Food has always been central to Bangalore. The Chronicles of Whitefield, launched recently at the Vivanta by Taj, Whitefield, explores the heritage value of local cuisine. Drawing from a recipe book that is 107-years-old, the Chronicles of Whitefield is a celebration of the Anglo-Indian heritage and a glimpse of the city’s historical past.
Originally from Pune, Chef Arzooman Irani, says initially, he found it difficult to figure out the food culture in Bangalore and Karnataka. “The food varies across the state’s broken kingdoms. It took me a while but I soon figured out that there are sub-cuisines.”
Arzooman, who has been in the city for five years now, remembers wondering how Whitefield got its name since it didn’t fit in with the rest of the area. “After a year or so, I watched a video about Whitefield online. My intention was to figure out where I live. My chefs and I went around and found a Waverly Inn with a Winston Churchill connection. There, the elderly Middleton couple welcomed us and we got talking. They would tell us anecdotes about Whitefield and its food and offered to show us some recipes. For a few months, every Saturday we would go there. One fine day the lady said they wanted to give us something and handed over a book to us. It was a pleasant surprise. Not only had we by then practised some of these recipes, we now had a written manuscript of them.”
The book, a 107-year-old compilation of Anglo-Indian recipes by a gentleman called Henry, is written in calligraphic script and faded. “The cuisine we discovered was very unique. It was similar to dishes we are familiar with in the Anglo-Indian style of cooking, and yet it was aesthetically different.
We started interpreting and writing it down. After a year and a half we had a complete menu.”
On how Whitefield got its name, Arzooman says David White bought the land from the king of Mysore. “He started the settlement here and that is how Whitefield got its name.” Chef says the recipes in the book are very healthy. “It makes a lot of sense since world over we are talking about sustainability and farm to fork. The recipes and ingredients are all from a 25-kilometre radius. We also kept the recipes mostly the same.”
“Henry, who compiled the recipes, seems to have liked sweets. He was even called Henry Mithai Blake. We have reduced the sweetness a bit but otherwise it is still very flavourful.”
The menu gives a vintage feel and talks about the history of the place apart from highlighting the dishes. Arzooman says: “It was very interesting for me. I never expected to find something like this.” His passion for food started during his childhood days watching his grandmother cook. Growing up in a joint family, I found her whipping up amazing dishes. Even though my style of cooking is modern, Mediterranean and Italian, this has brought me back to my roots.”
Combining authentic British techniques and Indian flavours, the dishes on the menu are spectacularly blended in colloquial twists. The starters, main courses and desserts are extremely indigenous and nostalgic in flavour as well as presentation. Call 66933333.
