BANGALORE: Master Chef Vikas Khanna launched his latest book Hymns from the Soil, at One MG Road recently. The book answers the insatiable curiosity of all the vegetarians across the globe.
The three times winner of a Michelin Star, Khanna feels this book is his tribute to his mitti (soil) and expresses his heartfelt gratitude towards his motherland. He still believes that a mother's kitchen will always be a magical place and no equipment can replace the love she cooks with.
The book is more like a saga of the heart and soul and contains pictures of the chef with ordinary people sitting in the streets of India. He has made an inspiring journey from rolling breads in Golden Temple's Langar (community kitchen) all the way to New York, where he opened his restaurant, Junoon. “I’m proud of the land where I come from. I want the world to know that India isn’t only about poverty and corruption but also a rich culture and heritage. Back in New York, I still have a ‘powder room’ where we grind the spices just like they do over here. My connection with my country is deep, " he says.
His love for cooking dates back to the time when was just 13. He had 'misaligned' legs. His grandmother started teaching him how to cook and he still carries those aromas with him. He shares, “My connection with Karnataka is very strong. I learnt how to cook typical South-Indian delicacies from my mother. I stayed here for a long time and that’s when I learnt to sing Carnatic music. I even sang in the Udupi- Krishna temple."
Kabir's philosophy about of life coming full circle and the impermanence of pride has kept him rooted. His mother is also a great influence.
He recalled, “There was one time when I was in Amritsar and it was raining heavily. There was no electricity in the house. I was cooking naans in the tandoor and it was my first attempt. My face was covered with smoke as I was trying to save the naans from getting burnt but I couldn’t see because of the dark. Within minutes, the electricity was back and I finished cooking my naans. Little did I know that the generator had been tripping but it was my mother who had stood on the roof of the house and held the generator switch in her fingers just so I could finish cooking the naans. She stood there soaking wet from head to toe and did not utter a single word. When I went to check on her, she simply smiled and told me that she can’t see me failing.”
In spite of opening one of the best restaurants in the world, he loves Lawrence Gardens, Ameritsar where he started his catering business at the age of 17.