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Govardhan's delicacies bowl over star cricketers Down Under

Gaga over GoGo | Govardhan Govindha Rajulu once air-freighted 200 of his signature spiced lamb chops from Perth to Mumbai for Sachin Tendulkar

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Govardhan Govindha Rajulu will go to any extent to make his friends happy. In 2004, he air-freighted 200 of his signature spiced lamb chops from Perth to Mumbai. "That's how I am. And my friends love me for that," says the Perth-based restaurateur who was born in Trichy, grew up in Chennai, went to college in Mumbai, and 'cooked up' a storm in New Delhi and Tokyo before settling down in Australia in 1995.

For the record, the friend who requested for those chops answers to the name of Sachin Tendulkar.

Over the years, GoGo — that's how everyone knows him — has catered to the needs of the Indian and Australian cricket teams. That apart, his delicacies have prompted footballing superstars like Paulo Maldini and Roberto Mancini, and swimmer Ian Thorpe to lick their fingers.

"That was in 1996, I think," he says of the visit of Italian giants AC Milan and Sampdoria to Perth, adding, "It was a pre-season tour. They were put up at the hotel where I was the chef. So, I ended up cooking for Italian footballers." Both teams were so impressed that they recommended GoGo to the powers that be at the Italian sports council. A couple of years later, the Italian swimming contingent got him on board for the world championships. "By the time they got to Perth for the two-week-long event, the organisers asked me to cater to the dietary requirements of all 16 participating teams," GoGo recalls fondly.

As one thing led to another, GoGo quit his job with the hotel group and went solo. "Today, I own four restaurants," he says with a hint of pride. And why not? GoGo's Madras Curry House, on Beaufort Street, is a celeb-spotting joint. Otherwise, it's a storehouse of memorabilia. Step in and you are left awestruck with the number of jerseys, batting gloves and pictures adorning the walls. From Tendulkar to Ponting, Dravid to Laxman, Warne to Strauss, every other international cricketer who's played at the WACA in the last 15 years has visited his restaurant. How couldn't they? After munching on his food in the dressing room, they would long for more at dinner time. Naturally, they would head straight to his curry house.

GoGo counts himself lucky on several fronts. "I think I was the only Indian to have lifted the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2012," he says with a giggle. But not everything about GoGo is fun-filled. Back in 2008, when India beat Australia at the WACA, things were not so good. "There was a lot of bad blood due to the Monkeygate issue," he recalls. "But after the game, both teams ended up coming over to my restaurant for dinner. It wasn't planned." The tension was palpable, but nothing silly happened. "A few years later, I was happy to see Bhajji (Harbhajan Singh) and Symmo (Andrew Symonds) play together for the Mumbai Indians. I made it a point to click a picture with them," he says.

GoGo's dream is to own a restaurant in Mumbai. "I want it to be one of a kind. Given that I cater to sports-persons, I know what's best for them. Similarly, I want my patrons to know what they are eating. From the composition of the food, to the calorie count, I want to break everything down in a scientific way." Did he say Mumbai? Tendulkar will certainly be there to help him out.

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