For Chef Ranveer Brar, cooking is the ultimate expression as it touches all five senses, finds out Surabhi Jajodia
When celebrity chef Ranveer Brar took on the show, Raja Rasoi Aur Andaz Anokha on Epic Channel, it was decided that neither would the recipes be merged nor made exhaustive. Two recipes would be taken up in each episode and peppered with a lot of conversation focusing on the history of the dish and the person who first made it. And most important, the dishes would be cooked in a manner, where as far as possible, the traditional method of cooking would be adhered to.
In its third season now, the show has been garnering rave reviews – for a reason. “All the cooking happened in traditional utensils. We have not used stainless steel or non-stick pan anywhere. We have cooked in copperware, glassware and mitti ki handi. Fifty percent of the recipes have been cooked on charcoal and wood outside in the garden. We have kept the integrity of the recipe alive by not modernising it. Suppose if we were planning to cook something in its traditional way, we used all the original resources. For instance, we got the mahi tava from lucknow to cook galauti because originally it’s cooked in it,” said Brar. Not just food from North India, but also lesser known food from north-eastern parts of the country is being cooked on the show. “To keep the authenticity and feel alive, we made sure we cooked it in their traditional utensils. This is what makes the show stand apart. It has done justice with food not only in terms of recipes but also in its concept with the ecosystem that we created around the recipes”, said Brar.
So while cooking litti chokha, the traditional dish from Bihar, Brar stuck to cow dung uplas which were used to cook the dish. Not just litti but even the roasting for the chokha was done on uplas. When Brar decided to cook Haleem, the barley, wheat and meat dish, nothing less than a traditional degh was considered appropriate. And he sourced an earthen ware pot for cooking the Monkfish specialty.
‘Stick to the basics’ is one advice that Brar likes to hand out to aspiring chefs. “The show is essentially about India and Indian cuisines wherein we have picked up some known and unknown aspects of food culture from various parts of India and then tried to bring that philosophy into a recipe. It’s a theory of transitions unlike most of my shows where we try to recreate or try to do stuff that is innovative but this is just the recipes the way they are with no modification. It’s a tribute to our country and its culinary heritage recipes,” said Brar who is back on television with the third season of Raja Rasoi Aur Andaz Anokha. The first two seasons focused mainly on the idea, thought and philosophy behind food.
When quizzed about the inspiration behind bringing this concept, Brar said, “I have tried to adapt the philosophy and put it in my cooking so that there is a clear take away. A lot of times in spite of getting motivated, we don’t know how to get the desired output. In food, the real output comes only when you cook it. The dish might look great and have a good history but one won’t be able to cook it as people are unaware of the basics. So, here in Raja Rasoi aur Andaz Anokha, with its simple ambiance and methods of cooking, the viewers will have a direct connect to the recipes and this is what makes the show different from other food shows. People will be shown basic methods so that they are not only motivated but are also able to cook the dish in the exact manner.”
The honesty that comes through in the show is another thing that makes it different from several other food shows. Sharing his experience, Brar said, “I look at myself in the show and feel happy and natural. People will be able to see the real me. There is no pretence. I don’t look at the camera, smile and talk. The good thing is that all the food is cooked in my house, where I am in my shorts and cooking in my comfortable space. There is nothing like putting up an act for a show. I am simply cooking at home while shooting is happening on the side. When you are on television, you end up losing yourself by doing certain things just for the television which I didn’t want to do and I am happy that the show shaped up in a manner where I could be myself.” Brar is happy that he could explore a bit more about himself through this show.
His childhood played a vital role in terms of determining Brar’s favourite food region and also building his passion for his profession. “I have grown up in lucknow and the passion people have for good food in that city is commendable. This gastronomic vibe of the city was instrumental in my choice of food as a career. The love and passion in that city can only be translated either by becoming a foodie or a chef. I was lucky enough to become both,” Brar said. He also shared his favourite episode from the show, “There is an episode in which we have covered food from two arch ‘rival’ regions in terms of good food- Hyderabad and lucknow. That was the best part during the entire shoot term”, he added.
As a foodie and a chef, Brar said that there are certain things that you notice about a dish. “When a dish arrives, the first thing that hits you even before you see its presentation is the aroma. When one looks at any dish, there are five key aspects one must notice – aroma, presentation, taste, texture and flavour.” With a lot of food shows on air and also the influence of west, presentation at times takes priority over taste, flavour and texture, Brar said, “For me, different aspects are the priority at different times. I don’t think that taste, flavour and texture have taken a back seat today. It’s just that in today’s time presentation has become an important aspect. In this show, the only thing about presentation that is kept in mind is that the food is served in the traditional dishes which were used earlier. If it’s a biryani, its served in a handi (pot) and so on. There is no innovative creation. The show is very slow and soulful simply focusing on ‘honest’ food”.
And there is another food trend that is of western origin is going oil free. But for that too, traditional cuisine holds out answers. Gujrati food is something that he can indulge in even at odd times of the day. Being non-oily and handy, Brar feels that Dhoklas and Khandvis can be binged on at any time and during any weather. He also shared his favourite childhood memories related to food. “As a kid, I was fond of khoya which my grandmother made by extracting milk from cows and buffalos. She used to put it into a kadhai and kept cooking till it thickened enough and turned into khoya. I loved eating the part which used to be stuck around the kadhai,” Brar said.
Besides cooking, Brar is an avid painter and sculptor and he feels that photography is a natural extension of the artist in him. However, for him, cooking is the ‘ultimate expression’ because it touches all five senses.
Despite being surrounded by food round-the-clock, Ranveer never compromises on his fitness. To maintain, he keeps trying new techniques, “Earlier I used to do weights and cardio but these days I am doing a lot of kalaripayattu, a Kerala martial arts. I am planning to do this for a year and then move on to something else. I do this not only because it is a work-out but it also soothes my mind and body, which is essential,” Brar said.