BENGALURU: When are you happiest at work?
I feel extremely elated and satisfied when my guests challenge me to create a new dish for them. I love to put my heart into every meal and feel more than happy when I see making the dining experience just that much better for them.
What trend are you noticing regarding wine and food parings?
It’s time to ditch pairing of white wine with white meat and red wine with red meat. New trends in food gives you an opportunity to try different wines that you may not normally select. For example, if you like Southeast Asian cuisine, you’ll find Rosé wine tend to pair better with a wide variety of meats (or tofu).
What was your biggest disappointment as a chef?
It was late in the evening when a regular guest at the hotel had his friends visiting him at the restaurant. He placed an order for Prawn curry and to my dismay, I realized that we ran out of prawns! It was one of the most horrifying moments of my life. I knew of a local supplier who was kind enough to supply me the prawns last minute, provided that I went to pick it up from him. I rushed to his outlet myself but got immensely stuck in traffic due to some VIP movement in the city. Unfortunately, I had to cut a sorry figure in front of the guest.
What do you always avoid ordering on a menu?
I usually avoid ordering soups on a menu as most of the restaurants treat it as just a side dish. Salads is also something I escape from as uncooked or raw food is more likely to contain germs and bacteria if not handled properly. I have also observed the restaurant red meat is sometimes undercooked or overcooked due to a large amount of orders and carelessness.
Of the dishes you prepare, which one would you never eat yourself? Why?
I am actually happy to eat most things. Unfortunately, I am not the best with Gongura mutton because of high cholesterol. I have had a few nasty experiences so that would be something I am very weary of.
Which is your favourite restaurant what would you prefer to eat there?
Iggy’s is one of the most celebrated restaurants in Singapore. It has an amazing ambience with great hospitality and great flavours. I had so many dishes from the menu but Grill Seabass wrapped in Grilled dragon vegetables, asparagus and beurre blanc has just stuck with me.
Describe one incident when you messed up recipe real bad.
It was a hilarious start to 2015 when on a busy Diwali eve, a high profile guest requested for tea. The junior staff in the kitchen, somehow replaced the sugar box with salt. I ended up preparing tea in the salt. First thing the guest said was, ‘This tastes a little salty.’ Believe me, anytime I’m reaching out for sugar or salt, I always taste it.
What is the best recent food trend?
With an eco-friendly wave taking over, plastic straws and cutlery are out and hyper local food and healthy food has arrived. Another new trend is restaurants serving traditional dishes with their own twist from all corners of the country. Expect Cocktail menus to carry an innovative theme with them
– Chef Munichandrudu E, Chef De Cuisine, DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bangalore, Sarjapur