newsextra Give us a very brief history of your career? I started my career at India’s Institute of Hotel Management when I was 17. From here, I went on to complete my apprenticeship at the Taj Intercontinental Hotel in Bombay, before moving to Australia in 1985 to work where I became head chef at Mayur restaurant. In 1990 I opened Abhi’s in North Strathfield, and then came Aki’s in Woolloomooloo. This year I was on MasterChef — one of my career highlights. What do you like to eat when you’re not working? I like to eat fresh, healthy food, and a lot of fish and seafood. Your favourite restaurant? Fratelli Paradiso. It serves up simple food with clean Italian flavours. Your pick of the menu there? The fish and seafood broth. Perfect with a red wine. Favourite dish on your menu? For winter, I really like the Prawn and Okra Curry I cooked on MasterChef. But one of my favourites is the Palak Patta Chaat – spinach leaf in crispy lentil batter, on a bed of potatoes and chickpeas, topped with yoghurt, date and tamarind and chilli and mint sauces. This is one of my signature dishes. Favourite ingredient? I love using fennel and green cardamom, and fresh coriander. What do you think will be the next big foodservice trend? People are really beginning to demand a healthy, fresh approach to food, and I think restaurants will respond to that. It’s becoming increasingly popular to use more natural ingredients and local secretingredients Kumar Mahadevan Chef and owner of Sydney restaurants, Abhi’s and Aki’s This much-praised Indian chef also has a passion for Italian food and would dine on Italian truffles for his last supper. His profile went skywards this year after he appeared on MasterChef. produce. Which is a great thing. Your tip for restaurateurs and chefs for surviving the economic crunch. Understand their own strengths, and also the market they’re in. I think it’s important to innovate, but within the boundaries of where your strengths and knowledge lies. There are so many amazing restaurants and chefs out there you need to be at the top of your game to survive. You’ve been handed $2m. How would you spend it? I’d regularly fly out different Indian chefs to put on dinner festivals at my restaurants, celebrating different Palak Patta Chat Ingredients 150g besan 50g (1/3 cup) rice flour 2 tspn chilli powder Peanut or canola oil, for deep-frying 1 bunch spinach, leaves, picked, washed and patted dry 300g sebago potato, boiled until tender, peeled, then diced 30g cooked chickpeas Chopped coriander leaves, to serve Mint and coriander chutney: cup mint leaves 1 bunch coriander, washed and coarsely chopped 4 fresh long green chillies, chopped 1 tspn lemon juice 1 tblsp finely chopped ginger Date and tamarind regions of Indian cuisine and bringing a slice of India to Sydney. I would also look to increase my wine list, with a full time sommelier specialising in Indian wine. What’s the key to retaining staff and keeping them motivated? It’s very important to instil in staff a sense of pride and worth for what they are doing. I take great pride in the food I cook, and it is essential that the staff too have this feeling with the job they do. Your dream hospitality gig? I’d love to travel around the world with some of the great Italian chefs. Closer to home, I would like to cook chutney: 30g pitted dates, chopped 1 tblsp tamarind concentrate 15g grated palm sugar 2 tsp ground cumin Chilli and tomato chutney: 4 fresh long red chillies, chopped 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped 2 tspn sweet paprika Yoghurt dressing 250g Greek-style yoghurt 1 tblsp caster sugar 1 tblsp ground cumin Combine flours, chilli powder and 2 teaspoons salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre, then gradually add 350ml water and whisk until smooth. Cover and stand until required. For mint and coriander chutney, process all ingredients with 1 teaspoon salt and teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, cover and stand until required. For date and tamarind chutney, combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until soft. Strain mixture through a fine sieve, cool, then cover and stand until required. For chilli and tomato chutney, combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer for 10-15 minutes over low heat or until soft. Strain mixture through a fine sieve, cool, then cover and stand until required. Fo yoghurt dressing, combine all ingredients, season to taste with sea salt, then cover and with Italian Chef Danny Russo — my passion is Italian food. Vent your spleen. What annoys you about this business? People’s lack of knowledge and ignorance towards different cuisines. I think it’s important to know not just about the cuisine you cook, but the huge diversity of cuisines from around the world. You never know it could enrich your own cooking. What’s on the menu for your last supper? A full white truffle degustation, with white truffles from Northern Italy, cooked by my friend Danny Russo. refrigerate until required. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 180C. Dip spinach leaves, one at a time, into batter, shaking off excess, then deep-fry, in batches, until crisp and golden. Drain on absorbent paper. To serve, divide fried spinach leaves among plates, scatter with chopped potato and chickpeas, spoon over yoghurt dressing. Top with 1 teaspoon of the chutneys. Sprinkle with coriander leaves and serve. 12 hospitality | august <strong>2010</strong> hospitalitymagazine.com.au
NEW PRODUCTS • NEW EQUIPMENT • FRESH IDEAS TURN YOUR PASSION INTO PROFIT 13–16 September <strong>2010</strong> Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre See over 1200 local and international exhibitors with the latest innovative products and equipment. Discover thousands of ideas to help your business stay ahead of the competition. For FREE ENTRY register online www.fi nefood.com.au and enter priority code: FF01 Strictly trade only. Entry is restricted to members of the retail, foodservice and hospitality industry. Proof of business identifi cation may be required. Persons not in these categories, including children, will not be admitted at any time. www.fi nefood.com.au
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