WINNER TAKES SOME

From being a prison guard in Adelaide to winning MasterChef Australia in 2018 to setting up his first restaurant, Sashi Cheliah’s story was a fairy tale for the ages. Until the pandemic introduced a final twist. The Indian-origin Singapore-born chef talks to SUMEET KESWANI about facing one of his greatest challenges yet: uncertainty.

Favourite dish to cook

Chicken curry Dish redolent of home Sambar Favourite restaurants in India Jamavar at The Leela Mumbai and Southern Spice in Taj Coromandel, Chennai

Favourite cuisine

Thai street food Dream culinary trip Turkey Wackiest dish I’ve eaten Stir-fried snake in Vietnam, various frog dishes in Singapore Three people you’d like to cook a meal for? My dad, my school teacher Mr Hubert, and Tamil actor Kamal Haasan. You visited India late last year. What were your takeaways?

I get a culinary idea every time I visit India. On my last trip, [I found] vada pav! I introduced it in my winter menu with a twist—the milk bun has been changed to brioche, and I added pickled carrots—for some texture and acidity.

What is the future of the F&B industry after COVID-19?

Once the restrictions are lifted, people will be excited to dine out again. But down the road, people will be conservative in spending money. Menus have also changed. Many restaurants are moving away from à la carte to ‘Feed Me’ menus or Chef’s Tasting menus. It’s a cost saving measure—the restaurant doesn’t have to buy too much produce. It also minimises wastage. Some diners are happy with it because they don’t have to think too much about what to order. But the problem is: if they come back, they’ll end up having the same thing again, unless you change the menu regularly.

Cheliah’s restaurant, Gaja by Sashi, is inspired from the Sanskrit word for elephant. Below: He opened the restaurant in Adelaide in November 2019.