How a group of millennial chefs are bringing forgotten grains back to life
Millennials are getting increasingly aware and conscious of what they put inside their bodies. No wonder, new-age chefs are experimenting and crafting menus to provide a meaningful and healthy food experience rich in protein, fiber and planetfriendly.
Two millenial chefs Geetika Gupta and Prashant Banerjee, both Junior Sous Chef at Vivanta Surajkund are experimenting and reinventing traditional techniques of cooking that resonate with the “In-house everything” trend and presenting “Farm to Table concept” by using ancient ingredients like amaranth, millets, oats, ragi and quinoa. Edited excerpts:
Why did you opt for a career as a chef?
We chose being chefs as a career because from a very young age, food was the only factor that always held our interest in every mood, be it “for celebrating some success or changing mood after a cat fight with your sibling or be it scoring less marks in school. Food always acted as a mood lifter and it is the only art that touches all the five senses of a human being.
What are the ingredients that go into making a good chef?
First and for most is to have a lot of believe in oneself with a pinch of knowledge and skills, a bit of “tempering” from our mentors, a dash of love towards anything you create and in the end creating a ‘wow’ experience to ones palette.
What is the ‘Farm to Table’ concept that you are promoting?
The soul ingredients that we have used in creating the menu are directly sourced from the farmers who grow them in a natural and an organic environment. The steps in the food cooking techniques are planned in such a manner that the nutritive value of the food is least effected.
Any tips for millennials who want to get into culinary arts and hotel management?
The culinary trade is one of the fastest changing career paths to get into. The food trends keep on changing and the millennial does have to ensure that they are always a step ahead as far innovation and creativity is concerned. Millennials opting for this career should ensure that they have enough mental strength and they should keep themselves motivated at all times.
Your favourite dishes?
We wish we could name any one dish in particular, but being foodies and with being always surrounded with food as chefs we are used to creating everything and anything and we would just end up eating it all because in the end it’s the “Food that we create”.