Celebrity chef makes ‘music’ in the kitchen
Spice Prince shares world of tastes
GOOD food to British celebrity chef Reza Mahammad is like beautiful music — a symphony of taste that feeds the senses and nourishes the soul.
The flamboyant Indian cuisine guru, whose inimitable presenting style and cooking skills have earned him fame as “Reza The Spice Prince” on The Food Network channel, will be among the celebrity chefs at the Good Food & Wine Show at the Coca-Cola Dome in Johannesburg from July 31 to August 3.
Mahammad will be joined by, among others, MasterChef Australia judge Matt Preston, cake boss
Food is a great way to bring people together
Buddy Valastro and South Africa’s first MasterChef winner, Deena Naidoo.
Mahammad’s demonstration dishes at the show will bear a Thai-Vietnamese flavour.
“My latest inspiration has been from my filming the next series of Reza, Spice Prince of Thailand and Reza, Spice Prince of Vietnam ,” he said.
The show is set to be broadcast in the UK in October.
Mahammad has made numerous trips to South Africa and his visits have left an indelible mark on him.
“I feel a natural affinity with the country and, of course, the people. I have found the hospitality second to none, a generosity of spirit and a connection with the warmth of the people I encounter.”
He is enamoured of Cape Town, which he describes as “very beautiful with lots of fab restaurants”.
Cape Town’s mountains, sea, coastline and vineyards remind him of France — “a real home from home”.
He has sampled Karoo lamb and ostrich casserole and had his taste buds tantalised by local curries.
“The style of Indian food is very different in South Africa and not what we see in India. There was an excellent restaurant called Masala Dosa in Cape Town, which I would recommend.”
He draws his influence from cuisine around the world, but his heart lies with Indian food.
“Good Indian food can be complex, but it is worth the effort. There is such a wonderful complexity of flavour and layers to excite the palate. This can mean an array of spices.”
His advice to those who want to achieve the perfect curry? “Don’t be daunted by the ingredient list. I would advise starting with simpler dishes and building your repertoire.”
His late father was a restaurateur and his mother “a fabulous cook”, so it was inevitable that Mahammad would pursue a career in the culinary world.
“Food has always been important in my family. I think it is in the genes. I’ve always been a foodie.”
He was just 16 when he took over the running of the family’s The Star of India Restaurant in London’s upmarket Kensington area.
“I inherited a piece of 1950s London, flock wallpaper and all, and set about inflicting my own brand of artistic flourish.
“The years spent managing The Star of India established the restaurant as an institution and enabled me to explode on to the restaurant and food scene.
“Of course, I have always been involved in Indian cooking, and yet I love to experiment with foods from all around the world, adding elements and ingredients that bring a new dimension to a traditional dish.
“I am a firm believer in bringing a personal touch to cooking.”
It was at the restaurant that Mahammad got his shot at a television career.
“A regular customer happened to be a television director. We got talking and he came up with the idea of doing a cookery programme with me and the then goddess of Indian cookery, Madhur Jaffrey.
“I first came to the public’s attention on UKTV Food Channel’s Delhi Belly with Sanjeev Bhaskar. This led to Coconut Coast, United States of Reza and A Place in France, one of the more bizarre ideas for a TV show.”
Wherever he is in the world, he is passionate about food.
“Food is another form of self-expression . . . it is a great way to bring people together and breaks down social barriers.”