A cook's life

A cook’s life…





“I love to eat Mutton Biryani”

“I love roasted chicken, mashed potato on the side”

“I love burgers too..”

“The ever popular mixed grill, steak & fries..bring it to me..”

“I am an all time fan of sweets & all the desserts present in this planet”

“I love Chinese specials—esp. Noodles”

“I am a patron of French, Italian & Spanish Cuisine”



Perhaps, I would have said all these, had I not been a cook [though I will keep on making few of those statements, still!!!].But alas..I am a cook!

A cook’s life is often over-indulged—there is no count of how many foie gras one eats in the excuse of “tasting”, no control of the most expensive mushroom on earth- Truffles!!! And meat?? Well, thanks to the different meat grades present in the star kitchens—from Kobe to Black Aberdeen Angus, a cook gets the privilege to taste all at the cost of paying nothing, except the long sweating hours & still underpaid.



When I was a trainee in the kitchen, back in 2005, I was seldom hungry, but the kitchen I was working for had nothing to eat, since it believed in processing meat & fish—Butchery. But people get hungry when they see beautiful foods & for me, especially when there is something sweet. Fortunately, the butchery was located in front of the pastry & bakery, in other words, I could see from the butchery what is going on in pastry—the only barrier was the glass door. My boss once told me, “If you feel hungry, just let them know & ask for some food from them”—such was the instruction when I used to do evening shift & ran the butchery alone. “And Dinner??”, I asked him back then. “Have something light in the cafeteria in the evening & then have your dinner from Main kitchen, before you go home—no one will tell you anything”, he said.



So, I was supposed to close the kitchen at 11:15 pm, & then proceeded to the main kitchen. By that time, many of my trainee friends[one who were doing training that time] doing evening shift in the kitchen, proceeded to the main kitchen to collect the ration—foods. There was Mutton Biryani… there was this…n that & so on & so forth. I used to eat mutton biryani, almost everyday [at the end of the day, those will be thrown away…why waste? Eat them…] with some curry, a sweet—freshly made, if Gulabjamun or rasgulla and asking for a glass of soft drinks from a waiter [who happened to be my friend!!]. But gorging foods like this, is a curse [now I am suffering from high purine level in my blood. . ]



But let me tell you, such things happen rarely during the day—when the Big Boss will always be around & may charge you 5 times the selling price in the menu[we’ve had such people back then there…& also till date…]. Let me give you an example. After a long tiring shift, a cook will generally be tired & hungry..so before he goes home, definitely, he’d like to have some food. An incident, that happened when I joined the hotel industry actually, in Mumbai. One fine morning, my co-worker [I was off that day], who was doing night shift, went to another restaurant before going home. He was helping those guys out for breakfast & had an honour to cook his own breakfast—a simple omelette made of black forest ham & cheese. After making it, he moved to back area—an area full of waiters wiping the glasses & plates & started having his own delicacy. Suddenly, the executive chef came in, for a round. He found my colleague, being speechless, just stared at him. “I didn’t know what to do, but his eyes told me, I was doing something wrong and I threw the omelette away,” my colleague told me later. If the food cost is high & if the Big Bosses find incidents like this, “This is the reason why the food cost is high”, ranting at his staff like this, is a sure damn thing.



But are the Big Bosses always like this. Some are considerate, some are shrewd. I remember, in Chennai, I used to decide what I shall have for my dinner. My colleagues in the Chinese kitchen [they used to love Bengalis, I assume] were ready to cook something for me, whenever I used to tell them, “Will you please make me a mixed noodles..no msg, less salt & no chilly,” this was my request. “Without MSG???”[MSG is the poison to me…] but I used to get it. Sometimes, a simple Dal Makhni with a plain naan for dinner, especially on those days, when I used to feel my stomach was over privileged. Sometimes, my day at work used to start with some desserts, sometimes, directly from the buffet…

I was sceptical about having beef, since I was not eating it after 2006. But when Angus beef came in 2009, to Chennai, I tried to control myself. The colour of the meat, the marbling of the meat used to tell something more than what bloody tenderloin of Indian beef. But one night, I gave up my principle & cooked the beef for my taste. I cooked it medium done, with little salt, little pepper & no sauce [a good beef, needs no sauce, I believe!!]. It tasted truly like heaven & it became credible why the guests keep on coming over & over again for buying some 180 gm of striploin steak of Irish Angus beef, to the extent one guest offering, “I want to open a steakhouse with you…” one of the most flattering feedback, I received then.



By no means, I am complaining about this fact, that the Big Bosses shouldn’t shout at those employees who eat in the kitchen—willingly & unwillingly. But this is how life is framed for chefs…you eat what you cook!!! Aint it? I remember, once in India, while having my breakfast+dinner, behind the kitchen[a fire exit, which directly leads to the GM’s room], so we had to be cautious. I was asking my colleague what if the Exe. Sous Chef catches us there?? His reply was smart. He said, “Chef X will say, ‘Who will eat if the kitchen guys don’t eat??’”



When a cook goes out to eat…

A cook is nothing but a cook, when he is in front of the range or in his bake shop…but when he is not in his white jacket, a general dress code globally. He is just another person, who wants to eat food outside. Just imagine, the famed Ferran Adria, enters a restaurant, serving fine dining foods. He is served with Spherical Mozzarella injected with basil oil, Cantonese musico, or fruits served in 5 ways…all cheap imitations of what he already did in past, or the chef there makes all these [crap to him] in his own way. I am definite, Ferran Adria doesn’t want to try a 30 course testing menus [the famous concept followed in El Bulli, served in 3 Acts, viz., Act I, Act II and Act III]. Was that the reason why Ferran Adria entered that restaurant, serving high end customers??? May be he justed wanted some fried prawns, may be for a hamburger??? Or can be as simple as Spanish Tapas???

Keeping my critical aside [I do more criticism than appreciation…], when I enter a restaurant, to eat, definitely, I just want to focus on one food…not like an appetiser, followed by main course…dessert, well, if I keep on craving something sweet for my sweet tooth…

I recollect often frequenting places like Shiraz, a restaurant with all its rustic form, located in the rugged Park Circus. A place, where you can find, perhaps the best Mutton Biryani in India, if Chef Imtiaz Qureshi is not cooking for you. Don’t try something else, if you don’t want to be disappointed.

Another place, is “Sabir’s Hotel” [in Kolkata, Hotel means restaurant also], who is famous for making the perfect Mutton Rezala. Once I heard, that after making the onion paste, they strain the paste through muslin—three times!!! A secret recipe, definitely not passed out, perhaps that’s what makes it special..

Yet, I can swear by the Chicken Ala Kiev or the mixed grill[its European version], in the good, old Olypub. Yes, this place is a little bit creepy, terribly old, lost its charm..but Olypub still pulls the public anytime—weekends, weekdays—after or before work, in the midst of work, after college, festivals. Anything….

There is this Burger Fuel in Dubai. Perhaps, one of the best burgers, I may rate, if I don’t consider TGIF serving good burger. Or sometimes, the notorious Texas Rib Eye steak in TGIF in Dubai. Its awesome..for someone who wants medium/ medium-rare done!!!



And when the cook cooks at home…

There is difference. There is difference between cooking at home and cooking for commercial reasons [i.e. in industry]. Primarily, there is no rush!!! You can go easy, slow [no one is going to complain if the food is late, unless you are serving hungry, unruly mob!!!]. Secondly, you can do most of the cooking before hand, if you are serving 10-12 people…Thirdly, it is prixe-fix. When I cook at home [both in India and in Dubai now], I tend to keep it simple—generally 2-3 courses [on day offs!!!]. Else…one pot meal..

When I am cooking for my family members, or sometimes when it is for friends, relatives….I tend to make 3-4 courses, serving around 8-10 people in one go. Reasons??? Well, I need to get that “appreciation” from those guinea pigs [kidding here, I mean those who “taste” my food] & secondly, I need to show off…what I can & cannot do..

I remember making basil pesto in Kolkata, when I was in college & one of my good friends from college [a batchmate], Amitava came in to taste my “delicacies”. He also had a bite of my home grown sweet basil. Till date, he swears by that pesto & basil, “The best one I ever tasted”. A little bit flattering, but sometimes, I am scared, if I cannot keep up!!

After having cooked for over a week, sometimes, I feel frustrating to cook again at home. Going out to eat is no option, since you hardly get what you pay for, you spend some extra money… For this problem, I found a solution. Make & freeze..n when I was ready to eat…just defrost, reheat & eat. Voila…..problem solved!!!