Chef Ranveer Brar, born in the city of Nawabs, Lucknow, presented Indian food to the world in a different way. Ranveer, who has done many cooking shows, has also written many books. These days he is in the news for his new show. He had a special conversation with us:
Nowadays there is a lot of talk about equality between men and women. According to you, how much has the participation of men in the kitchen increased?
Some people say that this is women's work. Then the same people say why all the chefs in the kitchen are men. First of all, this thing should be understood in a gender neutral way. This is not anyone's job. Cooking is a passion, whoever likes it should do it. For a long time, men dominated cooking in restaurants and hotels. However, now that thing is also slowly changing. Similarly, it is important to make the kitchen of the house gender neutral. The way the world is moving forward today, gender has no meaning. You will be surprised to know that 65 percent of the subscribers on my YouTube channel are men. They learn cooking and also cook at home.
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What was your family's reaction when you thought of becoming a chef?
When I was growing up, that is, I am talking about 1993, at that time people did not think of anything other than becoming a doctor or engineer. If the boy is useless then get him to graduate. If that is not possible then make him a bank PO. If that is also not possible then get him a job in the railways. I thought that I am not going to do all this. People asked what will you do. I said I will cook. I took admission in Hotel Management College in Lucknow. At that time no one even thought that a career can be made in cooking. Later the family members also felt that whatever I am doing is fine.
Everyone's first dish is special. Tell us the story of your first dish?
Rajma-Chawal. I was 15 years old then. Mother was ill. She said that your father must be returning from work, make whatever you can. I made it, father ate it. Papa did not say anything to me. But he told mother that Rajma-Chawal is good. Then some courage and hope arose. Before that, at the age of 11, I had made sweet rice with jaggery for the first time in the Gurudwara. The energy of the place where food is cooked influenced me from the very beginning.
How was your journey from cooking at home to becoming a professional chef?
Actually, every chef has a journey that starts from home. He sees that his grandmother, mother…cooks very tasty food. Then he goes to study. Then he feels that what was being cooked at home was nothing special. There are so many types of food like Italian, French and Thai. That is part 2. Then comes part 3, when he feels that all this is fine. But if someone wants to eat French food, why would he eat it from the hands of an Indian. This will increase the respect of French people. If I want to get respect, I should cook my own Indian food. Then he starts cooking his own food. Then his reference point is that same grandmother. I believe that if you have to earn a name in the world, you can do it only by cooking your own food
How do you present Indian food abroad so that people there like it?
See, the food doesn't change. If we are serving a dish in Dubai, the dish remains the same, only the reference points change. In fact, the storytelling and reference points change according to the market. Otherwise you change 10 percent of your food according to the market. If it is a very different market, it becomes 15 percent. The way of serving also changes there. Every country has a different way of serving food. The names of the dishes don't change, only their description changes. If I am explaining it to you, I will explain it in your way. If I am explaining it in America, I will explain it in their way.
What will people get to see in your new show?
My new show 'Thums Up Toofani Biryani Hunt' Season 2 will be shot in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Visakhapatnam, Lucknow, Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. Actually, we had asked our viewers which biryani is the most toofani? After asking this question on social media, we got lakhs of responses and the places were decided according to the votes. Actually, we have tried to capture the emotions and passion for biryani for the whole of India in this show.
What is your fitness mantra?
Taste everything, eat nothing.
