Inder Singh or the sobriquet, Jiggs Kalra donned many hats –gastronome, author, food critic, restaureteur, all of which earned him the well deserved moniker, ‘Czar of Indian cuisine’. In a career traversing five decades where he wooed Indian food, he leaves behind a legacy that will remain unsurpassed and unparallel for a long time to come.
For those who spent their lazy Sunday sprawled in front of the television when Doordarshan was the only option for entertainment in the early 90s, a charmingly jovial Sardarji maneuvered his way into our hearts like the Pied Piper through Dawat – India’s first recipe show. As his hands moved deftly with haldi, mirchi, chicken, dal, cream – ingredients readily available in any kitchen, he imbued confidence on the other side of the screen that one does not need to be a chef to cook. The best part: of the varied shades that made Kalra the authority that he was on food, he was not a trained chef.
“He was a prolific writer, a great foodie and a wonderful broadcaster. He taught millions through his show and writings that food was not about cooking but skirted more as an idea,” Gautam Anand, former Head of Food and Beverage, ITC Maurya who shared a close friendship with the 72-year-old for more than three decades. “Jiggs treated food as a grandstand event. Breakfast, lunch, dinner – every meal was a celebration of life for him. He was a people’s person, who loved to host bazms [feasts] where he fussed over the food and his guests alike with his inimitable hospitality,” Anand recalls.
The culinary revolutionist passionately pursued regional Indian cuisine, buried in old, dusted pages of worn out diaries and bringing it on the global map. He wrote 11 books, of which Prashad: Cooking with Indian Masters is considered as the holy grail of Indian cooking. A thoroughly researched book, it celebrates Indian cooking in its resplendent glory.
Kalra’s shows on television spawned many flattering imitators over the years, with channels pounding numreous cookery shows and chefs. None, however, matches the charm offensive of Kalra, who never let himself become bigger than his food. In an age of social media when chefs have become celebrities, the grand old daddy of food shows, gave recognition to chefs – a nameless entity at that time, by crediting them in his countless columns, and in the process, prompting many to come out of the shadows.
Sanjeev Kapoor, Chef and Television Personality, says, “He shared his immense knowledge of food with the world at a time when everyone was holding it close to their chests. This shaped my relationship with food and audience. He was way ahead of his times and influenced my work. I met him a few months ago and his childlike enthusiasm was as infectious.”
Chef Ranveer Brar, whose has a profound love affair with Indian food himself, shares an anecdote, which, in his words, sealed his fate as a chef. “I was 19, a chef trainee and had made Gajar ka Halwa. After mustering enough courage, I took it to Jiggs when he visited the hotel. He looked, tasted , smiled and said ‘you are the second ‘Jatt’ after Manjit (Gill) to cook tasty food’, and that conversation froze my future as a chef. He didn’t stop there. In a flash he took my halwa and asked the pastry chef and to make a carrot cake out of it. I still salivate at the thought of the cake. He was a visionary garnished with love for Indian food... There is and will be only one Jiggs Kalra.”