BENGALURU : What’s your most favourite ingredient to work with?
Raw fishes are my favourite ingredients.
If not a chef, what would have been your alternate career option
I have high regards for architects. I would have chosen that path if not a chef.
Do you also cook at home? If no, why? If yes, what is your go-to dish that you prepare at home?
I usually cook at home only for Friday dinners (Shabbat) whenever I am at my hometown. Rest of the time my schedule does not allow me to cook at home.
Do you give cooking tips to your mother and/or wife? How do they react?
My first and most important cooking inspiration is my mother. I have learned our traditional dishes from her. Hence, I don’t interfere when she cooks. In case she likes any of my dishes, then I share the recipe with her.
What are your hobbies, apart from cooking?
Music and driving.
Do you watch cooking shows/reality shows? If yes, which shows and contestants are your favourites?
I don’t watch TV until there is a football match airing.
What’s your family’s most favourite dish that you prepare?
Tabbouleh Cauliflower, which I have introduced at Layla (The Den) 8.
If it were your last day on earth, where and what would you love to eat?
That would be fresh sea urchin. The place has to be Sushi Yasuda, NYC.
What’s been your worst/funniest kitchen incident?
Once, I was making special 20kg bread and I completely forgot to add salt in the mixture. It turned out to be awful and the entire process had to start from the scratch again.
Any famous personalities you’d like to cook for? Why them? What would you cook for them?
Yes, I was fortunate to do that. I was invited to cook for Neil Armstrong, the first astronaut on the moon. It was a multi-course dinner and I was honoured to hear that he relished a fish course that I had prepared with wild mushroom tea.
How is Mediterranean cuisine different from other cuisines?
Mediterranean cuisine is not the product of a specific ethnic group or culture. It’s the culinary trends shared by a diverse array of peoples that live in the region around the Mediterranean Sea. Our cuisine is different because of the apparent health benefits of a diet-rich in olive oil, wheat and other grains, fruits, vegetables, and a certain amount of seafood, but low in meat and dairy products. We use less fat in our cooking and flavour is the aspect of our dishes.
– Consultant Chef Roy Soffer of Layla, The Den