Travel + Leisure - India & South Asia
GLOBAL CULINARIAN
When Indian Accent launched in Delhi in 2009, it became a phenomenon. The restaurant’s visionary chef Manish Mehrotra was unstoppable— from taking Delhi’s iconic Daulat Ki Chaat to New York and introducing the iconic blue cheese naan to Indians, he overhauled the country’s fine dining scene and put India on the global culinary map. In a chat with ADILA MATRA , Mehrotra reminisces the decade-long journey.
When you created the menu for Indian Accent, it was unlike anything that the country had seen. Now there are fusion restaurants everywhere. What was your thought process?
I was working in London at the time we were planning for Indian Accent (indianaccent. com/newdelhi). At that point, most of the Indian food served in restaurants was normal. There was not much fusion. When I started Indian Accent, my plan was to serve not just fusion food but dishes with unique combinations. There were some restaurants in London who were doing this back then, but in India this concept had not been introduced yet. I wanted to serve unique and few common
things like blue cheese naan because blue cheese and bread is a classic combination. I wanted the plate to look more beautiful and interesting. For instance, if I am serving lamb curry or a vegetarian curry, I don’t want oil to float on top. These are the thoughts I had when I started Indian Accent. International dishes with Indian accent and Indian dishes with international accent.
You have had experience in running restaurants in India and abroad. What are the differences when it comes to customer behaviour?
It is totally different. In India, people know about Indian food. I can’t serve dosa as chapati. But if I am opening a restaurant in some region of France, I can and nobody will point out. Also, the palates in India are very diverse, it changes from Delhi to Mumbai to Chennai to Kolkata. We weren’t very adventurous with our palates 15 years ago. But we have evolved.
What is the one dish that you envisioned during your career that you are still proud of?
Doda Barfi Treacle Tart! Doda barfi is a dessert from Haryana and Rajasthan. I combined it with the traditional British dessert treacle tart and a vanilla bean ice cream. Then, I introduced Daulat ki Chaat on our menu 11 years ago. Everybody talks about it on Instagram now, but back then nobody knew what it was. So, we took Daulat ki Chaat all the way to Indian Accent in New York. When Michelin launched a website in New York, they did a video story on it too. It makes me feel so proud.
What are your favourite dishes from your childhood?
At home, almost everything was my favourite. I loved the variety of local vegetables. Even accompaniments like achaar and papad were made at home. So were ketchup and squash. And I loved all of it.
Your favourite culinary destination?
I love China and New York but my current favourite is Mexico.
You love India because ....
India is like chaat—full of flavour and textures.
Fuelled with a zeal to clinch the Formula 1 World Championship, India’s motor racing prodigy, Jehan Daruvala, talks to BAYAR JAIN about the pressures of representing India globally, his favourite racing circuits, and more.
You’ve played a major role in putting India on the global map for motor racing. How has the experience been?
It has been a real privilege to represent India during my 13 years of international motorsport. Due to lack of infrastructure in India, it is not very common to see Indian—or even Asian—drivers compete in motorsport globally. Hence, competing against the world’s best on a global stage feels special. Winning the race and hearing the national anthem playing out on the podium is motivating.
How do you deal with the pressures and responsibility of representing India globally?
There’s always pressure when you’re racing at this level, but, honestly, I don’t feel any additional pressure because of my nationality. When you’re in the car, and the helmet goes on and the visor goes down, you don’t think ‘I’m an Indian competing against an American or a Briton. ’ When we’re in the car, we’re all competitors regardless of our nationalities. You just want to do your best possible and hopefully win. But, yes, when you get on the podium or win, it’s special to see the flag up there and hear the national anthem.
You’ve travelled the world for races. Which has been your favourite circuit to drive on and why?
My favourite circuit is Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. It’s high speed track with a really good flow and elevation changes. It’s also a good track for racing and overtaking. You can go wheelto-wheel with other cars while the long straights and the slipstream effect also make for exciting battles.
When driving for pleasure, what are your preferred destinations?
Besides driving all over the world from the airports to the tracks, I have not done much leisure driving other than in Mumbai or to my farmhouse in Lonavala.
What is your ideal road trip?
A lot of friends have spoken highly about their road trip through Leh and Ladakh.
I am sure that I will enjoy the drive, the natural beauty, and the peace and quiet you experience there.
What kind of traveller are you?
Other than December and January, I am on the road most of the time—travelling between races, Sims Sessions, fitness programs, etc. In fact, over the past six months I have hardly had a few days off because the race calendar is packed. When I do get a short holiday, I prefer relaxing with my family and friends at home.
Your favourite destination in India and why?
I have always loved the mountains. My best holiday in India was when I was about 10 years’ old. A few [of us] went to Himachal Pradesh together. The road trip started with a stay in tents at an apple orchard in Sangla Valley. We would visit small towns throughout the state every day, and spent a few days in Manali doing river rafting. The charm of the rugged landscape, treacherous roads, natural beauty and the charm of camping has always been a lovely memory.