BENGALURU: Food, like most things, is a product of its environment. Everything from the nature of the soil, where the ingredients come from to the climate of that region can make or break the dish. So, when Chef Thomas Buehner, head chef at one of Germany’s best restaurants, La Vie, brought his menu to the guests at The Leela Palace, certain improvisations had to be made to bring his menu from northwestern Germany to a much warmer country like India.
“We had to make certain adjustments. But Asian food, Indian food especially, is very rich in its spices. If I had to cook Indian food for dinner, it would be a disaster, but I hope the guests enjoy our menu from La Vie,” says the three-time Michelin star chef. In the little time he spent in Bengaluru, the chef took the opportunity to go out and have some local food.
“We went for an evening and I had some chole bhature and dosas. We had a fun time, it was great,” he shares. In the restaurant business, many say the third Michelin star is less of an individual award and more about the restaurant working as a unit. “I always like to surround myself with the best. If, at my age, I’m the best cook in my team, that’s not a good sign.
So I make sure I’m working with people who are better than me. Other than the kitchen staff, we also make sure the setting is really right as well. There’s a visible difference between having food from a cheap plate and from a premium quality one. It’s like football in a way, the whole team needs to work together to win the trophy,” says Chef Buehner.
While technique is an essential part of cooking, there is an art to food as well. When asked about the creative process behind creating the menu, he mentions, “We run our ideas with the entire team. We first discuss it among the chefs and then the others. It takes a while to decide which dish goes on which day. You don’t want the menu to seem too repetitive.” Chef Buehner’s flavours are usually known to be extremely clean and the menu is not just a collection of flavours but a symphony.
The menu that he brought to this city includes lobster, parsley root muesli, Chilean sea bass, smoked tofu and the tandoori potato crème, which he specifically created for the Indian guests. So, for a chef who has won multiple accolades throughout his entire career and worked in multiple restaurants, what might be his comfort food? “There are quite a few, but french cheese always hits the spot,” concludes Chef Buehner.