The Jamshedpur-born British based Michelin starred chef, Atul Kochhar was a particularly chuffed Londoner recently, as he met someone he admires immensely. No, it was not Her Majesty The Queen, which he incidentally met at a private dinner honouring India a few weeks ago, or his tete-a-tete’s with royalty as brand ambassador and hands-on mentor of the Princes’ Charities! It was meeting head honcho Ratan Tata.
Almost jumping with joy, it was endearing to see an acclaimed chef who has taken Indian cuisine to the world, recollect, “The most recent memorable invitation was from Her Majesty the Queen. I didn’t cook but was a guest and was meeting Her Majesty again (the seventh or eighth time). I do cook for her husband and Prince Charles from time to time, though I don’t think her majesty likes Indian food. The biggest pleasure was to meet Ratan Tata. Just saying hello to Mr Tata was memorable. I was born in Jamshedpur and have massive nostalgia towards the city. He was also intrigued, talking to me. I told him I was a third generation ‘Tatapurian’ and unfortunately, I couldn’t get a job with Tata (sic), so I had to leave the country. He laughed saying, ‘That is such a shame!’ I even received an email from him later on how nice it was to have met me.”
We know Kochhar’s Benares imbues eclectic Indianness in London, and now in the city for a pop-up road show, Atul will showcase a three-pronged menu from Lima, NRI and Benares for city foodies April 7 to 9 at the Ritz Carlton. Known to celebrate his Indian leanings, he has surprisingly, now gone Brit too! Kochhar was scouting London’s borough Amersham when he was invited to a 16th century building, a hotel now, to start a new restaurant. Suddenly, the Indian Essence chef found himself creating ‘propah’ Brit food. “I made my name with Indian food, do they really want me to do British food? Having lived here 25 years, they thought I should give it a try, so I took a month to think, spoke to my wife, the main lady. It has opened to good critical acclaim. I have kept it core and old school. We are also opening NRI in Birmingham this year,” says Atul.
The evergreen cricket fan is busy getting the ingredients for his food sojourn here, though he has IPL tickets in his pocket… unfortunately, he won’t get to use them, as he will be busy with a delectable ode to his foodography, Atul explains, “I was in the city in November for a private dinner, and loved it. Anupam Banerjee, the executive chef is a close friend, we were college mates at Oberoi School. With Lima, since Peruvian food has not made its debut, we will showcase Peruvian. For NRI, the story will encompass a diaspora link and for Benares, food that has been celebrated for 14 years will showcase what I have taken away and embellished, I hope,” he says.
The chef has his favourites and is a sucker for Thai food. “In London when I have the money I go to Patara on Maddox Street, the days when I don’t have money I go to Busaba,” he says, in jest surely, we ask? He laughs. And this chef does not like sharing Thai, so he goes alone! His daughter is quite the baker, and “very good” while his Arjun son is seriously into eating! “When we got married, Deepti didn’t know how to cook, now she is great. Back then, she came armed with two notebooks, dowry mien yeh hi mila tha, she would hide it and cook, and I found it one day!” adds Atul. The twice Michelin starred chef does not feel that India is ready for such a guide as there is no national cuisine (but many). Also process and consistency are deterrents. “There is some goalah selling meat. After 70-plus years, India has brought in butchery and abattoir laws now. We have to evolve, it won’t happen in my lifetime, or it might…” he adds. About the molecular wave, he says, “I’ve been barking mad about it, ‘why are you guys smoking and throwing ice and liquid nitrogen? Some ask, why NRI does not have it? Or what is the magic you are gonna show? I am a chef, not a magician! Something like Masala Library has serious good food, that’s the way forward, liquid nitrogen is not taking us anywhere!” We tend to agree!
