MasterChef Australia host Gary Mehigan took a master class in Mumbai to promote Tourism Victoria. He spoke to Karan Bhardwaj about his new catering service and what fascinates him about Indian cuisine
He is no Tom Cruise or Shah Rukh Khan, but globally-acclaimed chef Gary Mehigan is definitely the king of kitchen. One of the judges of MasterChef Australia, Mehigan is as popular as any other superstar would be. So when he flew down to India to stage a master class at Grand Hyatt, Mumbai, in a bid to promote Tourism Victoria, the Indian media turned up in full attendance. Though this was his second visit here, the chef still hasn’t got enough time to explore India. “Once I will be done with this event, I will go down to check some street food. I have heard it’s great,” he told us.
Mehigan is known for his witty personality that helps him keep his audience engaged. “I don’t want anybody to sleep here. let’s interact and cook together,” he alerted as he headed a team of some 12-odd chefs. One by one, he cooked delicacies, and even allowed us to taste them. Salmon rillettes with little toasts, cauliflower cheese croquettes, asparagus with goat’s curd and green olive tapenade, boudin blanc with mushrooms and roast chicken with fondant potato and minted peas and spinach were some of the dishes served. His master class was more fun than the kitchen lessons. Post that, he spared some time with us to answer. Excerpts from an interview:
How’s it going in IndiaIJ
This is my second visit and I am loving it. last time, I came here and I did a trip to Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru but still couldn’t explore much. After I am done with this programme, I am going to step out and try some street food in Mumbai. I want to find some interesting stories here. I will be back in October to shoot a part of MasterChef Australia here. I am looking forward to that.
How do you look at Indian cuisine.
Since I come from london, I have known about Indian cuisine. England has a large Indian community which eventually makes Indian food as one of the most popular cuisines there. For me, it is fascinating because I am not familiar with it as much as I am with French or Italian food.
What were your initial influencesIJ
All the big chefs that I have worked with. I have had lots of enriching experiences, good or bad. From to the experience of working to an old-fashioned Michelin Star’s kitchen where 50 guys would crazily cook some stuff which I had never touched before to my tenure at The Connaught Hotel (london) under Michel Bourdan. Another remarkable point in my career was le Soufflé at the Intercontinental Hotel (london) where I worked under Peter Kromberg. Other icons like Chef David Keller from US or David Chang have been pioneering the field and have inspired me a lot.
Would you like to venture out in IndiaIJ You seem to be diversifying now.
I don’t know if this idea would actually materialise. But I would like to take some good Indian food to Australia and bring back Australian food to India. Unfortunately, I am occupied with too many things at the moment. I have just launched Big Kitchen Events, which is a catering service, with my friend and chef Brett May in Melbourne. I want to take it to another level. I am also writing my fourth book and will shortly film a TV show. Besides, I am doing some commercial endorsements.
How do you manage all thisIJ
I am a middle-age man. But I think the luck and pleasure I had being part of MasterChef Australia, was phenomenal. I really made the best of it. I don’t have any regrets. I keep enjoying the experiences of doing too many things.
Which region offers the best food in the worldIJ
I love France. Every thing of French food is amazing in terms of texture, richness and detail.
Any faux pa you rememberIJ
Professionally, I commit many mistakes. I remember putting on 150 portions of fish for a wedding. I got distracted after a call. Fifteen minutes later, I realised that they were still in the oven. They were all burnt. It was an expensive mistake. I was lucky that I had fish for another function the following day. My team and I managed to cut, fry and bake 150 portions again. The customer could never get to know about it.
How’s journey with MasterChef AustraliaIJ
It’s been great. We had two Indian contestants Rishi Desai and Neha Sen. Rishi is an amazing cook and is very creative. I expected him to do better in this series. I always prefer people who bring something different in the market. Rishi is going to do something special.
Do you miss your time in kitchenIJ
Yes I do. But I am growing old and working in a kitchen for 12 hours is a tough business. It’s a young man’s game. I now want to motivate young people. My catering business is going to be my attention in coming days.
Any secret recipeIJ
There are a few chefs in the world who try to protect what they do. They probably think it gives them an edge. But recipes and food are meant to be shared. So I don’t keep secrets. I share recipes with everyone. I, in fact, motivate them to twist my recipes. There cannot be a better time to be a chef or to be in industry. There is a worldwide community to appreciate food. They are driven by good food.