchen, often because it operates at full capacity even during idle times. Latest refrigeration products offer considerable energy savings. They feature advanced electronically commutated motor fans, circuit designs to optimize performance and improve air movement with fan cut-out switches when the door is open. Regardless of the final layout, flexibility of design is important for any commercial kitchen. A change in the management or food trends could completely change the menu thereby affecting equipment usage and placement. Smart kitchens have to use smart
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equipment which can perform multitasking thereby reducing the cost of labour, energy and time. A Combi oven increases the benefits of smart kitchens as it saves space, conserves energy and reduces water consumption thereby leading to better economies. Other energy-saving features are triple-glazed viewing windows, automatic fan switch-offs when the door is opened, and some models use their exhaust heat to pre-heat incoming fresh water for steam generation. There are the multi-tasking advantages of the Combi oven as its cooking applications include steaming, poaching, baking, frying, roasting, stewing and braising. It offers three methods of cooking in one unit, that is, pressureless steam, convected heat or a combination of both. These units are designed with accurate controls allowing food to be cooked at the precise temperature and with the required amount of steam resulting in topquality dishes.
In case of electric cooking, a smart kitchen should prefer an induction hob as it is more efficient than the traditional electric hob as it switches on only when the pan is in contact with the electromagnetic field created by its electrical coil. A full induction cooking range provides energy savings and helps keep the kitchen cooler which reduces energy and ventilation costs. There are many advantages of planning a smart kitchen as it occupies less space and helps in increased output of food and beverages. Kitchen appliances manufacturing companies are working on high-tech voiceactivated and motion-detector appliances, digital projectors and Radio Frequency technology to lower costs, minimize space and raise levels of hygiene. Possibilities for kitchens of the future progressing towards smarter kitchens possessing still higher grades of efficiency, space economy, time reduction,
cost-effectiveness and hygiene standards are predictable. Prototypes are being tested for futuristic technology that would lead to ‘robotization’ at various levels. The futuristic smarter kitchen is a work in progress, being conducted on the prototype of a robot chef. This includes a portable kitchen module, including stovetop, oven, sink, utensils, and a pair of fully articulated robotic arms. The arms are programmed to follow recipes and prepare dishes. The arms can replicate the movements of human hands and arms, with articulations at shoulder, elbow, wrist and fingers. The prototype successfully cooked a complicated dish a number of times That is one side of the picture. The other side is that the abilities of a BBC "MasterChef " winner were carefully programmed into the robotic arms. This is only the beginning of an opportunity for people to explore different international cuisines. The robotic kitchen modules will be available in a variety of configurations and will be equipped with a digital library of over 2,000 recipes that the robot will be able to cook. The robotic kitchen modules will be available in a variety of configurations in 2017 and 2018. n
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October 2015 | Incredible chef
Is your restaurant profitable?
Chefs role in ensuring profitability of a restaurant By Chef Davinder Kumar
Chef Davinder Kumar, a chef par excellence with distinction in conventional and modern cuisine, joined this profession over three decades ago. He began his career with Oberoi group of hotels in 1972. After achieving Diploma in Kitchen Management, Chef Davinder Kumar was sponsored by Oberoi group to learn French cuisine from select Chefs in Paris in Lychee Technique de Hotelier. He has been rewarded with many awards including Golden Hat Award, National Tourism Award of Best Chef by Ministry of India Tourism and Gold award in Japan for his contributions and innovations in culinary skills. Chef is the Vice President – F&B Production, Le Meridien - New Delhi and President, Indian Culinary Forum. Over the years Chef Davinder Kumar has authored many popular cook books like ‘Kebab, Chutney and Bread’ , ‘Salads’ etc.
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n today’s scenario, rising food and labour costs, sluggish economic conditions and intense competition, have all contributed to the downfall of business for many restaurants. As a chef, owner or operator of a restaurant, one cannot afford to ignore the impact that these factors are having on the bottom-line of their restaurant business. Even though, the overall market of food service industry is growing, it is a tough time for being in this business, and it is a matter of the survival of the fittest.
It is said that tough times call for tough measures. However, the operation of a restaurant, being a part of the service industry, is all about using your people and their skills in the right way. Training and encouragement to improve the productivity of each of the staff members to ensure that they are performing at their 100 percent is important. Once you have ensured that there is no excess baggage of staff that your restaurant is carrying, even while costs are rising, you cannot reduce your staff strength,
as that is most likely to have a direct impact on the overall service standards of your restaurant. So what is it that a Chef, or a restaurant operator, should do to ensure profitability and business success in times of stress? Listen to your customers: It is one of the most important aspects for ensuring continued success of a restaurant. No restaurant can be successful if the chef, owner or operator decides to serve to their customers according to their own taste and liking. As a part of the
Incredible chef | October 2015
service industry, you have to offer your guest an experience which he will cherish and you cannot impose things on your guests. If the guest does not get a unique experience, for which they are willing to pay a good price, then that guest is definitely not going to come back to your restaurant. Upgrade to latest technology: In listening to the guests, it is important to give them option to say things as they would like to. A guest today would be happy to write a review about your restaurant using a handheld instrument, rather than pen it down on a prefabricated form. Technology today allows guests to place orders using tablets and also make their payments using the same. More and more restaurants are replacing paper reservation books with electronic reservation systems, and putting tablets at the table for their customers to view menu, pay bills, etc. They don’t have to wait for placing their orders and likewise also not wait to get their bills and are able to make payment using online payment options. This also makes a perfect opportunity to record guest feedback. To ensure that the guests do use the technology and provide their valuable feedback, the restaurant can offer them some incentive. Some of the restaurants offer a free service of a dessert for every review – good or bad. Interact with your guests: Guests
Guests feel happy if they are informed about a particular dish and suggested on what they should be experiencing at the restaurant directly by the chef. Such interactions create an opportunity for the chef to know more about guest expectations and also to align the offerings of their restaurant as per the guests taste and expectations feel happy if they are informed about a particular dish and suggested on what they should be experiencing at the restaurant directly by the chef. Such interactions create an opportunity for the chef to know more about guest expectations and also to align the offerings of their restaurant as per the guests taste and expectations. This interaction also gives the chef an opportunity to ask their
loyal guests to share their reviews and comments about the restaurant on popular social platforms like Trip Advisor, etc. Tackle guest complaints efficiently: It has been observed that majority of guests come back to the restaurant if their complaint is handled properly and resolved. It is also observed that the same guests come back more often and become effective brand ambassadors for your restaurant if their complaint is resolved in a timely manner. So it becomes imperative to address guest complaints effectively and in a timely manner. Look out for more: In operating a restaurant business, it is often seen that once the business is established, the chef is happy with the way things are going and becomes complacent. Complacency kills growth and to ensure that you are improving and increasing your business market, it is important to look out for areas of improvement and growth. Keep your eyes on the bottomline: The most important of it all is to keep an eye on the bottom-line and review the profitability figures regularly and correlate them with the activities which are being undertaken. This will enable the chef to track how the customers respond to promotional schemes, special offers, festivals, etc and know if they are working. By ensuring continuous review of the profit and loss figures, you can address rising issues before they become bigger problems. n
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Q&A with Chef Rohit Gambhir
Restaurant business in India has grown and improved dramatically Chef Rohit Gambhir
Executive Chef, The Oberoi, New Delhi Chef Rohit Gambhir, a 1995 batch graduate from the Oberoi School of Learning & Development, has had an uninterrupted stint of over two decades with The Oberoi group. During his tenure, he has been instrumental in opening and operating some of the most successful restaurants of the company including the opening of the F&B operations in the Trident Bandra Kurla Mumbai. Currently, as the Executive Chef of the iconic – The Oberoi, New Delhi (which is celebrating its Golden Jubilee this year), he manages the entire food and beverage portfolio of the iconic hotel with a skilled team of 100 chefs.
How important according to you is the role of a chef in promoting a restaurant? Please elaborate. Most restaurants today revolve around the chef and very rightly so. The primary purpose of anyone visiting a restaurant is to have a good meal. Therefore, who better can sell or promote a restaurant other than the person behind this most important aspect. The good news is that today most establishments and the chefs themselves understand this and play an active role in promoting their outlets through the chefs. Customers too are far
more comfortable when they can associate a face with the meal they are consuming. If the chef has attained celebrity status it is even more prudent to do so. In the standalone restaurant space this is simpler and even
more prevalent - quite a few chefs have celebrity status and are also owners (not necessarily achieved in the same order). What are the new age trends which the Chefs follow to promote their restaurant? Direct connect with guests is the best form of connect a chef can have to promote their restaurant. A trend that can never die. Chefs however realise the limitations this has in terms of its reach and therefore compliment this by using various means including technology to connect and promote their restaurants.
Incredible chef | October 2015
The strategy adopted to promote a restaurant would largely depend on the kind of restaurant. Essentially this would mean combining ways to reach a large audience (creating recalls) and backing it up with memorable experiences when they visit you. What new age trend a chef adopts will depend largely on the kind of establishment. Promotions that are engaging and exciting are the ones that work. Some examples of such promotions relevant to today would include the following: n Cooking classes for a relevant audience where a chef can directly interact with the audience, showcase his skill, up sell his restaurant and more. n Doing various relevant food promotions from time to time. The underlined word here would be ‘relevant’. These need to be well thought through. Apart from creating recall in our guests minds and creating additional revenues it should help position your restaurant where you would want it to. n Doing some relevant events e.g.
your ambassadors it has a compounding affect.
The primary purpose of anyone visiting a restaurant is to have a good meal. Therefore, who better can sell or promote a restaurant other than the person behind this most important aspect.
art appreciation; food and wine pairing etc – these could be paid events or on invite. Things explained in point 2 would be applicable here too. n Creative social media platforms where chefs actually engage with guests like sharing recipes, cookery videos, etc. n Whereas all of the above listed will help promote a restaurant to a degree, all chefs understand that ultimately it’s the food that talks. Nothing comes close to the promotion or marketing that a happy guest can do for you – when your guests become
What are your views about the changing scenario in the culinary field? There is growing competition which is very good. It pushes everyone to give his best which is ultimately good for the customer. Standalone restaurants are mushrooming – some of them offer good value for money. Availability of quality ingredients continues to be a challenge. Though things have improved, we are still a long way off from what is available in the Western world. Chefs are expected to churn out products at par with what is available in Europe, but the raw ingredients leave a lot to be desired. Chefs have been gaining popularity in the Indian context. Do you think that Chefs of today have got the recognition that they deserve? Things have definitely been moving in the right direction for chefs. They are the ones who have always been driving the F&B in the hotels and fortunately everyone, including guests, have begun to realise and recognise them for that. Do you think that the current infrastructure available in India for pursuing a career as a chef is adequate? If not, what change do you feel is required? Restaurant business in India has grown and improved dramatically in the past few years. Chefs in India are focused and hardworking and are at par in skill with their Western
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counterparts. However there are still some challenges. To begin with the quality of education provided by catering colleges is poor to say the least. Most of the successful Chefs are what they are because of the exposure they get in professional hotel schools run by various hotels (but a very miniscule percentage of the wannabe chef population makes it to these schools). A large population learns and grows the hard way as they work their way up the industry itself. Many of them burn out before they make it to a significant position. Having said that, I am part of the body that is involved in the development of some state-ofthe-art culinary schools across India by Government of India, but till they come up, this will continue to be a challenge. As mentioned before, another thing that I think needs attention is the quality of raw produce and also the confusion over the new import regulations. This again in many a cases results to availability of inferior quality of raw ingredients than what is available to our Western counterparts. So I guess the way forward is to do some serious work on our two life lines - proper training schools for budding culinary students and proper supply chain for raw ingredients. What according to you is the one thing which aspiring young chefs need to keep in mind to have a successful career as a chef? Whereas many of the young budding chefs are focussed, hardworking and have their
Direct connect with guests is the best form of connect a chef can have to promote their restaurant. A trend that can never die. Chefs however realise the limitations this has in terms of its reach and therefore compliment this by using various means including technology to connect and promote their restaurants. feet on the ground, there are many who need to have a better understanding of our business and get their priority right. I am taking the liberty of listing more than one thought: n All concerned need to
understand that in the making of a chef there are no short cuts. Like all good things, the making of a successful chef takes time… unfortunately a little more than one thinks or may want it to be.
n Aspiring to be a chef is
like a marriage, a lifetime commitment… and like any other marriage it will have its good and not so good days. Learn to cherish both. n Learn the rules (of cooking) before you choose to break them (If at all you must). n Get real – shaving off your head; growing a French Beard or a pony tail for that matter, shouting, abusing, throwing pots and pans will not make you a successful chef (may make you unemployed though). n Watch cookery shows on TV for entertainment, not for inspiration. Your life will be nothing like what you see there. n Through the journey… continue to keep your focus, continue to cook with passion and learn to keep yourself motivated, build resilience and tenacity in yourself. You will need these qualities through your career. What message would you like to give to the community of chefs? I consider myself fortunate to be one amongst you . n
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Herbs October 2015 | Incredible chef
Precious gift from Mother Nature By Chef Vinod Bhati
Executive Chef American Community Support Association, U.S. Embassy, New Delhi
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n general use, herbs are any plants used for food, flavouring, medicine or perfume. Culinary use typically distinguishes herbs from spices. Herbs refer to the leafy green parts of a plant (either fresh or dried), while a ‘spice’ is a product from another part of the plant (usually dried), including seeds, berries, bark, roots and fruits. Culinary herbs are distinguished from vegetables in a manner that, like spices, they are used in small amounts and provide flavour rather than substance to food. Herbs can be Perennials such as thyme or lavender, Biennials such as parsley, or Annuals like basil. Perennial herbs can be shrubs such as rosemary, Rosmarinus
officinalis, or trees such as bay laurel, Laurusnobilis – this contrasts with botanical herbs, which by definition cannot be woody plants. Some plants are used as both herbs and spices, such as dill weed and dill seed or coriander leaves and seeds. Also, there are some herbs such as those in the mint family that are used for both culinary and medicinal purposes. Herbs play a very important role in all the world culinary culture and their flavour are a remarkable source of inspiration for the chefs. The aroma and flavour make them magical ingredients for the lovers of good food. Many chef who have the privilege of nurturing a kitchen
garden have a prime spot allocated for the herbs. Herbs and spices have been enriching the lives of people since ancient times. They play a vital role in developing the unique characteristic of the dish prepared. It could be hot, mild, sweet, sour or bitter. Herbs and spices As per one of the definitions, they are the plant components which due to their natural contents are used as flavoursome ingredient in food preparation. Blossoms, fruits seeds, buds, rinds, roots, root sticks, barks or part thereof are called spices. Leaves, blossoms and shoots are called herbs. Many plants have been highly regarded as culinary and medicinal herb since antiquity due to their aromatic and healing properties. Herbs also contains essential oils and juices, for instance – parsley, fennel, garden cress are rich in vitamin C while others in turn are rich in tannins and bitters. Many of their positive effects on the body, knowledge of which has been passed down through the generations, have in recent years been proven thanks to the advancement of research. Bitters stimulate the appetite and improve
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the digestion, while tannins act as anti-inflammatory and flavonoids also known as secondary plant components, protect both plant and human cells against cancer. Excess consumption of herbs can also be harmful to the body. The variety of herbs available to us nowadays was beyond our reach just a few years ago. Now many can be grown in the pot in the balcony. Also, herbs are now available with gardeners. Basil is a high fragrant plant whose leaves are used as a seasoning herb for many different types of foods. Basil has become one of the most recognizable herbs ever since pesto, the mixture of basil, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese, has become popular. Basil has round leaves that are often times pointed. They are green
in colour, although some varieties feature hints of red or purple. Basil looks a little like peppermint, which is not surprising since they belong to the same plant family. There are more than 60 varieties of basil, all of which differ somewhat in appearance and taste. While the taste of sweet basil is bright and pungent, other varieties also offer unique tastes: lemon basil, anise basil and cinnamon basil, all have flavours that subtly reflect their name. The leaf, fresh or dried, is the culinary source of mint. Fresh mint is usually preferred over dried mint when storage of the mint is not a problem. The leaves have a warm, fresh, aromatic, sweet flavour with a cool aftertaste, and are used in teas, beverages, jellies, syrups, candies, and ice creams. In Middle East cuisine, mint is used on lamb dishes, while in British cuisine and American cuisine, mint sauce and mint jelly are used, respectively. Mint is a necessary ingredient
in Touareg tea, a popular tea in northern African and Arab countries. Alcoholic drinks sometimes feature mint for flavour or garnish, such as the mint julep and the mojito. Crème de menthe is a mint-flavoured liqueur used in drinks such as the grasshopper. Mint essential oil and menthol are extensively used as flavourings in breath fresheners, drinks, antiseptic mouth rinses, toothpaste, chewing gum, desserts and candies, such as mint (candy) and mint chocolate. The substances that give the mints their characteristic aromas and flavours are menthol (the main aroma of peppermint and Japanese peppermint) and pulegone (in pennyroyal and Corsican mint). The compound
primarily responsible for the aroma and flavour of spearmint is L-carvone. Mints are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including buff ermine moths.
Traditional medicine and cosmetics Mint was originally
used as a medicinal herb to treat stomach ache and chest pains. There are several uses in traditional medicine and preliminary research for possible use in treating irritable bowel syndrome.
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Menthol from mint essential oil (40–90%) is an ingredient of many cosmetics and some perfumes. Menthol and mint essential oil are also used in aromatherapy which may have clinical use to alleviate post-surgery nausea. Parsley is widely used in Middle Eastern, European, and American cooking. Curly leaf parsley is often used as a garnish. In Central and Eastern Europe and in Western Asia, many dishes are served with fresh green chopped parsley sprinkled on top. Root parsley is very common in Central and Eastern European cuisines, where it is used as a snack or a vegetable in many soups, stews, and casseroles. Green parsley is used frequently as a garnish on potato dishes (boiled or mashed potatoes), on rice dishes (risotto or pilaf), on fish, fried chicken, lamb, goose, and steaks, as well in meat or vegetable stews (including shrimp creole, beef bourguignon, goulash, or chicken paprikash). In Southern and Central Europe,
parsley is part of bouquet garni, a bundle of fresh herbs used as an ingredient in stocks, soups, and sauces. Freshly chopped green parsley is used as a topping for soups such as chicken soup, green salads, or salads such as salade Olivier, and on open sandwiches with cold cuts or pâtés. Coriander is used for digestion problems including upset stomach, loss of appetite, hernia, nausea, diarrhea, bowel spasms, and intestinal gas. It is also used to treat measles, hemorrhoids, toothaches, worms, and joint pain, as well as infections caused by bacteria and fungus. Some breastfeeding women use coriander to increase milk flow. In foods, coriander is used as a culinary spice and to prevent food poisoning. In manufacturing, coriander is used as a flavouring agent in medicines and tobacco and as a fragrance in cosmetics and soaps. How does it work? Coriander may lower blood sugar and help kill some parasites, but there currently isn't enough information to know how coriander might work for medicinal uses. The health benefits of coriander includes its use in the treatment of skin inflammation, high cholesterol levels, diarrhea, mouth ulcers, anemia, indigestion, menstrual disorders, smallpox, conjunctivitis, skin disorders, and blood sugar disorders, while also benefiting eye care. Coriander, commonly known as Dhania in the Indian Subcontinent and Cilantro in the Americas and some parts of Europe, is an herb that is extensively used around the world as a condiment, garnish, or decoration on culinary dishes.
Its scientific name is Coriandrum Sativum L. Its leaves and fruits have a recognizable and pleasant aroma and are commonly used raw or dried for culinary applications.
Nutritional Value of Coriander
Its use in global food preparation is only the tip of the iceberg. Unbeknownst to many people, coriander is packed with potential health benefits that most people completely miss when they toss this garnish into the garbage after eating their meal. It has eleven components of essential oils, six types of acids (including ascorbic acid, better known as vitamin-C), minerals and vitamins, each having a number of beneficial properties. Spring onions may be cooked or used raw as a part of salads, salsas, or Asian recipes. Diced scallions are used in soup, noodle and seafood dishes, as well as sandwiches, curries or as part of a stir fry. In many Eastern sauces, the bottom half-centimeter (quarter-inch) of scallions roots is commonly removed before use. In Mexico and the Southwest United States, cebollitas are scallions that are sprinkled with salt and grilled whole and used with cheese and rice. Topped with lime juice, they typically serve as a traditional accompaniment to asado dishes. In Catalan cuisine, calçot is a variety of onion traditionally eaten in a calçotada. A popular gastronomic event of the same name is held between the end of winter and early spring, where
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calçots are grilled, dipped in salvitxada or romesco sauce, and consumed in massive quantities. In Japan, scallions are cultivated in two separate ways. In Western Japan, ‘leaf ’ green scallions are typically consumed, where the green portion is consumed. In Eastern Japan, ‘root’ green scallions are popular. The scallions are partially buried, so a portion of the stalk is kept underground. As a result a significant part of the stalk remains white in color, and has been cultivated to be very thick. The green portion of these ‘root’ scallions are discarded, and the thick white portions of the scallion are consumed. In Japanese cuisine, scallions are used in abundance, as an accompaniment to tofu, noodle dishes, hot pots, and stir fries. In Vietnam, Welsh onion is important to prepare dưahành (fermented onions) which is served for Tết, the Vietnamese New Year. A kind of sauce, mỡhành (Welsh onion fried in oil), is used in dishes such as cơmtấm, bánhít, càtímnướng, and others. Welsh onion is the main ingredient in the dish cháohành, which is a rice porridge dish to treat the common cold. In India it is eaten as an appetizer (raw) with main meals. In north India Coriander, Mint and Onion Chutney is made using scallions (raw). In southern Philippines, it is ground in a mortar along with some ginger and chili pepper to make a native condiment called wet palapa, which can be used to spice up dishes, or topped in fried or sun dried food. It could also be used to make the dry version of
palapa, which is stir fried fresh coconut shavings and wet palapa. During the Passover meal (Seder), Persian Jews lightly and playfully strike family members with scallions when the Hebrew word dayenu is read, symbolizing the whips endured by the Israelites under the ancient Egyptians. An oil, scallion oil is sometimes made from the green leaves. The leaves are chopped, lightly cooked, oil is added and then it is liquidised. The oil is then used as a garnish. A delicate looking herb with a penetrating fragrance, thyme is a wonderful addition to bean, egg and vegetable dishes. Both fresh and dried thyme is available in your local supermarket throughout the year. Thyme leaves are curled, elliptically shaped and very small, measuring about one-eighth of an inch long and one-sixteenth of an inch wide. The upper leaf is green-grey in color on top, while
the underside is a whitish color. Along with fresh sprigs of parsley and bay leaves, thyme is included in the French combination of herbs called bouquet garni used to season stock, stews and soups. Thyme has a long history of use in natural medicine in connection with chest and respiratory problems including coughs, bronchitis, and chest congestion. Only recently, however, have researchers pinpointed some of the components in thyme that bring about its healing effects. The volatile oil components of thyme are now known to include carvacolo, borneol, geraniol, but most importantly, thymol. Dill has a bouquet that is aromatic and somewhat sweet. It is not a ‘hot’ herb, like red chili peppers; rather, dill provides a delicate taste sensation. The dill plant grows to a height of 8-30 inches. The leaves are feathery and fernlike. The plant is a dark sea green color, with yellow flowers. The light brown seeds are about 3.5 mm (0.15 in) long, with a winged and oval shape. One side of the seed is flat, with two ridges; the other side, is convex with three ridges and three oil channels. The leaves, flowers, and oval flat seeds of the dill plant are all edible. The plant has thin, feathery green leaves, of which only about the top eight inches are used. Dill is one of those herbs that in effect have two different seasons. In early spring it is used for its leaves and then later in fall for its seeds. Each part of the plant has its own characteristics and properties. One of them is Dill seeds.
Incredible chef | October 2015
Culinary Uses
• Dill has a simple, clean taste. When using dill leaves, it is best to use it fresh rather than dried to get the most flavours. The flavour of dill weed diminishes greatly the longer it is cooked. Add it at the last minute for full flavour and aroma. • Quick dill butter: Add 1/4 cup minced fresh dill weed to 1/2 cup softened butter. This goes delectable with all kinds of breads. • Combine dill weed with plain yogurt and chopped cucumber for a delicious cooling dip.
Use dill weed as a garnish for sandwiches. •F resh and dried dill leaves are used as herbs. • Th is fern-like leaves are aromatic, and are used to flavour many foods, soups, and pickles. • Th e crisp grassy taste makes a good vegetable and is paired with Bajra or Jowar roti. •C ucumbers are another food that partners well with dill, either in salads, chilled soups or on tea sandwiches.
Health Benefits
•D ill is very rich in minerals, vitamin C and flavonoids. •P rotection against Free Radicals and Carcinogens.
•A n Anti-Bacterial Spice. •A Flavourful Way to Help Prevent Bone Loss. Kadipatta or curry leaves is a staple in Indian dishes. Commonly used as seasoning, this leaf adds a special flavour to every dish. But there is more to the humble curry leaf than simply flavour. Packed with carbohydrates, fiber, calcium, phosphorous, irons and vitamins like vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin E, curry leaves help your heart function better, fights infections and can enliven your hair and skin with vitality. Here are few health benefits of Kadipatta. Helps keep anaemia at bay. Curry leaves are a rich source of iron and folic acid. Folic acid is mainly responsible for carrying and helping the body absorb iron, and since kadipatta is a rich source of both the compounds it is your one-stop natural remedy to beat anaemia. n
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Food & Beverage An Ideation Centre
F
ood & Beverage is not just an industry but it is an emotion which is alive and is driven by passion. Growing up as a Chef, one notices a lot of creative thoughts practiced around. A few of them leave you wondering that who would have thought of it and how did it come into existence. Well a lot of credit goes to the Chefs. As a wise man had said “Need is the mother of all Inventions,” and you see there are a lot of innovations which are available and growing in the industry. Vegetarian Sushi: Fish made from plants is something which will certainly leave you scratching your heads. People at a fast pace are adapting to vegetarianism and thus the need for vegetarian sushi erupted. Yellow fin and Blue fin Tunas are in high demand and time demands for control measures. In United States, there are chefs who are making tuna flesh using tomato flesh. They skin and de-seed roma tomatoes and use a not too old cooking method called ‘sousvide’ and it tastes very close to the actual Tuna
Sushi. For obvious reasons, the chef refuses to divulge the entire process. It takes care of one more concern which many fish eaters are cautious of these days that is ‘Mercury’ content. Big fishes like tunas are most affected with mercury from industrial wastes.
By Chef Gautam Chaudhry
Founder Gourmet Aura Private Limited
My Cuisine: In older days there used to be regional or area specific cuisines. But these days what many chefs and guests are talking about is ‘My Cuisine’. What is ‘My Cuisine’? Where and when did it evolve? It is a big question. I have heard a lot of Chefs say that this is traditional, but is it actually traditional? I was having a debate on this topic with a renowned food critic and he said “Chef, tradition is a moment in a life span.” It made so much sense. Food is evolving every second; ‘Roganjosh’ was not given to mankind by the Gods but was evolved by a chef. ‘Kathi Roll’, ‘Burrito Wrap’ and ‘Frankies’ are just distant cousins and probably have been inspired by one another. Chefs have always been creative
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Ready to Eat Food: There is a new trend which is running in ready to eat food industry. You may order for recipes, where in you are delivered with the recipe of the dish you have ordered along with the ingredients required to prepare the recipe for 2 portions. By this means you can avoid doing the prep and hurting your fingers while cutting vegetables. There is another important factor to be kept in mind that you may cook a delicious sumptuous meal for self and the person that you wish to through some weight on, without much hassle. The biggest concern one faces to prepare a dish is sourcing out quality ingredients and a good recipe. Both the concerns are being addressed by this concept.
Nameet, who is apparently a zero pesticide farmer with ‘Firstagro’, made a statement, “Grow food and not lawns.” It is so true in today’s world, where we are only doing commercial farming and using loads of pesticides. Pesticides are used worldwide to control growth of pests and to control diseases arising due to those pests. Organic foods are picking up popularity and people are getting more and more cautious about what they are eating. The food that you are getting in the market today is nothing less than poison. Latest reports state that the vegetables that we are eating have 300 per cent to 1600 per cent higher toxic compounds than permitted limits. There are a lot of pests around the area in which you grow food, but in order to control them the pesticides should be sprayed in limits and at times you do not have to use pesticides at all as there are natural resources available. There are many NGO’s and farmers who are standing up to it and we as Chef ’s carry a major responsibility on our shoulders.
Organic Foods: During a conversation with a close friend,
Live Stations: Today’s guests are well travelled and they exactly
but the chef ’s today have started to realize the value of their creation and are marketing them. We are recreating recipes and working on the presentations. We are extremely imaginative in our approach and want to do food ‘My Way’.
know what to expect of their dining space. Live cooking is picking up pace and people want to see what they are eating. The concept of live stations is to offer the guest with the freshest possible ingredients in a hygienic set-up, cooked to his liking. The cooking should revolve around richer and classy presentation and offer more intimate experience to the guest. The approach is to be distinctively different with more personalized service, maintaining the simplicity but with ‘Style’. This concept was developed out of the necessity of concern for freshness by the guest. It has evolved well and progressing in the right direction. Interactive Presentations: There is a famous saying - “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” We Indians have always been foodies, but lately our approach has taken a new twist called ‘Presentation’. Many thanks to the ‘Culinary competitions’ and trendy cooking shows on Television and You Tube, that people are so conscious about how their food looks. The presentations play a critical role for diners. The plate should have the right color combinations, garnish, sauce and height to the plate. The diner has the first bite of his food through his eyes. You would have heard of ‘Big Bang Theory’ and the world is growing every second till date. It is the same phenomenon as the Culinary World is growing at the same pace. So just remember one thing “Keep your thinking hats on and work towards execution of that thought.” You never know when a small idea strikes and it can take a big shape. n
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The question isn’t really about who to target; it is rather how? F
ood being the soul of a restaurant, a chef definitely has a major role in promotions since it is the food at the end of the day that attracts guests. In today’s world, a diner will expect a chef to come out of the kitchen for interaction so that he isn’t just consuming the food but also the knowledge as well as the experience as a whole. People following Chef ’s profiles on different social media sites keep themselves updated about whats coming up next. It is important for the chefs to be available through different platforms. Diners have stopped following brands at least in India and have switched to chefs instead for what cuisine they serve. You take the name of the cuisine and they will come out with the chef who knows it through and through. Much like architects or artists, people acknowledge individuals more than companies. When it comes to companies themselves, they go out for what they call ’Chef poaching’, a recently coined term and apt for how this is functioning too. Companies understand the comfort of the diner towards particular chefs, which is driving the
By Chef Pawan Uppal
Executive Chef, Habitat World
For any restaurant, food is the seed that has the potential to grow into a big tree and have branches all over eventually. The one person who can deliver the right information for what goes on the plate is the chef, ‘The Gardener’, the one who has nourished it to what it is.
New age trends in promoting a restaurant: What is Chef's role?
crowd too. The fact that how one post can go viral over the internet, chefs have to bend towards technology not just in terms of kitchen equipment but good camera, a good web developer and good internet speed, all of which are essential for any big name in the culinary field. For any restaurant, food is the seed that has the potential to grow into a big tree and have branches all over eventually. The one person who can deliver the right information for what goes on the plate is the chef, ‘The Gardener’, the one who has nourished it to what it is. It’s the age of variety and segmenting guests has become more complicated than just their age. You could have the same guest sitting in a pub sipping reverse martini and the very next day be having an authentic Chettinad meal somewhere else. The segment could really be based on how adventurous a guest is. Regardless of ones origin, it is the excitement in a menu that attracts guests these days. Targeting majorly happens not just on the bases of age but Vegetarians, Non-vegetarians, Vegans, Sea Food lovers, authentic food hunters and so on. Clientele specific menus are another way of attracting and retaining guests. According to the peak hours and the kind of guests that show up, the menus are designed - to suit the particular time of the day and the appetite for
Incredible chef | October 2015
that time period too. Over a period of time bars have done innovations on the nibbles it gives along with the drinks. Small details and observations can turn the game around for any restaurant. Promotional trends also grow along with the food trends and walk together hand in hand. Glocal cuisine, Seasonal food, Organic food, Innovative food, presentation, the story behind the dishes are ways of attracting guests which are also promotional strategies for guests. Pop-ups are the new candy for all restaurants and what’s a better way for promoting a restaurant than by giving it mobility in terms of location while the parent restaurant runs parallel to it. Restaurants can also target a pool which has got the right customers. Inviting food bloggers over for reviews reaches out to the right people at the right time. Food blogging has become a sensation on the internet and holds a big influence on how many would land up eating and where. It is important for these bloggers to write the truth and nothing else and they are doing so unconditionally. Internet is and for a long time will remain the biggest ocean for promotions. Apart from regular food blogging, food reviewing sites and food oriented sites, videos of Chefs explaining their dish and teaching how to make them is taking pace. Guests do not just want to understand what they have on the plate and what can they taste on their palate, they want to know what goes on inside a chef ’s mind when he creates new dishes. Innovation has to be
Promotional trends also grow along with the food trends and walk together hand in hand. Glocal cuisine, Seasonal food, Organic food, Innovative food, presentation, the story behind the dishes are ways of attracting guests which are also promotional strategies for guests. Pop-ups are the new candy for all restaurants and what’s a better way for promoting a restaurant than by giving it mobility in terms of location while the parent restaurant runs parallel to it.
backed up by some sort of theory or a story that everyone would like to experience. If a chef has deconstructed a dish, it is necessary for the guest to understand where he picked the idea up from so that when they taste that particular dish in a restaurant, they know its purpose. The easiest way to do this is for chefs to cook online and explain simultaneously. Food enthusiasts seem a lot against monotony. A while back, consistency was (still is in many ways) very important. In this context consistency relates to tasting the same dish again and again for years together. Now, it seems like the guests have challenged chefs for pushing boundaries and recreating, inventing and innovating new dishes for them to taste. New menus will bring back old customers and attract new guests turning this into a network on its own. The question isn’t really about who to target; it is rather how? n
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Q&A with Chef Manoj Rai
"Chefs are the brand ambassadors for their restaurants' Chef Manoj Rai
How important according to you is the role of a chef in promoting a restaurant? Please elaborate. I think nowadays chefs are the brand ambassadors for their restaurants. Chefs today are creating a variety of different foods and while doing so are getting a lot of innovation in the way they are going about their activity inside the kitchen. Today, many restaurants are known for their chef as the chefs are coming out of the kitchen and talking about their skills to people.
What are the new age trends which the Chefs follow to promote their restaurant? The chef of today is thinking out of the box. They are presenting the basic local region food or any other cuisine in such a manner that is turned into a style food and is presented as a new concept. Also, improved presentation skills are making the difference. These aspects put together ensure that the guest experience is unique and thus forms a part of the restaurants promotional strategy,
Chef Manoj Rai, who was recently awarded ‘Face of the Future’ by Indian Hospitality Congress, hails from Uttar Pradesh and studied hotel management from IIAS School of Management, Goa. He has worked in Delhi NCR for almost 15 years in various hotels and restaurants and started his career as a trainee before moving up the culinary ladder to become Director Food Production with Zerruco by Zilli. During his journey he was associated with Pan India Foods, where he was heading 30 plus restaurants, and before that was Executive Chef Hotel Lebua, New Delhi. Over the years Chef Manoj has worked for some of the world’s most recognized hotel brands in India such as TGIF, Radisson Group, Jaypee Group, Claridges Group and Marriott Hotels. Chef Manoj is not only well known for his great culinary passion, he is also an adventurous food connoisseur and food blogger, who has travelled around extensively and regularly seeks the opportunity to explore different kinds of cuisines while adding on to his gourmet knowledge.
bringing in repeat customers and creating a new customer base.
Incredible chef | October 2015
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adequate? If not, what change do you feel is required? A. Yes, I think our educational system is much better when compared to a lot of other countries. Having said that, we need to change the basics in our careers growth e.g. we have to have latest technology and food system in place. That is not there at all in any colleges as far I have seen.
What are your views about the changing scenario in the culinary field? I feel that the scenario in the culinary field has changed a lot over the years. Initially we were more inclined towards bringing international brands into India, but over the last few years there has been a fantastic change, where in we have been able to develop a lot of home-grown local brands. I feel it is amazing and find it to be a positive change in the culinary scenario of our country.
My Favourites: n Favourite food - Dal chawal n Favourite restaurant – Nido, Mumbai and QBA, New Delhi n Most admired chef - Chef Vikas Seth n Most memorable guest - Mr Ambani n Favourite holiday destination - Goa n Favourite movie - DDLJ n Favourite TV Show - Mid Wickets Tails n Favourite book – Every food book Chefs have been gaining popularity in the Indian context. Do you think that Chefs of today have got the recognition that they deserve? It is true that chefs are gaining popularity in India, however, the same is limited only to a handful of chefs. Unfortunately, the recognition is only given to a few chefs who are more visible to the public through television or print media. It is important for every chef to get recognised for their talent and I have a strong belief that this is going to happen in the coming future. Do you think that the current infrastructure available in India for pursuing a career as a chef is
What according to you is the one thing which aspiring young chefs need to keep in mind to have a successful career as a chef? A. They have to learn the basics to the core and be honest to themselves. Rest all will follow. As an acclaimed Chef, do you have a dream that you want to achieve? A. Yes. I want to do something for our society and kids. I am working on it and already have things in place to start something very soon. An increasing number of Indian Chefs today are getting celebrity status. Does it add to the pressure of performance and become difficult to carry this status? It is true that there is tremendous pressure. This is primarily because people recognise you as a celebrity chef and you are expected to know everything. In addition, as a celebrity chef, one has to also look after their personal grooming sense and be presentable at all times. What message would you like to give to the community of chefs? Let's work together and tell the whole world that we bring one of strongest culture and cuisine. It is the right time for us to promote our own ancient food. n
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All About Definition of wine: Wine is an
alcoholic beverage which is normally made by the fermentation of different kind of fruits specially from grapes because the grapes has natural chemical balance, grapes ferment without the addition of sugar, any acid, enzymes, water, or other nutrients. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon-dioxide. Different types of grapes and strains of yeasts produce different types of wine in different regions. Also the quality, taste and type of wine are dependent on the special characteristics imparted by geography, geology, climate and plant genetics. Main variations for wine producing result from the very complex interactions between the biochemical development of the fruit, reactions involved in fermentation, the terroir and subsequent appellation along with human intervention in the overall process. The legally
By Chef Rajpal S. Rathore Executive Chef Golden Tulip, Jaipur
defined and protected geographical indication used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown is an appellation. The production of wine started thousands of years ago in different parts of world. The earliest evidence of wine to date was found in the Republic of Georgia, where 8,000-year-old wine jars were uncovered. Traces of wine have also been found in Iran with 7,000-year-old wine jars and in Armenia with the 6,100-yearold Areni–1winery, which is by far considered to be the earliest known winery. The earliest form of grapebased fermented drink however was found in Northern China, where archaeologists discovered 9,000-year-old pottery jars. Wine had reached the Balkans by c. 4500 BC and was consumed and celebrated in ancient Greece, Thrace and Rome. It has been consumed for its intoxicating effects through-
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out history and the psychoactive effects are evident at normal serving sizes. Wines can also be made from produce besides grapes include rice wine and innumerable fruit wines, of which some of the bestknown are Pomegranate wine, Apple wine and Elderberry wine. Wine has long played an important role in religion. Red wine was associated with blood by the ancient Egyptians and was used by both the Greek cult of Dionysus and Romans in their Bacchanalia, Judaism and also incorporates it in the Kiddush and Christianity in the Eucharist. HOW TO IDENTIFY A GOOD WINE FOR SERVE The most important part is to identify a good wine to serve to get better flavor and taste. We should remember some point when we serve the wine: 1. Structure of wine 2. Sweetness of wine 3. Tannins of wine 4. Acidity of wine 5. Body of wine 6. Aroma of wine 7. Texture of wine 8. Colour of wine
Structure - It is a broad term that
refers to the proportion of tannin and alcohol, and the acidity and sweetness of wine. Good wine is the one that offers a delicate balance between the above four components that together denote the structure of wine. Let us see below how the proportion of the above four components influences the structure of wine.
Sweetness - A wine can taste
sweet or feel dry at the other extreme. An off-dry wine is one that is somewhere between the two extremes and is semi-sweet.
Tannins - These are used in the
red variety of wine. They exist naturally in the skin of the grape fruit, in the stem, and in the seeds of grapes. A wine that has high amount of tannins is termed as astringent. One slightly less so is considered firm or hard. Yet another that contains only slight amount of tannins is termed as soft.
Acidity - There can be no wine without some acid content in it. However, the acidity of wine is a component that is of more significance in white wine than in red wine. It provides the characteristic firmness and serves as its backbone. A white wine with high acidic content is termed as crisp or even as tart. One that has lesser acid is considered soft. One that has too less acidic content is termed as flabby. Body - This characteristic in wine
is provided by the alcohol content in it. The highest content wines are termed as full-bodied and those having slightly less alcohol are known as medium bodied. Those which have even lower levels of alcohol in them are known as light-bodied wines. A full-bodied wine is as consistent as whole milk
while that has the lowest alcohol content has a body similar to skim.
Aromatics - This characteristic
of wine comes from the flavour associated with it. Aroma in wine can be multi-layered and complex. Some characteristic aromas are termed as burnt earthy, spicy, woody, fruity, floral, and many others. A wine's aroma can be strawberry-like or cinnamon-like or that akin to the smell of grass, asparagus, stewed, or rosemary.
Texture - This is the feel of the
wine while you roll it within your mouth. It can taste of particulate matter, be smooth, complex, dry, dynamic, unripe, or weighty. It can even seem irritating or harsh. With time and age, the texture of a wine changes and acquires depth and complexity.
Colour - In red wine, this is the hallmark of its age. Red wine that is new will be a deep purple and opaque. Ripening and ageing will make the colour of red wine fade away to a brown or brick red colour. You will find that Pinot Noir tends to be quite pale in colour. Unlike red wines, white wines assume a deeper hue with age. n
Incredible chef | October 2015
The art of great cooking MKN – The german specialist in professional cooking appliances
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Get the
Basics Right
1
Self Planning of a Chef It is very important thing for anyone not only for a chef, if you are not self disciplined and planned then it's very difficult to produce better results. Life is totally depend on your desires and what you have plan for your desires then how you plan your self to achieve your goal of life. • So plan your every day. • Plan your for a week. • Plan your for a month • Plan for your future • Plan for your Life
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Identification of chefs Cooking staff to get on board for the project have to be identified as per restaurant name, cuisine and dishes. A detailed review of the knowledge and the experience of the person concerned is important and at the same time one must take trial taste. Their health check up before engagement and during the term of engagement is also very important.
By Chef Nawab Alwa
Master Chef, Corporate Office, Fortune Park Hotels Ltd
Fix the name of restaurant Name is very important for every aspect, Restaurant name gives all kind of information about the cuisine, dishes, taste of the region and country. So, Select the name of restaurant perfectly.
3
Key Plan of the restaurant Make a key plan or blueprint of the entire restaurant and also check the area of parking of cars. Blueprint of restaurant makes it easy for you to understand the requirement of every area. Every specific area has their own requirement to work easily.
4
Where to fix all equipments According to key plan or blueprint, fix all equipment's as per requirement of every specific area • Kitchen • Guest sitting plan • Bar • Billing Area • Guest Service Area
5
Fixing of the cuisine to serve in the restaurant It is must to choose the cuisine. If we are not clear about the cuisine, then how will we select the dishes to serve in the restaurant?
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Menu with identification of dishes Menu of the restaurant is most important thing. Selection and identification of dishes gives strength to survive in the restaurant business. So, it is important to choose dishes according to restaurant name and cuisine and menu should not be very long or very small.
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Chef hierarchy The hierarchy of chefs starts from: • Executive Chef • Master Chef • Sous Chef •CDP •DCDP • I Commies • II Commies • III Commies • Trainees of kitchen • Kitchen stewarding persons
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. Hygiene of Chef Personal hygiene of the chef and all others involved in the kitchen and service area is very important. Regular health checkups must be undertaken.
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Hygiene of Kitchen Personal Hygiene and maintaining Hygiene of Kitchen is always very important. One must make cleanliness and maintenance schedule
Incredible chef | October 2015
of every area of kitchen, from gas burner to deep fridge all are very important.
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Raw Material Suppliers If your raw material suppliers are not good then you will not receive good quality of raw material in time for your restaurant. So, it is important to choose the best ones.
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Quality of Ingredients An experienced chef knows the value of quality Ingredients. Always check the quality of ingredients which are going to be used while cooking. It is good to
food consumed at a restaurant and it is well engraved in their memory and they want the same taste every time. So it is important that once the recipe of a dish is finalised, it is not changed. In the long run, only food taste gives name and fame to a good restaurant.
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Food Presentation Nowadays food presentation is given very high importance and in good quality restaurants it is seen that they do not change the presentation very frequently.
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Sale of Food Record Sale of food record gives you the total picture of daily, weekly, monthly and annual sale of the outlet. A comprehensive analysis of this record can help the chef compare and make new plans and targets.
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maintain the quality of the dishes for ensuring that and name of the restaurant is counted as being consistent with their food quality. So, fix the duty of a smart chef on receiving area.
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Food Taste Food taste is the ultimate factor for any chef and restaurant, Every guest remembers the taste of
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Guest Feedback on Food If we are not able to collect guest feedback about the food consumed at our restaurant, then how can we make positive changes as per our guests requirement. It is important for a chef to discuss the importance of guest feedback on food and other relevant aspects during chef briefing.
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Comments Cards Record Comments cards record gives you the total pictures of daily, weekly, monthly and annual guest complaints. It is a comprehensive way to gather all kind of information about your entire restaurant.
Favourite dishes of the guest Using the guest feedback, comment and sale of food records, a chef can plan the preparation and requirement of the number of dishes and accordingly increase or decrease the raw material purchase. In addition, the chef can know which dishes need to be highlighted in the menu and during the food festivals.
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According to Weather Food selection and eating habit of customers changes according to season. It is very important that the dishes are selected accordingly and also the ones which are popular during the season are promoted.
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Track Record For an experienced chef, it is important to keep a track record of the subordinate chefs and award them with promotion, when due. n
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Sweet Success of a Restaurant T
he restaurant business is tough. Everyone in it knows it. Everyone looking to get in it ignores it. The cold fact of the matter is that opening up a restaurant could turn out to be one of the worst investments you make with your money. Restaurant business is one of the lucrative ventures that entrepreneurs are investing in. However, it is not as easy as what you think to make the business profitable. That is the reason why it is necessary to know how profitable a restaurant can be when operated in the right manner. There are many factors that make restaurant business a profitable one. Unless you consider those factors, you cannot ensure to increase sales as well as your profits to the desired level. Generally, the main objective of running a restaurant is to let customers take pleasure with great food and at the same time have a good time. It has been observed that most people come to restaurants during special occasions while there are others who come for no reason but to enjoy the food. In this sense, restaurant
By Chef Dheeraj Singh Bhandari Compass India Support Services Pvt Ltd
is categorized as entertainment business. That is why if you want to make your restaurant profitable you should ensure to provide your guests a wonderful time, at an affordable price and consider the following factors that can help your business become profitable. Mathematics that make Restaurant Profitable The average food cost for a traditional restaurant should be around 29 to 32 percent. Typical combined costs for varying types of alcohol are slightly lower, around
21 percent. The more aware you are of these costs, the better you can set menu prices to maximize profit without charging your customers too much. Buy local, fresh food; it tastes better and is cheaper than its frozen counterparts. Work closely with your vendors to make sure you are ordering the correct amount of food to eliminate wastage and ensure cost effectiveness. One possible way is to talk to your distributors to ensure that they give you quality product at lesser price. You can also save big amount of money if you purchase and store items in bulk. In the same manner, purchasing in bulk gives you the advantage of obtaining discounts. In this way you can afford to lower the food costs without sacrificing the quality of foods and services. Training and development Your employees are your biggest expense. They should also be your biggest asset. Let’s face it - your staff is the face and the soul of your restaurant or commercial kitchen. That’s why it is important to give them the tools they need to make them your biggest money maker. The key to accomplishing this is good training. Set down standard training procedures for all new employees and carry out regular ongoing training for existing employees. Chef’s role in execution of operations • Planning menus • M aking sure food is of right quality and price and is produced on time • Managing stocks of food • C ontrolling a budget and keeping accurate records
Incredible chef | October 2015
• M anaging health and hygiene procedures • Organizing the staff duty roaster • Recruiting, training and developing staff Best Uses of Technology for Restaurants In the kitchen, you may be cooking dishes the same way your grandmother did 50 years ago — but when it comes to managing and marketing your food business, it’s worth keeping up with the times. Many new technologies are popping up that can make the restaurant ownership process easier — here’s a look at some of the apps and technologies that are sparking innovation in the quickservice restaurant world. 1. Mobile ordering Introducing a mobile app that lets customers place and pay for orders from their mobile phones can have major perks for your business. Food panda and Zomato are one of the main mob ordering app in India. 2. Mobile check-in services Many restaurants are making use of geolocation apps like Foursquare and Facebook’s ‘place nearby’ to offer special deals to customers. Oyo rooms providing tea, coffee at a click from your mobile instruments. 3. Online restaurant reservations Your customers will appreciate the opportunity to book a table in advance, using a software tool like OpenTable, SeatMe or your restaurant’s proprietary booking system, especially if you have limited seating. Such services can
Your employees are your biggest expense. They should also be your biggest asset. Let’s face it - your staff is the face and the soul of your restaurant or commercial kitchen. That’s why it is important to give them the tools they need to make them your biggest money maker. The key to accomplishing this is good training. also allow your customers to add notes, such as dietary restrictions and special occasions, which can help you give them the best possible experience. Social media Social media greatly increase awareness about your restaurant. Adding social media to your marketing mix can generate more engagement with your restaurant and get more customers in your door. It would help to make your restaurant profitable by using new technology in reaching out to your customers. This means that you should implement advertising campaign through your website. In this sense, you need to design optimized website that you can use in advertising your business. Your website should be easy to find and contain your menu, operational hours, address and phone number. Social networking sites like Facebook, Google+ and Twitter are popular among many different generations as a means of communication and information
gathering. They’re also free. This is a great way to connect with your customers through interaction, polls, and responses to reviews. Your customer is already talking about you and checking out what new restaurant they want to try next. Don’t miss the opportunity to join them. Technology to reduce mistakes and waste Point of sale and inventory software have become powerful management tools for your business in recent years. With POS system, you can: • T rack inventory and set reordering schedules • Manage employee hours and manage payroll • Track sales and identify trends, like best selling items, high margin items, and underselling dogs • Reduce waste from spoilage and ordering mistakes • Reduce shrinkage from unauthorized employee comps • Increase table turnover rates • Increase staff efficiency More than likely your restaurant already uses a POS system to manage inventory and sales. However, it’s also likely that you are not getting the most out of that technology. Most vendors have training guides designed to educate you on system features, so take the time and become an expert. Utilize your POS vendor’s website and customer support to get new updates for your POS system. Often vendors will also provide free training and tips for their software that will help you get the most out of your investment. n
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Reviews play a pivotal role in building the brand image of a restaurant I
n today’s day and age wherein prospective guests put their queries online about where to dine frequently, it is important that one’s restaurant name comes up. For restaurant menu and offerings to be highlighted on online groups, it is important that guests have unique experiences at the restaurant. Chef ’s interaction with the guests enables them to post these reviews. There are various social media platforms and they have a wide reach. Over a period of time it is also easy to assess which restaurants have been active and reviews help in building recall amongst one’s target audience. Organizations take reviews on trip advisor and the rankings on the same very seriously. As an organization, we have a mandate to reply to a guest query in a stipulated time period so internally we do the investigation in case of a guest dissonance. Restaurant’s usually have the opportunity to do service recovery so that a negative review gets avoided but in case of an irate guest, a PR call is given to the guest after he leaves the place and we try and woo them back by asking them to try us again and that we would make adequate efforts to make their experience a great one.
By Che Vaibhav Bhargava Executive Sous Chef, Sheraton, New Delhi
Who is a chef? In a layman language, chef is not just someone having general cooking knowledge; he/she has to be an individual with great experience and cooking flair. The definition of a chef has changed over the last few years because chefs have started coming as leader of the house and have taken charge for running the restaurants. A chef ’s primary role earlier was to oversee the culinary staff, place orders for culinary items and direct the overall preparation of the food which is served in the dining establishments. Chefs earlier only used to take charge of kitchen operations like preparations of meals and ingredients, final presentation, sanitary issues, creating new menus. However, now in the current scenario, chefs have taken charge as leaders to run the restaurant and are becoming the face of the restaurants, where guest come to dine and experience the meals especially created by chef. Chefs are the backbone of any restaurant as they provide culinary experience to their customers through the meal they prepare. Various activities which are done by chefs are chefs gourmet studio meal offers or chefs tasting menus which are specially crafted
Incredible chef | October 2015
for guest to experience the meal. Chefs play an important role in restaurant profitability as they try to control the cost in all possible manners which results in better bottom line. Chefs curate various activities like monthly promotions, food fests, wine dinners paired with food, tasting menus on competitive prices, restaurant weeks, good food day, etc which help in both brand recall as well as enhancing revenues. What has helped in reaching a wider audience - various food groups like Delhi Gourmet Club, Gourmet Planet, Food Talk India - which do focused dinners which could be theme-based help in highlighting a chef 's signature offerings. With new platforms like Instagram, the visual appeal of a dish holds equal importance as the taste. Chef has to pay a lot of attention in making his offerings visually appealing and creating a sensory experience for their guests. Restaurants have various offering to the segments which are very diversified in the market so each segment has their own offers - like kids will have a special menu which has some free birthday gifts attached etc. or corporate representatives are offered various discounts on presenting their business cards as banks do the tie-ups with the restaurants so that they can provide services to the customers which mutually benefit both the parties. Regular guests and loyal guests or old patrons have always been given preferences when they come and dine by providing them incentives or by giving them loyalty cards which entitles them to earn
points which result in benefits to customers. Ways of increasing profitability Various ways of increasing profitability of the restaurant are:
1
Know your operational costs well, specifically food and alcohol The average food cost for a traditional restaurant should be around 29-32%. Typical combined costs for varying types of alcohol are slightly lower, around 21%. Buy local, fresh food; it tastes better and is cheaper than its frozen counterparts.
2
Determine your role in the organization and hire appropriately Overworking yourself can easily turn that dream of owning a restaurant into a nightmare. You
can’t open the restaurant, cook the food, greet, serve, bartend, clean, run the books, and close the restaurant on your own. Make sure you have a chef, manager, bartender, and wait staff you can trust. Delegate the tasks that you don’t need to do, or don’t want to do, so you can concentrate on making your restaurant profitable and have some work/life balance.
Trending Trends of 2015
Trend #1: Guest Facing Technology The biggest trend of 2015 is turning the way customers do business with restaurants upside down. Often called front-facing technology or guest-facing technology, this new trend allows businesses to interact directly with their diners through different electronic devices and programs. Technology allows tables to turn faster by eliminating customer downtime. Technology also cuts down on employee errors while involving the guests directly in their ordering and check out. This trend also has the potential to decrease labor costs thus increasing profit margins. Trend #2: Pre-Paying for Dinner This is an interesting and intriguing trend in restaurants. These pre-paid reservations are usually non-refundable as the restaurant is getting paid before dinner. This has the capability to increase your cash flow by providing you a guaranteed table of diners. Trend #3: Tipping the Scales The no-tipping movement is gaining big momentum. Some restaurants in San Francisco have already done away with elective tipping in lieu of a 20 percent automatic service charge. Thus makes things easier for the guest and the service staff.
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3
Have a good front of house First impressions are important. Have a polite host or waitperson introduce themselves to customers and welcome them to your restaurant. Seat them quickly and use welcoming and inviting gestures. Don’t forget to open and close the door for them and thank them on their way out. Your customers deserve nothing but the best treatment and a little kindness can go a long way in terms of positive reviews.
4
Know your customer and cater your restaurant accordingly Take a good look at your surroundings and main customer base. If you have something on the menu that is not selling, re-work the dish or remove it from the menu. Catering to your
audience’s tastes can maximize revenue and turn the average newcomer into a repeat customer.
5
Create and execute a marketing plan Everyone needs to advertise! You need to get customers in the door and satisfied before you can build a good word of mouth business. There are plenty of advertising options depending on your bud-
get: TV, digital, print and radio are just a few. Try joining a local chamber of commerce. It's a great way to mingle within the community by meeting local business owners and potential customers. Operate a booth at community events and offer samples of popular menu items. Make sure everyone in town knows where to get the tastiest food and the best dining experience.
Trending Trends of 2015 Trend #4: Hot New Menu Items • Taco Mania: Mexican food began sweeping the country in 2014, and as we move into 2015, traditional tacos are taking center stage. Many chefs are incorporating tacos into their own special versions of ‘street food’. Look for unique versions of tacos using traditional and nontraditional meat, seafood and vegetarian options such as pineapple and cilantro. • Hummus, the New Salsa: Greek Yogurt topped many lists in 2014. This year, hummus is top of the list when it comes to dips, spreads or condiments. Traditionally a Middle Eastern dip, hummus has been Americanized. The humble chick pea is now decorated with unconventional items such as pumpkin, lamb, chili, artichokes, cilantro, white beans and much more. • Scrambled Eggs and Savory Pancakes: Forget fancy eggs. The egg for 2015 is scrambled and served for dinner while the pancake may be laced with ricotta or even beef. • Pickles: Consider this the restaurant version of Throw Back Thursday. Look for millennial preparation methods such
as pickling and fermenting. The trendiest pickles will be house-made with specialty vinegars and spices. • Soft Serve Ice Cream: This ‘new’ dessert will feature seasonal flavors and innovative combinations such as caramel, toffee and salt and other unique toppings. Trend #5: Liquor Goes Local In 2015, taking center stage on the liquor front is: • Artisan, locally brewed, craft beer. Craft beer is produced in small, independent microbreweries. • Locally produced wine and spirits showcased in a prominent place in restaurants. • Shareable punches – these are large ‘punch bowls’ filled with anything from Sangria to seasonal punches sold by the bowl for large groups of people. • Herbal liqueurs – these fancy drinks include flowers, spices, citrus peels, herbs and tree barks. • Locally distilled whiskey – in 2015 whiskey surpasses vodka.
Incredible chef | October 2015
6
Build a digital presence by starting a website and social media pages If you don’t already have a website, create one. Your website should be easy to find and contain your menu, hours of operation, address, and phone number. Social networking sites like Facebook, Yelp, Google+, Twitter, are popular among many different generations as a means of communication and information gathering. They’re also free. This
is a great way to connect with your customers through interaction, polls, and responses to reviews. Your customer is already talking about you and checking out what new restaurant they want to try next. Don’t miss the opportunity to join them.
7
Offer a take-out menu This is a great way to make sure your kitchen stays busy without taking up additional table space during busier hours. Generate more revenue by accessing this previously untapped market.
8
Train your staff and make sure they know your product Make sure your staff is well trained. Utilize suggestive selling to up sell appetizers, drinks, and desserts. This will enhance the overall dining experience,
Trend #6: Fast, Classy Casual Fast, casual, healthy and delicious dining is taking over. This leads to the trend of higher-end fast casual restaurants. Also leading to this new trend is the incredible shrinking lunch hour as workers need to eat quickly, but they also want to eat well. Trend #7: Seizing Sustainability One of the hottest and always-growing restaurant trends is environmental sustainability. This is a broad category, and over the years has encompassed different strategies. Composting, recycling and donating continue to trend as they meet both sustainability and social responsibility needs. Restaurants are also looking at ways to cut costs. Enter local farmers, farmers’ markets and restaurant gardens. Moving onto the scene in 2015 are housemade, farm-branded and artisanal items. Expect many restaurant branded, signature, home-grown and made-from-scratch items. The new catchwords are ‘locally-made’ and ‘locally-grown’. Handcrafted, fresh, local products are usually produced on a smaller scale and are healthier and often free of chemicals. Slowly replacing the trend toward organic, this new trend towards sustainability is becoming a symbol of trust and integrity.
increase revenue by creating a higher total ticket, and provide your staff with more tips.
9
Offer specials and coupons Everyone loves to feel as if they are getting a good deal. Offer coupons or discount cards in addition to daily specials. Try offering free or discounted items in return for writing reviews or filling out surveys online. It’s a great way to get new customers in the door and as long as their experience is great they will surely return.
10
The customer is always right Customer satisfaction is your number one priority. If a customer leaves feeling unsatisfied they may never come back and will likely share negative reviews with friends and family. If you need to, comp a meal; offer a free round of drinks or better yet, a free item and a discount card for their next visit. This ensures a great experience and entices them back to spend additional revenue. Their repeated business will be guaranteed to offset the original discount. The key to judging a restaurant’s profitability is to use the equation of total of expenses divided by average per plate cost, which gives you the amount of plates you need to sell to break even every month. n
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Brand Value of Chef = Brand I
ndian Restaurant industry is in two major structural divide: Organized and Unorganized. Unfortunately not much research is done on unorganized sector; however organized sector has always attracted investors by its steady and speedy growth which is not common phenomenon in other industries. This unusual flow of money in restaurant industry guided and inspired researchers to dig out reasoning, logics and driving force of the industry growth. These studies points out various points behind success of restaurant industry in India, they start with people’s love for food and goes on till variety of cuisines Indian subcontinent offers through its length and breadth. The Indian Food and beverage industry is growing rapidly. Data shows that the organized sector in India is growing fast and competition at least at city level is challenging investors to compete and sustain. With growing economy of the nation, people’s disposable income is also increasing and their spending on restaurant is increasing in folds. This all indicate the demand is there in market. Consumer will turn to those who promote their
By Chef Sushen Desai Auro University, Surat
Somehow branding a restaurant is a very complicated and broad term. You can brand a restaurant by style of service provided to cuisine served. But with increasing number of restaurants, it is now difficult to brand your restaurant on the basis of generic versions. The unsailed sea of branding chef seems promising.
New age trends in promoting a restaurant: What is Chef's role?
selves strategically and uniquely. Restaurants provide both tangible and non-tangible aspects of product. This makes their product complex. In few cases customer development is also required as new cuisines and cooking technique are being introduced. These factors makes marketing managers job tough or rather tricky. Restaurants somehow have similar product line, same level of service at almost same price range. The difference between them is majorly taste of food and its acceptance in local market. This is where chefs come into picture. Being chef we are the ambassadors of food and culinary art to our patrons. It’s somehow our social or professional duty to educate and develop taste of our guest for culinary excellence. Promotion of restaurant is and always has been a critical affair for managers. Today is the era of branding. Similar products of unbranded genre are not even able to compete with branded ones. Branding of restaurant is most important strategy for successful marketing of restaurant. The brand‘s name, logo, design, message or anything else that will emphasize your products and services from others. Your restaurant must be recognizable. Gone are those days when people use to communicate only with the service staff and chef or kitchen was consider back of the house. Today guest ask for specialty dish of the chef and
Incredible chef | October 2015
Value of Restaurant some also insist to meet chef. Being Chef in charge for various restaurant I had few guests (mostly termed fussy by waiters) to ask and convey their choice about food to me. Each day competition is increasing, there is no place for mediocrity and your guests have much higher requirements. Today it is not enough to have a distinctive design and to bombard clients with various promotional materials. Everyday marketing is more focused on each customer and becomes more personalized. Your restaurant must be personalized too if you want to get closer to your guests. Somehow branding a restaurant is a very complicated and broad term. You can brand a restaurant by style of service provided to cuisine served. But with increasing number of restaurants, it is now difficult to brand your restaurant on the basis of generic versions. The unsailed sea of branding chef seems promising. If restaurant owner brands his chef, a more known chef will surely increases the value of restaurant. It will be a live advertising and promoting skill set of staff will surely reflect on customer’s trust on your product which is food in our case. If a chef greets and takes feedback of food, it will provide a personal caring touch to guest and closeness with guest will result in delight and customer loyalty. Opening a new channel for communication with your
guests through chef will bring in new reading of consumer mind which can help you in building strategy. However all of this is known and also being done at few high-end places. I have also experienced chef on board in a flight almost a decade ago which turned into consumer amuse. The best example to justifying a “Chef Brand is best brand a restaurant can have” is that most of the top restaurants in world are branded by their chef ’s. I have been doing research about famous restaurants and their chefs. Somewhere between the researches while I was going through biographies of the most famous chefs, I came to some
astonishing data. Believe you me, they are not always from famous hotel or catering colleges and few are not from famous restaurants either. What I want to convey is. To become popular it is undisputed that your chef needs culinary skills, but it is not the only thing that is required. Chef is a complete person with personality, a man with strengths and weaknesses. Brand his capabilities and be assured about popularity and success of the restaurant. Be assured, people will come back to your restaurant if you offer great food and service. Behind great food there is and always will be a chef extraordinaire and his team. Chef is a live person who makes small pieces of art for your clients. Discover who that person to your guests is. Be a leader to brand your restaurant by branding your chef. With planning and by this goal can fit into your business strategy. n
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Bhoj
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October 2015 | Incredible chef
The Traditional Feast of Bihar
T
he cuisine of Bihar is characterized by its use of locally available ingredients. The use of hand-picked vegetables and freshly crushed spices is the hallmark of this cuisine. Wheat and rice are the staple food. Vegetables and fruits are grown in abundance and consumed in different ways. Maize, barley, gram, oilseed and pulses are important crops. Milk products, various dehydrated items (known as barriers), roasted chana powder (sattu), fresh water fish, poultry and mutton are also consumed. The traditional cooking medium is mustard oil, but ghee, vanaspati and other cooking oils are also used. The food habits of Bihar are an indication of how the cuisine of the State has evolved over centuries under the influence of various cultures and regimes that controlled it from time to time. Lord
By Shakesh Singh
Asst. Professor, BCIHMCT, Kalkaji, New Delhi Buddha attained enlightenment in Bihar and hence the impact of Buddhism is significant in the State. People of Bihar are largely vegetarian though many are fond of chicken, fish and meat dishes. As Bihar has also been under the reign of the Mughals, there is an obvious influence of the exotic
Mughal cuisine on the cooking style and culinary tastes of its inhabitants. Though the State has imbibed the best of the Gupta, Mauryan, Turk, Afghan, Persian and European styles of cooking, it has retained a food culture that has the distinct features of Bihar’s cuisine. One of its distinct features is the Bhoj - The Traditional Feast of Bihar Bhoj is not a simple meal but a ceremony. The bhoj is the feast or the banquet of Bihar. Traditionally, guests sit on a carpeted floor and the food is served by the hosts and their relatives and friends. Bhoj is a fine dining experience and proceeds in the following steps. Step 1: Setting up the Cover A special plate made from dried leaves (pattal) and an earthen glass (kullarh) is laid out in front of each guest ― though today this kullarh is being replaced with different types of glasses. As the food is eaten with one’s hands, no cutlery is provided. Step 2: Serving of Water Water is poured into the kullarhs from water jugs, traditionally known as a lotta (a round vessel made from different metals and alloys). Once the water is served, people wash their hands and
Incredible chef | October 2015
sprinkle a little water on the pattal as a symbolic cleaning, although the pattals are well soaked and washed beforehand. Step 3: Serving of Condiments & Accompaniments There is no cruet set, but salt and green chillies are the first things that occupy their place on the pattal. This is followed by salad, chutneys, raita (called ratoba), achar, papad and chanories. Step 4: The Serving of Food Food service generally starts with the vegetable preparations and the saag (dried preparation from leafy vegetables) served on the left side of the plate making an arc and leaving the central right side for the breads (mostly poori or kachori) and rice followed by the non-vegetarian dishes (if it is there in the menu). Step 5: The Beginning or the Toast Raising Once the bread is served to everyone, the guests start their meal after a small prayer. When the guests are through with their breads then the rice or pulao is served. This is followed by dal that is either served on top of the rice or in a separate bowl (katori) made from the same leaf.
There are some occasions when breads are not served and the rice takes the central position and the guests make a small well in it. The dal is served in this well and it is topped with a spoon of pure ghee. This ghee is also called pavitri, meaning pure. This is actually the Toast Raising for the Ceremony. As it is sacred, one doesn’t take a second helping of the ghee (as it is considered to be jhoota). Step 6: Further Helpings/Parshan When the guests are having their food, the serving people (mostly the relative and friends of the hosts) start a continuous serving of second and further helpings. It’s really fascinating to be a part of this feast, and if not, to at least be an observer. The service brigade comes announcing the name of each dish and the guest who wants that dish gives an indication. They serve the guest with the help of a spoon or ladle without touching the plate.
Step 7: The Serving of Dessert There is no fixed sequence for the dessert; more or less it is served as a part of the main course, though it comes a little later. Most often it comprises of rasgulla, kala jamun, jalebi, boondi, ladoo, or a variety of burfies. The number of sweets served is a true indicator of the standard of the bhoj. Step 8: The Last Helping of Curd This is another unique feature of bhoj; they finish their meal with curd. There is a ritual of serving a small portion of rice before serving the curd (called as dahi ka bhaat). So, after the last serving of rice, curd with sugar is offered. Step 9: Concluding the Meal There are different age groups of guests sitting and eating together and there are people with different chewing abilities and obviously there are people with different belly sizes. Traditionally, the meal is concluded together even though some may have finished early. People get up and go to wash their hands outside. Then the hosts remove the plates and clean up the area to make the place ready for the second group of guests. This cycle continues till everyone has eaten. n
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Official Magazine
Media Kit 2015 Officia
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The Indian Culinary Forum (ICF), formed as an exclusive nonprofit organisation, is an association of professional chefs dedicated to enhancing the culinary art in the country and supports the effort of chefs in achieving this though a whole spectrum of activities and programmes. Incredible Chef, is a quarterly magazine of ICF, showcasing their activities and incorporates write-ups by renowned National and International Chefs on various industry trends.
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Circulation Incredible Chef Magazine has a limited print circulation of about 2,000 copies among its members and other industry leaders and decision makers relevant to the culinary field of Norther Region of India. With an online database of over 50,000 culinary related professionals, Incredible Chef is circulated in its e-version throughout India and in the overseas markets among Chefs, General Managers, F&B Managers, Purchase Managers of major hotels, standalone Restaurants, Hospitality, Travel and Tourism and other related professionals.
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