Price, produce, parmesan: Inside Chef Manish Mehrotra’s culinary journey

Hell’s kitchen: When I became a chef, I was a bit of a taskmaster. But with age, I have mellowed. Ten years ago, I used to throw pans [in the kitchen], but now I don’t. The industry is changing; the environment in the kitchen is changing; and it is a good change. But while I am a taskmaster, I feel that kind of discipline is needed. People come with high expectations and you have to meet those expectations or exceed them.

Dream table: If I had to choose an ideal guest list, it would include Amitabh Bachchan, Julia Roberts, MS Dhoni, chef Rick Stein, Jagjit Singh and my daughter, Adah.

Price point: I was in Japan for two weeks and tried some of the best restaurants there. Two and three Michelin star rated ones. Very, very expensive meals. At one restaurant, I paid Rs 63,000. But the most expensive meal I had was in Macau at a three-star restaurant named
Dome. For two people, I paid Rs 96,000. Honestly, it was good, but not extraordinary. I have had better meals.


In my fridge: The most expensive ingredient in my fridge right now is real parmesan — Parmigiano Reggiano. You don’t get that in India; I got it from the UK.

Value added: The most valuable ingredient, something I really enjoyed working with, is Kobe A5 Wagyu. It’s pure joy in terms of texture and absorbing flavour. It’s perfect and the fat content is amazing too. I worked with it in Singapore and New York.

Overrated, underrated: I would say truffles, especially truffle oil, is the most overrated ingredient. In India, we have a habit of overdoing things. Like we had the molecular gastronomy trend, and everybody started using liquid nitrogen. Now, truffles have become so overburdened that even neighbourhood pubs are serving truffle risotto and truffle fries.

An underrated ingredient, especially in North India, is coconut. It’s one of my favourites because it is very versatile. You can use it in drinks, starters, main courses, desserts and snacks.

Wish list: One ingredient that’s very popular globally but not in India is sea urchin. I love it. In Japan, I ate a lot of sea urchin on the streets. I enjoy the delicateness of the flavour. It’s like the sea in your mouth. The best part is its mix of sweet and buttery.

World of weird: I have eaten scorpion, tarantula, reindeer, frog legs and kangaroo. I’ve eaten all sorts of rubbish, more for being daring than the flavour of it. There is nothing I regret eating. I’ve eaten because I travel, so I got a chance to eat all these things.

Most demanding meal: I was once in charge of a raw vegan meal for guests at a wedding function. It was challenging because the ingredients had to stay at a particular temperature. Vegan on its own is fine, but raw vegan in Indian cuisine was quite a challenge.

My inspirations: Travel and books. I’m still not an internet guy. I do research online, but I still trust books and my travel more. Thailand, China and Japan have inspired me a lot. During a recent trip to Japan, I’ve seen a few things which I really want to incorporate in my style. Mexico too has been a real inspiration — their cuisine, flavours, the way they use chilies, inspired me to use chilies not just for spiciness, but for their flavour too.

What’s next: At the moment, nothing. I am taking a break. Not only for Diwali but for Christmas as well. But I’m not retired. I am going to do something. What that will be, I don’t know myself.