Dressed casually in a crisp white shirt and jeans, Sanjeev Kapoor is relaxed and affable, just as one would expect. After all, this is the man who has been the friendly guide on the country’s collective food journey since the early 90s, whether it was teaching us to make the perfect gajar halwa , paneer butter masala or chicken 65 on his popular cooking show Khana Khazana .
In the city over the weekend for an event at Metro Cash & Carry in Yeshawantpur, the 55-year-old chef sat down for a chat. “When I started, sharing knowledge was a problem in the industry. It was frustrating,” says Sanjeev. “Whatever I learnt took a lot of effort; I had to struggle. So, I promised myself at an early stage that whatever I learnt, I would teach. I was teaching much before television happened, whether it was the junior staff at hotels or taking cooking classes. So, when I started on television, I was ready for it. It also helped that I took part in debates and did public speaking in school and college. And when you have a humble beginning, you’re always approachable.”
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So, does that mean that the yelling-and-throwing-things approach is a definite no-no when teaching young chefs? “I too have gone through that,” says Sanjeev. “That was the style then. I was brought up in a house with a lot of respect for each other. So, when I went into the industry, I thought, ‘why is this happening?’.” Sanjeev adds that initially, he too yelled and threw things when he taught. “Even now, once in a year, that part of me still manifests,” he laughs.
Sanjeev says when he started learning, French cuisine was popular. “When I started cooking, it was more about Chinese food. Then, I realised that if you want global dominance, people will respect you more for Indian food. So, I did that. Once you have the basics right, it is not difficult. You travel, you see things. As a good chef and someone who wants to teach, one is always inquisitive and ready to learn. It is a continuous process. The day I cease to learn will be the last day of my life.”
He says that people’s tastes have evolved, but “our core remains the same. Because there is awareness, we are okay with adopting different forms. For example, masala noodles. The form is noodles but the taste is masala. Or when we say Thai food. We are okay with all the ingredients we are familiar with. But, we don’t like fish sauce (a common ingredient in the cuisine) and so we throw it out. If tastes had changed, we would have adopted that too.”
Sanjeev adds that because people are increasingly travelling, they also have a sense of adaptability for food that are foreign. “Foreign doesn’t just mean other countries. Dosa in Punjab is foreign, chole bhature is foreign to Karnataka but it has been adopted in the region. Every household in India has a spice box. It is just that the portions are different.”
Speaking of Indian food, are people more aware of it globally? “ Definitely. In many places, till even two years ago, it was considered exotic food and something to be wary of. It is growing at a fast pace. One of the biggest drivers of this change is our people migrating to those countries and becoming messengers and ambassadors for our cuisine. So that influence has helped in familiarising those around them with Indian food. In terms of respect though, we are still not there,” he adds.