A sprinkle of Kunal Kapur’s magic

What have you got planned for this year’s Taste of Abu Dhabi and what do events such as these offer you as a chef?

At this year there will be double the fun, food, great weather and lovely people to interact and meet with. At the Chefs’ Theatre, I will be demonstrating a few of my signature recipes which are served at my progressive Indian restaurant ‘Namak By Kunal Kapur’ at Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi. We will also be serving a selection of dishes from Namak at our pop-up restaurant stand. I will be judging a cooking challenge where I am hoping to taste some cracking dishes created by visitors.

For me Taste festivals are the best time to be amongst food enthusiasts from around the globe and to share my experience. I must say I love the vibe and energy at these events and that is what makes me come back to it year after year.

The UAE is the food capital of the world. The UAE offers you so many food options from all corners of the world to try; from the humble food trucks to the high-end, world-class restaurants. Every time you visit the UAE, there are so many places to explore. With so many nationalities, there is a vast range of cuisines throughout the country; some very unique to some very progressive restaurants offering irresistible cuisine. The moment I land in Abu Dhabi, I want my shawarma, mezze, and labneh; everything else can wait.

How important are food trends?

Regardless of the food trends, I think tasty and hygienic food will never go out of fashion. As a person who keeps evolving, I am very open to change. I love to travel and with each trip, I think there is a positive change in my approach towards my food.

Do you think diners now have more sophisticated palettes compared to when you started out?

Diners surely are more travelled and more precise in asking for what they need. They have definitely evolved. When I started, it was a bit confusing for many, as they would not like to see any change at all in their food. It has taken a while for everybody’s palette and perception towards chefs and cuisine to evolve and change.

What are your thoughts on people taking photos of their meals for social media? Is it good to share, or does it ruin the experience?

There is no harm in sharing the food experience on social media and certainly no harm in taking photographs of the food for yourself to cherish later. At the same time, the more you share online, the better it is for the restaurant. However, there are certain etiquettes that everyone should follow; such as do not use flash in the restaurant as it is quite distracting for other diners or walk out of the restaurant with the dish to take a picture. Most restaurants these days have their food pictures readily available. Simply ask them and enjoy your meal.

I love Gordon Ramsay simply because of the sheer knowledge and the energy that he brings to his food and his shows. He is absolutely brilliant, and I can feel a lot of emotions just watching his TV series.

What do you think is the most common major mistake people make when opening a restaurant, which leads to the majority failing?

I feel a lot of people open restaurants because they have the money and want to brag about it. So they get their moment of glory when it opens, but soon, when the