Weekend Exclusive | India is far ahead in terms of hospitality: Chef Kunal Kapoor

Chef Kunal Kapoor, highly praised amongst the talented group, the culinary maestro has taken a way forward in managing specialty restaurants with his passion and style for cooking. Chef Kunal (chef de cuisine, Diya, Leela Kempinski, Gurgaon, Delhi) is known amongst the Best Chefs in India by National Weekly Magazine - India Today.

After the success of inaugural Global Chef Exchange, March 2010, Singapore hosted another privileged batch of international visiting chefs from 4th to 7th October 2011 and introduced them to the mélange of flavors and fusion of cuisines that define Singapore. Chef Kunal with other acclaimed Chefs participated in the event.

Adgully caught up with Chef Kunal Kapoor, Leela Kempinski, Gurgaon, Delhi of Masterchef India fame, to know the insights of his visit and much more.

Comparing India and Singapore in terms of food and hospitality, he said, "India is far ahead in terms of hospitality, the hotels are really awesome here; whereas Singapore has some amazing restaurants suiting the taste pallet of the people there. The culture there supports that of eating out more often, which in turn enhances the food culture there.

Talking about his takeaways from the Global Chef Exchange, he said, "there was one session when we were taken to the food market where at 7 am in the morning there were about 250-300 restaurants which were filled with people for oriental breakfast. We were also taken to both authentic and high end restaurants, giving us a fair idea of the oriental cuisine."

Kunal says, "there were chefs from different countries, and we discussed about the food scenario in the respective countries, about the restaurants and food chains etc so it has been quite a good learning experience."

For kunal, it is all about going back to the roots. As an Indian, just like others, he too loves food. Travelling to different parts of the country, learning authentic cuisines and dishes cooked in traditional manners excites him a lot. "My issue with Indian food is that, unlike other international cuisines, there are no set standards or rules for Indian food. Thus I feel that it is highly abused and I personally would like to revive this," said Kunal.

Master Chef India being a great platform for aspiring chiefs or just people who love food and cook has previously tried to revive old forgotten recipes and ways of cooking, with a touch of modernity; and thus bringing in oomph to the art of cooking supported by beautiful viewership, this season so far has been quite surprising . He says, "I can assure there is much more to come."

Singapore boasts an exciting tapestry of culinary history, culture and landscape and is often referenced as the source of gastronomic inspiration for professional and amateur chefs alike. Meticulously crafted as a compact four-day exchange, Global Chef Exchange introduced local spices, smells and sights to the visiting chefs, complemented by engaging cooking workshops and culinary demonstrations by local chefs. | By Aanchal Kohli [aanchal(at)adgully.com]