“Constant innovation is key”
Winning and retaining a Michelin star over 14 consecutive years makes Quilon an icon, and its executive chef, Sriram Ailur a legend in his own right.
STAR CHEF Executive chef, Sriram Ailur, in front of the Michelin-star winning Quilon
Giving up law to pursue his romance with food has held Sriram Ailur in good stead as he helms the first South Indian restaurant in the world to win a Michelin star, which it has retained since 2008—a record-winning 14 years. “I remember being fascinated by the smell and aromas which used to come from the kitchen—it was my first love”, says the unassuming star chef, Sriram Ailur, of the iconic Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences, London. The journey which began in 1999, when Ailur was invited to open Quilon in the heart of London is replete with challenges and commendations. With Spice, the award-winning chef shares some of his favourite plates, palate pleasures at Quilon and his plans.
Does winning a Michelin star for the 14th time in a row hold the same thrill?
Quilon has always endeavoured to set benchmarks and create new trends in the global culinary space, and the thrill and pride of winning the Michelin Star in 2021 remains unchanged since we first won it in 2008. It feels great to know that we have successfully continued to rewrite the story of Indian cuisine, especially South-west coastal cuisine globally.
What are winning qualities for acquiring a Michelin star?
As with any industry, the key is to consistently deliver excellence to your stakeholders, surpassing expectations. In the culinary industry especially, where palates, flavours and ingredients are constantly evolving, sometimes overnight, it is just as pertinent to maintain standards of excellence in terms of the dishes you plate up as it is to constantly reinvent yourself, not only to keep step but set new culinary trends. Consistency, versatility, innovation, authenticity, excellence in service and most importantly, the highest standards of hygiene are some of the key parameters that are important considerations when acquiring a Michelin Star.
What is Quilon’s secret behind this winning recipe?
The Michelin-star guide includes the use of first-rate quality ingredients as well as confident and assured cooking, serving dishes that may look simple but offer a complex mix of
flavours. However, we believe that the greatest strength of Quilon is the quest to up our own benchmark constantly and then chase and better it determinedly.
Signature dishes that have remained constant over the past 14 years
South-west coastal Indian cuisine, which fuses traditional elements of home-style cuisine with a contemporary twist, giving a different perspective on the dishes is what we do at Quilon. Some of our signature dishes such as Black cod and coconut with asparagus and snow peas, Mangalorean chicken and masala dosa have not only introduced the distinct burst of flavours synonymous with food from the Southern and Western coasts of India to a global audience, but have also helped create a larger niche for Indian food. The interesting amalgamation of spices, traditions and modern culinary techniques create an elevated version of traditional favourites, further strengthening India’s position on the international food-lovers’ map.
Bestsellers on the menu
Pan-seared spiced scallops (with coconut and drumstick relish), crab cakes (pure claw meat with curry leaves, ginger and green chillies), venison chilli fry (strips tossed with onion, chilli and curry leaves), and stuffed quail legs (quail mince, chilli, ginger, brown onion and spices), braised lamb shank (slow cooked with freshly ground herbs, spices and chillies), coconut with asparagus and snow peas (sautéed with mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies and grated coconut).
What is the most widely used ingredient at Quilon?
From broths flavoured with coriander with a hint of coconut cream, to the punch that is synonymous with pepper and moilee sauces, to curries tempered with curry leaves, to the hit of spice that only byadgi chillis can bring to a dish, we also use unique and lesser known ingredients such as raw jackfruit, raw mango, rich gourd, colocasia root and bottle gourd in our dishes. These ingredients are inherent to Indian cuisine, but are relatively unknown across the globe. A significant proportion of the ingredients we use are those that are locally available, allowing us to integrate elements such as asparagus and scallops with traditional Indian flavours.
Plating and presentation is a crucial aspect of Michelin-appreciated food. How much do you stress on it?
Food is a delicate sensory art, which involves balancing visual delights with flavours that ignite the taste buds. A diner’s appreciation and perception of food is influenced by a number of factors including lighting, the structure and appearance of plates, the presentation of food, and even music. Even the music at Quilon has been specially composed by Hariharan to compliment the southern cuisine that we offer. However, in the end, the food serves as the ultimate test.
On the movement toward sustainable dining…
While sustainable dining has been making waves in the culinary landscape in the past couple of years, it has only gained steam in the past year, which not only saw the face of travel and hospitality altered forever, but also saw an increasing awareness among consumers about the long-term impact of their travel and lifestyle on the overall environment. While culinary tourism has gained more visibility and prominence over the past couple of years, sustainability is particularly relevant to gastro-tourism today. The demand for authentic experiences coupled with travellers looking to discover traditional cuisine prepared from hyperlocal ingredients, has driven the growth of sustainable cuisine. From sourcing locally available ingredients to maximising resource efficiency to minimising food wastage, we adopt a number of sustainable practices. For example, the menu at Quilon is mostly designed for sharing, with sharing plates having been a part of our restaurant’s offerings for many years. Sharing plates allows guests to sample more options, in addition to offering more customisation opportunities and healthier options; they also contain food wastage, decreasing our overall carbon footprint.