'Mumbai, Meri Jaan'

Chef

Gary Mehigan

Celebrity chef and the face of Masterchef Australia, a television series he was a part of for 11 seasons, Gary Mehigan, probably has more fans in India than anywhere else in the world. And he, too, loves this country, its “incredible food” and, of course, “its people”. We catch up with him in New Delhi, during a three-city tour to conduct masterclass sessions with chef Pooja Dhingra in Bengaluru, Mumbai and the capital. Mehigan's just returned from a 10-day Nagaland trip, attending the Hornbill Festival.

While it is extremely interesting to talk about food and learn about his rich and varied culinary experiences through India, what we love about Mehigan the most is his humility and his “love” for India, especially Mumbai. According to him, Mumbai is the “New York of India but far more exciting”. He’s been to the city more than 15 times and knows it well. It was also the first Indian city that he visited in 2010 and he can't forget the experience. Keeping that in mind, his advice to travellers, especially those coming from abroad, and visiting Mumbai for the first time, is to “go with an open mind and just soak it all in”. He says, “As you drive away from the airport, wind the window down – take in the smell, the humidity and the salty air. It’s a total assault on the senses but it just awakens something within.”

The chef has read Shantaram, a highly-acclaimed book based on Mumbai by Australian author Gregory David Roberts. “It is a white person’s account of the city, which will always be different from a local perspective. But when I read it, the experiences felt tangible,” he shares.

Over the years, Mehigan has travelled in local buses and auto-rickshaws, and has tried to experience the city in its “entirety”. “Mumbai's pulse is distinct from any other city in the world,“ he adds. He has noticed its changes and is very curious about how it will transform over the next 100 years!