Puneet Arora, India's only supersonic chef, prepares exotic dishes, but craves for rajma, channa and ma ki dal.
Puneet Arora, India's only supersonic chef
AGE: 31.
CUISINE KING: Puneet began his culinary journey at the Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai, then went on to the Taj Samudra, Sri Lanka, followed by the Emirates Towers, Dubai, and now works with Noon Foods, London.
Producing 170,000 ready meals a day for over 200 different products is no mean feat he’ll have you know. “We cook 800 kgs of sauce and use 6 tonnes of chicken. When you come home, you smell of food!”
FEATHERED CAP: Puneet has many accolades including International Chef of the Year (2002) where he beat 6,000 applicants. “I’ve also won the best biryani recipe, and recently, I’ve been nominated as one of the top 3 development chefs in the UK.”
BOWLED OUT: In Sri Lanka, Puneet was given the responsibility of the finicky Australian team’s catering. “It went off very well and I’ve got thank you letters from the Australian High Commission and team manager, which I cherish.” He adds, “I’m a major cricket fan!”
SHEIK SHAKE-UPS: In Dubai, Puneet was personally responsible for Crown Price Sheik Mohammad’s meals. 40 minutes notice from the palace and they had to get 30 items ready.
“The prince’s meals are accompanied by Beluga caviar served with blinis. In my kitchen we’d run out, so I went to the oyster and caviar bar on the 22nd floor to get them. On my way back, the elevators got stuck and I had to run down 20 floors! The next day I had a crooked walk but at least I wasn’t deported for sending the food late.”
SUPERSONIC SMARTY: Puneet is the first in the world to work on the concept of supersonic cooking, which involves steam pressure and cooks food thrice as fast. “It’s so quick that 800 kgs of korma that take an hour-and-a-half to cook can be cooked in 15 minutes. I’ve been working closely with the engineers of Formula 1 racing from Jaguar to develop this.”
RAJMA RULES: “I love home-cooked food. Before my flight lands in India, I give my mom a list,” says the North Indian Punjabi. “I crave rajma, channa and ma ki dal.”
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: “I’ve given myself five years to open a restaurant in Mumbai and then branch out. Although I’m settled in the UK, it would be my contribution to the city I was born in.”
v_shabana@dnaindia.net
){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}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}