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A chef of instinct
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Walter Chung’s is a perfect example of how intuition and enterprise can take one from washing dishes to owning restaurants
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Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.
FOODY BELIEFS Walter Chung: ‘Only a man with a full stomach begins to philosophise on life’
Walter Chung’s father declared that he was an “outstanding” student when he was 12 years old. At school in Kolkata, Walter was always ‘standing out’ of his class. His father was scared and packed him off to train at Flor
a Restaurant, where he began with washing plates. He says: “The Chinese were always wary of famines. So, my father who felt I’ll starve to death thought I’ll be safest working in a kitchen. He knew I’ll never grow hungry as I’d always have food to eat!”
Then, Walter started picking up his own tricks of the trade. Like something of an exotic Amy Tan novel he says: “I knew which chef to follow and which to avoid – judging by the plates I was washing. If there was some food left, then I didn’t look up to him. And clean, polished off plates meant that the chef was good and the customer happy!”
Walter left a long food trail and packed his bags to arrive in Bangalore in ’85. He assisted his uncle in his restaurant “Canton” for three years before he joined the Grand Ashok. “I felt I needed to know more and explore my culinary skills. In the hotel, the menu was large and went beyond ‘niche’ chefs who, for their whole lives just know how to make fried rice, momos, chilli chicken or sweet corn and perfect on it.” And in ’88, he was involved in establishing his cousin’s restaurant Chung Wah. It was in ’94 that he started his first restaurant, Kim Lee, in Rajajinagar along with his brother.
He declares: “Meet me at seven in the morning or 11 at night, I will still greet and welcome you to my restaurant and serve you well-prepared food.” The dynamic cook says he trains his staff to keep their passion soaring high, whether it is the beginning of the day or closing time. He feels: “It is important to work at boosting their morale and be an inspiration and instil leadership qualities.”
“It is here,” he says, “where I observe who is dedicated and has that spark and hunger to grow, owing to the fear of hunger, and promote them to the next level.”
“It is always a team effort at a restaurant; never one.” He says he can’t manage without his staff, who are always on their feet. Some are buying vegetables; others are delivering steaming hot momos at his stall at a Bengali puja pandal. He reveals, “I have trained 300 to 400 young men who are now shining in their respective careers.”
The versatile chef talks about life and living. “Earlier, I never used to keep a mobile phone. We just bring it on ourselves and want more and more. You ask a man who is hungry about philosophy and religion, he doesn’t care. But only a man with a full stomach philosophises on life.”
Coming back to food, Walter says that simple food tastes the best. The chef has even researched on Chinese food culture in India. He points out: “The boom started in the mid 70s.” He continues: “I even assisted my cousin, Tony Yang in a BBC production in ’97 about Chinese tradition in India.”
“Chinese food in India is always ‘fusion’ food. What we cook in our homes is quite simple otherwise.” He noticed that after 10 to 15 years, food patterns and tastes evolve. “People are tired and bored of the same food and want a change. And now, people are eating out more than ever before.” He feels that these trends differ with different social classes. “The upper middle class who are also global travellers are bored of gobi Manchurian and now eat bland Thai cuisine in hotels.” So, for the middle classes, where eating out is still a new fad, fried rice and noodles still rule. “So now the original Margherita pizza has changed to Chinese or Tandoori pizza.”
He talks about the dangers of excess of preservatives, colours and enhancement in food like ajinomoto. “Cooks should have the knowledge to use it in moderation. To add colour and taste to my sauces, I mix three different types of sauce.” When it comes to cooking, timing and measurement, he says, “I can tell by the smell of the food cooking at what stage it is in. I just need to see the oil to judge how hot it is. I don’t need a clock nor do I need to test the taste of the food I cook.”
His restaurant is not bustling with customers like other well-advertised, popular and expensive restaurants in the city. Walter Chung states, “My grandfather taught me that if you’re confident of your product, then you don’t need to go out of your way. Your guests will always spread the word around.” Walter Chung can be contacted at 9845428620 or 9980828620.
AYESHA MATTHAN
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