He also spoke of food preferences being a personal choice that should not be politicised
Celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor who is slated to arrive in Kolkata on May 26 for a book launch, a cooking class session and a shoot, told DNA that he was concerned about the carcass meat scam that had unearthed in West Bengal.
“It is cheating and an unpardonable offence. Those guilty should be punished accordingly,” he said.
Kapoor was scheduled to visit some of the famous biryani eateries in Kolkata for his show, but after the scam was unearthed, he said he had to be careful of the eateries that were visited.
He also expressed his dissatisfaction over politics around food habits. “Eating something is a matter of choice and preference of one person. If there is a societal and governmental norm and I feel that it is wrong, I will be the first one to break it,” he said.
When questioned about the beef ban, Kapoor chose to not comment, but said that politicians would do anything for their political benefit.
Kapoor had recently been in the eye of a cyber storm when he was severely trolled for his experimental ‘Malabar Paneer’. Netizens alleged that the Malabar cuisine was only prepared out of fish, chicken or beef. Taking it as ‘part of life’ he said, “I was sad and disappointed over the unwanted controversy but I have not tried to defend myself amidst all the allegations because I know I have not done anything wrong. My father had once told me not to waste my energy in trying to pull people down. Let them think what they do. When I was planning the menu of Singapore Airlines, I put in Bengali dishes. There, for variety I put ‘Paneer Paturi’ as an alternative of ‘Fish Paturi’ a signature Bengali delicacy. That took Bengali dish to vegetarians from across the world. How will we grow if we don’t innovate?” he said.
In his own culinary style, he cited the example of red chilli powder and black pepper to describe the evolution of food. “Food travels and breaks all political boundaries. Black pepper is purely indigenous and grown widely in Kerala. Yet it is not used every day in the kitchen but red chilli powder which has come from another country is used every day. The use of mustard seeds is typical in Bengali dishes. Should we ban its use in other states?” he asked.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Sanjeev Kapoor")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}