Masterchef of cold and hot kitchens

Chef KR Ganesh Kumar, junior sous chef, Waterside, Feathers Hotel did not want to be a part of the herd and chose another path that took him through several learning processes

CHENNAI: I always wanted to do something apart from engineering, medicine or law. By the time I completed Class 12 I decided to pursue a career in hotel management. At that point of time, the industry was still grappling for attention. I graduated from Institute of Hotel Management, Chennai, in 2004 and then took up a course in carving, because it was a necessity to know to carve to get a job in the cruise lines. But soon, I realised that the value of a carver was diminishing.  

I started my career in the garde manger (cold kitchen) in Residency, Chennai where I used to make sandwiches, salad sauce and others. That is where I also learnt to make the best coffee, without using a coffee machine. That kitchen was my first, and that is where I learnt all the nuances of being a chef. I wanted to learn more, so I moved into the hot kitchen of the continental section where I also learned to make South Indian dishes.

Although I was trained in hot and cold kitchens in the continental section, there were too many Indian orders coming up over the years and I wanted to explore further. I wanted to experiment in the five-star kitchen. I got that opportunity in 2007. I was on the path to learning modern cuisine in a wholesome manner, including plating techniques.

After working there for three years, I wanted to take a break, but soon realised that this industry is where my heart lies. In 2015, I moved into an international hotel, because I wanted to get more exposure to different kinds of food. I was put in banquets, an area which I had not explored earlier, and worked there for a year-and-a-half before moving to Waterside in January this year.
If you ask me about my speciality,

I have to say that it is the western cuisine and in that, I work with both cold and hot kitchen. My best dishes are my Moroccan Chermoula Fish and Pizza Alfresco.  
Since I have grown up in the city, I feel that it has changed a lot in terms of food choices. People here are foodies and have started accepting different kinds of food. We prefer our meals in a huge quantity. In fact, at times even though we might not be able to eat a lot, we feel happy looking at a plate full of food.

Tips

•  Understand your ingredients well; every ingredient has its own characteristic.
•  An onion can give you three flavours based on how it is cooked – if you eat it raw, it will be spicy; when you boil it, it will be subtle and when you fry it, it will be sweet.
•  You need to choose the ingredients for a fusion accordingly. For example, coriander goes well with all the meat. Understand the taste in-depth and then experiment.
•  A lot of fruits go very well with non-veg food. Pork can be paired with apples and apricot; chicken with apple and mango (fresh); prawn with mango; lamb with prunes, are all really good combinations.