Chef Ranveer Brar is a legend of sorts and when one thinks of shows like MasterChef India, he is often the face that pops up. Also, known for TV shows like The Great Indian Rasoi, Health Bhi Taste Bhi, and the Himalayas the Offbeat Adventure, Ranveer is an explorer, who loves visiting places and telling food stories. Besides being a show host, the award-winning chef became the country’s youngest executive chef at 25 years of age and has worked with hotels such as Novotel, Taj Mahal Hotel, and Radisson Blu Hotel.
He also opened Morisco, Banq, and English Vinglish, and other such restaurants not just in India but also in Boston (USA) and Canada. Ranveer is now back on a culinary trail with a brand new travel and food show called Dum Laga Ke India, where he explores four metropolitan cities, and in each episode, he is joined by a celebrity who loves eating as much as he does. Read on as he gets candid about the web-series. Excerpts:
Tell us about the show?
This series is unique in its own way. It has a fine balance of food, travel, and entertainment. And, I have always said that for me food and travel are synonymous. I love working on shows with a similar format and when I was approached for Dum Laga Ke India, I had to say yes. It is a four-part series with special appearances by Vaani Kapoor, Pranita Subhash, Armaan Malik, and PV Sindhu, and we explored some of the best foodie destinations.
Which are the cities you explored?
We covered Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. All these cities are special to me—not just for their food, but for their culture and stories.
What equation did you share with these celebrities?
We picked a few celebrities from different professions from each city, who love indulging in local cuisines and meals. It was great shooting with them. For instance, Vaani Kapoor is a typical Punjabi and when she speaks about food references, there is no chance one can not relate to her. There is also Armaan Malik and we have shared a special equation for a long time now. We shot together previously for a show called Ranveer’s Café. Our love for Kolkata, music, and food can be seen evidently in the Kolkata episode. Pranita Subhash, who is in the Bengaluru episode, is an absolute livewire and you can see that spark when she talks about her city. It’s infectious! From Hyderabad it is PV Sindhu, a person I related to the most with—her competitiveness is addictive. She loves her city and it is heartwarming to hear her speak about her childhood. In terms of food choices too, we had a fun banter about Lucknow vs Hyderabad biryani!
What do you think Indian TV or OTT platforms are missing out on when it comes to food-based shows?
I think we are missing good food-travel shows, the ones with a good perspective. We need more content that does justice to how extensively food is ingrained in our culture. I feel this should be given more space on television and OTT.
What’s next?
Pretty excited about the next season of MasterChef India, the telecast roughly begins at the beginning of 2023. On the personal production front, I am looking forward to completing a unique food series that will surely touch the right core within everyone. More as it happens!
Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar