WONG:
Better quality meat, fish and vegetables could very well put London ahead of any Indian city when it comes to high end Indian food.
World renowned London-based Michelin star Indian chef, Atul Kochhar said
Indian needed to reform and reorganise its farming industry, so consumers and
caterers had reliable access to fresh produce.
STORY:
Watch out – be warned! Chefs in India could lose their cutting edge in preparing top quality Indian food to chefs in London.
Atul Kochhar is one of the few Michelin star Indian chefs. He warns that if India’s farming industry is not reorganised – London will become the center of Indian cuisine in terms of quality.
[Atul Kochhar, Owner, Benares Restaurant]:
“It’s not because of lack of good skill, or lack of good spices. It’s purely because of lack of excellent ingredients. India doesn’t have excellent ingredients in terms of fish, meat or vegetables.”
Kochhar is the head chef and owner of Benares – a high-end Indian restaurant in the exclusive Mayfair area of central London.
Back in 2001 Kochhar became the first Indian chef to be awarded the highly coveted Michelin star. Kochhar is looking to return to India and open up restaurants. His biggest worry however is getting a regular supply fresh food.
[Atul Kochhar, Owner, Benares Restaurant]:
“How will get the best produce India has to the restaurants and to the tables of my guests. The lamb farming has to be niche. The goat farming has to be niche. The vegetable farming has to be amazingly good. All those things are there, but there is no organized effort.”
London is home to five Michelin star Indian chefs, New York has one. And there is no reason why more Indian chefs or restaurants in this city will be awarded Michelin stars in the near future given that the reputation of high end Indian food is growing.
[Atul Kochhar, Owner, Benares Restaurant]:
“There are more people traveling to India right now. there are more people conducing business with indians. they are trying to understand the culture and cuisine better now. hence the recognition.”
Kochhar says the corner curry house which churns unique English scorchers such as ‘chicken tikka masala’, or ‘balti chicken’ – are on the decline.
[Atul Kochhar, Owner, Benares Restaurant]:
“It was never an authentic cuisine. I call that British Indian food – because that’s how brutish people liked it. That’s why they were cooking it and thats why it went on for so long.”
The curry house will always be part of the British landscape. But with changing tastes – its high end and expensive Indian food that is on the rise.
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