When master chef Jiggs Kalra let 'DNA' into his mind

His passion towards Indian food is no secret. Jiggs Kalra, master chef and food consultant, lets DNA into his mind…

Do you see a distinct difference in the way Bangalore perceives North Indian food, as compared to the other states?
Bengaluru, as we know it today, is still evolving as far as the culinary scene is concerned. The city has much to offer, however, today it is known more for its pub and rock culture than for food. The region sure has a huge demand for cuisine from the Northern part of the country, which is largely due to the influx of a major population from the region. The people here, like Mumbai, are daring and hence, we are witness to an increase in the concept of dining-out in the city.

How has North Indian food changed over the years in India? Are we losing the traditional touch and becoming modernised?
The culinary scene across the country has generally witnessed a paradigm shift in recent years. Earlier, one would find a major demand for non-vegetarian food, as compared to today, where people have become extremely health-conscious and hence, an increase in demand for vegetarian fare. In fact, at Punjab Grill by Jiggs Kalra, we have taken extra care to ensure that we cater equally to our vegetarian patrons. The menu has close to 60% vegetarian dishes on it, ensuring that we do not neglect the preferences of our guests. The oily, fatty food have been replaced with normal, better, thinner gravy, where one can dip the breads and relish the bites with all flavours exploding in the mouth, giving a fulfilling and satisfying feel to one’s dining experience.
 
You have recently been inducted in the International Food & Beverage Gourmet Hall of Fame. Tell us a little about it.
The International Food & Beverage Gourmet Hall of Fame is headquartered in Las Vegas, USA, and has an independent jury, which shortlists an array of personalities from the international hospitality industry each year. As an extremely rare case, a non hospitality person like me, who has never had any formal education in the field has been bestowed with such an honour, making me the first Asian to be inducted into this prestigious society. I am humbled by such an honour.

You have helped establish many landmark restaurants. How difficult is the business of setting up restaurants in the country?
I have always laid a lot of emphasis on the food being served by the restaurant, having researched on the cuisine for years, taking inputs from Ma’s and Grandma’s recipes, discussing with an array of housewives on the recipes and styles of preparing various dishes to eventually narrowing down on standardising the recipes, later incorporated in the menus of many of the restaurants I have helped establish. I believe, half the battle is won, once the recipes are standardised. The rest involves hunting the right talent, training them and sharing with them the knowledge and standard recipes, which if done the right way, can’t go wrong. However, I’m also a strong believer in the thought that one can’t work on the concept of andaaza in the art of cooking; it is essential to measure each ingredient and keep them ready before the cooking process begins.

Tell us about Punjab Grill — what are the highlights of the restaurant?
Punjab Grill by Jiggs Kalra was first established with a vision of serving traditional cuisine from the erstwhile Punjab Province (India and Pakistan). We have with us vast experience in the hospitality industry and bring to well-travelled connoisseurs of food a wide array of innovative dishes, which have never been tried in Punjabi cuisine. Over the past three years and six successful restaurants later, we can confidently say that we are more than just any other Butter Chicken serving establishment. Additionally, we have also innovated and developed new dishes incorporating ingredients such as the duck, salmon, etc, which, traditionally, are not part of North Indian cooking. We have retained the essence of the ancient forms of cooking, which got lost over centuries to development and technology.

Could you shed some light on what the international food business thinks of Indian gourmet cuisine? What can Indian chefs do to promote our own cuisines?
Unfortunately, we haven’t done much to promote the cuisine that we have all grown up on. The international community doesn’t know much about our food and personally, I think we are to be blamed for it. Most of them feel that our food tastes the same, whether it’s cauliflower or chicken or fish or lamb — to them it’s all the same.

It is imperative for us to serve and place different dishes separately while dining, even at home, instead of making a mess with all the dishes placed on the same place. These let the palate experience and differentiate between various flavours and dishes and hence, lead to a wholesome dining experience.