YOU CAN’T HATE SOMEONE WHO COOKS: LOGAN

The 14-year-old brilliant chef, who is in the country to support the contestants in the Young Chef Olympiad 2017 talks to Shreya Das about what it feels like to be in India and much more...

Most of us just sit at home, cozied up during holidays or free evenings, ordering food via mobile apps – not bothering to get up and prepare something in the kitchen. Well, here is someone, who is a former Masterchef US winner, a cookbook author, runs his own food-blog and guess what? He is just 14. Logan Guleff, who started cooking at the age of 2, is one of the most accomplished kid out there. He became a certified judge at the age of 12, won several food competitions including one which took him to the White House to meet the then President Barack Obama. His dish was remarked by Celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsey as the “boldest and craziest”.

How did you start at the age of 2?

At the age of 2, we started with morning tea, my mom made me make morning coffee and she started teaching these fine techniques like pouring and scooping and doing all that and she just thought that, we might get some benefit out of it – at least she would get a good cup of coffee and that’s how I started, just making these stuff and gradually I became very passionate about cooking.

If you were not a chef, what would you like to be?

I guess I thought about being a lot of other things like a photographer, oceanographer, and an astronaut… Pretty much everything! Cooking was something I started out early and it just kind of stuck with me. Everybody loves food, no one can hate someone who can cook. But I’ll probably love to be a photographer or an astronaut, if not a chef.

On you first visit to Indian are you planning to try out our street food?

Yeah of course! I have already tried out the special white pumpkin sweets (petha) which were really great. I guess I never really thought about all the sweets that are here, I always just thought about the curry and the spices (laughs). I like the rose flavoured ones the best. So far, I’ve had the rose one, the cashew bar (kaju burfi), there were some dates – the mango dates, and some other ones with little nuts in them. I am pretty sure I’ll get to the street food here... For me it’s mainly about what I can’t find in the US – all the spices and the flavours.

As a judge, how would you rate the dishes you have tasted here?

When it comes down to judging, it’s going to be mainly judged on the ideas and thoughts and the first minute of composing a dish. Everyone is highly skilled so this is where the difference is. It’s more about figuring out where the mistake was made.

How does it feel to have so many firsts on your list? Any pressures?

It’s kind of incredible when you look at it but there are two sides to everything, there is – oh! I am just a kid and I have done so many things; and there is all the work you have done until now, understanding food, flavours, thinking of ideas and figure out other people’s mistake trying not to make them yourself. That’s one of the best things of being a judge. You are not on the hot plate! (Laughs). There is some kind of pressure, mainly from friends and family. Every time I try to create something, it eventually turns out to be OK. I am not going to say that everything I make is great but I have had some great ideas. It’s all about overcoming such problems and understanding who you are as a chef.

People here are not very welcoming about the idea of being a chef. What are your views on that?

One of the great things about being a chef is that you make people happy with your food. You have to look at the creative aspect of that. It’s amazing to be a lawyer or a doctor but you are not reinventing yourself every day and making stuff that makes people happy. I guess being a chef is kind of hard – you have to work on the weekends, holidays and you stay out late. It’s more about making people happy and loving what you do. Being a chef may not pay as much as being a doctor or an engineer but it’s definitely worth it.

How do you think Young Chef Olympiad is going to help young aspiring chefs?

The most wonderful thing about this Olympiad is that you are getting these competitors from all across the world with a bunch of different flavours and techniques. You can really learn and build from each other’s techniques. This way you can make your food more innovative and better in your culture. I think it’s incredible to see all these great people in India.

What would you like to say to the aspiring chefs?

I won’t say the cliché things. You kind of have to think about never giving up. Even if it all goes wrong and it is way too spicy, you still have to figure out your plan B. Always think of the next step and don’t go like ‘Oh my god! Everything is ruined, I am just going to leave’. Try to make a comeback.

Any tips to transform an ordinary dish to a mouth-watering delicacy?

One of the things I always do is to make sure I use herbs. Herbs are your best friends. Rosemary, parsley, and other herbs are just beautiful. If you could add herbs to your dishes, you will always be one step ahead. Make sure every element of your dish is balanced – not too spicy and not too dull. Make sure every portion of your dish shines.