The chef’s table is an interesting concept. It is, usually, a table placed in a restaurant’s kitchen where food is served to an invited gathering of guests. The guests could be food writers or the patrons and the menu tends to be a tasting menu, the choice of food, which may or may not be themed, is the chef’s privilege. So we are at Chef Joji Joshua’s table at Masala restaurant at Holiday Inn. At the table, over chicken satay, duck steak and mushroom-stuffed chicken he tells us about food, cooking techniques, Prince Charles, Masterchef and raising kids.
Every weekend this July, Holiday Inn, Chef Joji assures, is going to be a culinary adventure. If last weekend was dedicated to wraps and rolls, this weekend is for satay and grills and the next will be a Persian ‘journey’. The chef says he intends to keep the tempo of innovation up with all these varied kinds of foods, “we want to do something special for our guests and stretch the options available to them.” The chef’s table at the hotel, Chef Joji explains, was one where long stay guests (at the property) were treated to a meal by the chef. He tells us about how a Filipino guest was treated to a pork preparation, “he was surprised that such good quality pork was available here. We sent out several kilos of pork for him.” The mildly flavoured chicken shorba arrives. The pistachio provides the ‘crunch’ in the soup, which sets it apart from regular chicken soups.
Over starters in the form of chicken, fish and beef satay, he explains the nuances and the differences of satays made in Thailand and Indonesia. Thai satay is spicier as opposed to its honey-sweetened version in Indonesia. The satays on our table are accompanied by peanut sauce and coconut cream sauce, both of which offset the flavours of the nicely browned, light satays. The food is a visual fiesta – the almost white soup followed by delicious, brown satay, the multi-coloured Iranian native Joojeh kebab and the vivid yellow of the Persian kebabs. Joojeh kebab is skewered yellow with green bell peppers, tomatoes and boiled egg and chicken pieces a la chicken tikka (mild). Mushroom stuffed chicken is another visual treat – slightly brown with hint to pink rolled chicken filled with mushroom sitting blanched spinach on circles of gnocchi. It was as much a treat for the taste buds.
The piece de resistance without a doubt is duck steak. “The duck has been marinated for 16 hours in salt and slow-cooked for eight to ten hours. The salt lets out all the moisture and the duck is cooked in its own fat. Usually the leg bone is not used but here it is,” says the Chef as he serves our portions, ensuring that we get some greens and veggies into us not just the meats. This might be why the chef’s table works, who better to explain the food and the process. The duck steak is a must-have. It will soon be introduced into Holiday Inn’s Italian restaurant Roma, he reveals.Tiramisu, fruits, a baklava-like Arabian sweet and banana fritters give a sweet ending to the proceedings. The cinnamon and powdered sugar dusted banana fritters and delicious tiramisu get full marks.
The weekends will see the buffet comprising these innovations with the restaurant’s international buffet spread. The Satay & Grills buffet is on for this weekend (July 18 and 19) from 7.30 p.m. onwards.
