Australian celebrity chef and TV host Gary Mehigan is not new to India and its food. He understands the Indian palette, knows how to make kachoris, and how kebabs are prepared. He knows where to get the best pav bhaji, mutton nihari, kathi roll, and laal maas. Give him a plate full of biryani and he will tell you the difference between Hyderabad’s popular kachchi and pakki biryani and can very well teach you making Kerala’s famous dish moilee. He knows Indian music and loves Aamir Khan and wants to prepare some South Indian dishes for Narendra Modi. Clearly, Gary’s bond with the country has grown manifold. “You have such incredible landscapes here, so much to discover, and the people are just wonderful. The contacts list in my phone now has an array of Indian names from my travels, many of whom I have become good friends with,” begins the chef who is in the city for an eggless pastry masterclass in collaboration with Conosh.
Creating magic with Indian Masalas
As someone who is an avid traveller, Gary navigates through a new city or a country with a lot of research. Since his first visit to India in 2012, the chef has come to the country so many times that Indian spices have found a permanent space in his kitchen cabinet back home. “I have loads of them. Coriander, Cumin, Turmeric, Cardamom, Fenugreek, you name it, I have it,” says the MasterChef Australia judge. Did you try experimenting with Indian food in your kitchen? “Yes, I think I have just about tried it all. I do love making Indian breads,” Gary shares.
Knowing his passion for food and different spices, one wonders when his passion for culinary began. “My grandfather was a chef but it was my father who pointed out that I have an inclination toward cooking and asked me to speak to my grandfather. I wanted to be a fireman or a jet fighter pilot or an architect but I had no patience to be any of them. He nurtured me a little and then I got a job in a local hotel,” the chef recalls. He started working as a waiter and then washed pots and peeled vegetables, “This gave me entry into the kitchen and saw what chefs were doing. It was creative and I knew I wanted to do that.”
Food, wine, conversation
While the term food, he believes, is very hard to compare between Indian experience with Australia, the chef agrees that both countries are fond of the texture of the food. “We both love the crunchy texture in our food. The beauty of travelling to different countries is getting to experience the food they share, and the history of that,” he says and adds that he is obsessed with Indian tandoor and Indian breads.
Apart from being a celebrity chef, restaurateur, food reality show judge, and author, Gary also hosts a podcast. When asked how he balances all different mediums along with his travels, he says, “Being a chef is like living in a pressure cooker, with long hours of prep and then the thrill of the service. But similar in that they are all creative expressions.” But he loves experimenting with food in his kitchen.
“At heart, I just love great ingredients cooked well with love and passion. Nothing can quite beat the right dish at the right time and place. Good food, wine, and conversation,” gushes the chef in conclusion.
Gary Mehigan’s Seven starters
How far have you travelled to eat good food?
24 hours on an aircraft is probably the furthest, but I would happily drive for hours to experience a great restaurant or Café.
Three people you would like to invite to your table
Barack Obama, Narendra Modi, and comedian Billy Connolly.
And what would you serve them?
Hard to say, it will depend on where, when, the weather, and the season….. But it would be cooked with heart and generously served.
What do you think is the latest food trend?
So much on Tik Tok and Instagram. I did see a place called Folderol which is serving Wine and Ice-Cream, and their Olive Oil Ice-cream is apparently amazing.
What is the next big cuisine?
If I knew that, I would be doing it myself, and not sharing!! (laughs)
One Indian dish you love the most?
I love a great curry or Dosa. I can’t choose, it’s like choosing your favourite child.
Your favourite restaurant in India
Indian Accent in Delhi
