For the last 20 years, chef Sanjeev Kapoor has been the most prolific TV chef in India, a country of almost 1.25 billion people, which, combined with his unassuming demeanour, has made him something of a household name. We caught up with him at the opening of Signature by Sanjeev Kapoor at Melia hotel in Dubai, the first in Sanjeev’s new collection of fine-dining Indian restaurants.
What is it about Indian cuisine that has made it so popular all over the world?
The uniqueness lies in a few important things. One is the blend of spices we use in one single dish. There are so many different elements that keep unfolding layer after layer. Secondly, India is a large country with a large number of styles and cuisines. India is really more than 20 countries in one, and yet people generalise its cuisine as ‘Indian food’. People see it as one culinary style.
Does your modern style of cooking rouse opposition among traditionalists?
Not really. I balance it well, so I’m not making the food so cutting-edge that you don’t know what it is. It is not deconstructed Indian food. I wouldn’t say I am trying to make it better, I am just trying to make it relevant to today’s diners.
What is the project you have been working on with India’s Ministry of Tourism?
This is a longstanding project I have been doing for quite some time. There is a lot of written material related to cuisine in India, and a lot of things have been lost over time. These take the form of hand-written manuscripts, books and other articles. Some are written in languages that we don’t understand anymore. It’s not just about dishes or recipes – it could be materials related to diet or foods that have medicinal properties. We are currently collecting data and trying to collate it and digitise it and trying to understand.
What is the ultimate goal?
I think it will be ongoing but I will tell you how it started. If you don’t lay claim to a national dish, it can be taken from you. Take curry for example. Japan laid claim to it in 1999. Or take Basmati rice. Until about three years ago, India was fighting about 42 cases against other countries that claimed ownership of Basmati rice. I know for a fact that many old texts have left India and gone to other countries and been translated into those languages, and now ownership of some dishes has been claimed by those countries. I don’t want that to happen. If I can contribute in a small way, I must try.
How do you think food is changing the way we travel?
I think food is the second most important reason for people to choose a destination. I’d love to say the most important, which perhaps it is in some destinations. Take Goa in India. You might say that Goa is all about the nice golden beaches. But if Goan beaches were without the seafood served in beach shacks, it would not be Goa. So for me, food would definitely feature in the top two reasons for people to travel.
What is your top foodie destination?
Outside India it would be Spain and Thailand. Spain is very focused on its ingredients. I feel that Iberian ham is much better than Parma ham, for example. I also love the passion they show for simple things like tomatoes picked in season. Very few other places would have that. Thailand is so contrasting; the textures, the smells, the tastes, and also the sense of finesse. It’s amazing.
You are India’s first celebrity chef…
Unfortunately we haven’t had too many in India so that is why we are now in the process of creating many more. In some sense I have monopolised this for the last 20 years.
How famous are you in India? Do you have hordes of women chasing you?
Yes, I do. But it’s ok.
