The most well-spent, I think it’s the most well-defined day for me as MADRAASI was on Feb 13^th, when I got to attend the “25 of India’s biggest Chefs” book launch event by Dr. SAAGARIKA GHOSHAL, the author of the book and the event was hosted by METRO Cash and Carry India at Le-Meridien, Bangalore.

About Book: This book 25 of India’s Biggest Chefs is a compilation of all-time favorite recipes from the repertoire of India’s top 25 Chefs and was authorized by Dr. SAAGARIKA GHOSHAL, Director – Human resources at METRO Cash & Carry, India. The book has the culinary stories (their journey into the culinary world and some innovative recipes from their kitchens) of 25 celebrated and award-winning chefs in India.

25 of India’s Biggest Chefs Book Launch Event

25 of India’s Biggest Chefs Book Launch Event

Tender Coconut and Water Melon Juice

25 of India’s Biggest Chefs Book Launch Event

25 of India’s Biggest Chefs Book Launch Event

Tender Coconut Juice

Why “25 of India’s Biggest Chefs”: Food is a basic things which all the living beings need and when it comes chefs, who carefully craft the recipes with the ingredients available with them, is not at all simple task. The task of the chef is not at all easy one, they got to follow many things like combining the right ingredients, giving healthiest food, promising to enhance the taste buds of each and every one, balancing the quality of food, creating something new, to satisfy each and every one – they require effort, dedication, concentration and on the whole I would say a Challenging a task. Also nowadays chefs are the ones who has learned each and everything about the culinary art. They are a showman, researchers, innovator, scientists, cost controllers who have good knowledge of nutrition. This book was authorized and launched to honor our chefs who plays a best role in everyone’s life.

Metro Cash and Carry Team with Author

METRO Cash and Carry Team with Author

25 of India’s Biggest Chefs Book Launch Event

Author – r. Saagarika Ghoshal

Author with Chef Abhijit Saha

How 25 Chefs: There are many chefs all over India, and selecting the top 25 among them is highly challenging task. Based on many guidelines they started picking out the top 25 Chefs of India. They collected the list of Chefs all over India and set guidelines such as trained chefs, differentiated them, chefs who took India globally, placed a spot in global through their food business, their involvement based with healthy concept, motivation for future generation and so on.

About the author: Author of the book was Dr. Saagarika Ghoshal, Director – Human Resources at METRO Cash & Carry India. Dr. Saagarika Ghoshal said that, “She wanted to honor the chefs who make everyone’s life healthy, who took India globally and got made Indian Cuisine marked on global map. They formed a team, got listed the names of chefs, selected the top 25 chefs, personally contacted them, collected details about their culinary journey, their signature dish and the recipes”.

Author – Dr. Saagarika Ghoshal (Women Behind the Book)

About Metro Cash and Carry: METRO Cash and Curry is represented in 26 countries with over 750 self-service stores. They have commenced their operations in India in 2003 with the opening of its first wholesale distribution centre in India at Yeshawantpur, Bangalore. In India, currently they have nineteen operational wholesale centres – four in Bangalore, two in Mumbai and Delhi, One each in Kolkata, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Zirakpur, Amritsar, Vijayawada, Indore and Jaipur.

METRO Cash and Curry India was one of the key sponsors for the program. In more than a decade of operations, METRO has built a reputation for the quality of food products and services it offers to hotels, restaurants and catering businesses.  They are the only whole sale in India for almost a decade in Food Industry and the one to build community to support customers. The company takes the pride in their support of food and hospitality sector and has created the well-recognized Chef-o-logy platform to nurture promising culinary talent. This book launch event if to showcase such talent among food lovers and cooking enthusiasts.

Book getting launched

India’s pride – 25 of India’s Biggest Chefs

Book given to Chefs

Among the 25 Chefs, we had 8 Chefs at the event and I feel like flying on the top of the sky to meet all the chefs at a same place. The top 25 Indian Chefs – Chef Abhijit Saha, Chef Anil Rohira, Chef Bhaskar Sankhari, Chef Davinder Kumar, Chef Deepa Awchat, Chef Joy Bhattacharya, Chef Kunal Kapur, Chef Manjit Gill, Chef Mayank Kulshreshtha, Chef Naren Thimmiah, Chef Nimish Bhatia, Chef Pallav Singhal, Chef Pankaj Bhadouria, Chef Rajesh Dubey, Chef Ramaswamy Selvaraju, Chef Ritu Dalmia, Chef Sabyasachi Gorai, Chef Salil Fadnis, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, Chef Shaun Kenworthy, Chef Soundararajan P, Chef Sudhir Pai, Chef Vicky Ratnani, Chef Vijaya Baskaran, Chef Vikas Khanna and few things about the chefs we had over there…

8 of the chefs and Author with 25 of India’s Biggest Chefs Book

• Chef Abhijit Saha: Founding Director and Chef of Avant Garde Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. His signature restaurant, Saha, is located at the prestigious National Gallery Singapore and his latest venture Café Cassia is in Ulsoor, Bangalore. With 24 years of experiences, Chef Saha is an expert in Classical and Modern European & Regional Indian cuisines. He was awarded the “Best chef of India” at the Indian Restaurant Congress and Awards, 2013. Also he has won the “ICFA Entrepreneur Chef of the Year” award – 2008-2009 and the SICA “Golden Hat” award 2013 for outstanding contribution to the culinary field. Got featured in this book with his Siganature Dish – Smoked Salmon Hummus.
• Chef Anil Rohira – He is a world-renowned Pastry Chef. Currently based in Mumbai, also he is the head of Demonstration and Promotion of Felchlin Switzerland’s pastry products globally.He started his culinary in 1995 and it was due to his exceptional dedication, passion and professionalism that he began to work for eminent resorts such as The Balsams. He also captained team USA in the 2003 Pastry World Cup, Lyon, France, where he won the best sugar Artistry Award. He believes that learning is the great experience and strongly stands by the adage “Knowledge parted, is knowledge gained”. Got featured in this book with his Signature Dish – ZESTY MULTIPLE-LAYERED CITRUS AND MANGO CARAMELITO
• Chef Naren Thimmaiah: He been the face of Iconic Karavalli for over two decades. He started his culinary journey in Taj Group of Hotels. He holds distinction of participating in the World Gourmet Summit held at Singapore in the year 2005. He also holds the distinction of being the fourth to attend this prestigious event representing not only Taj Group of Hotels but India in totally. He was featured in Prestigious Tata Review as one of the top five Taj Chefs. His advice t upcoming chefs is that hard work never gets out of fashion, and practice makes perfect. Got featured in this book with his Signature Dish – ZESTY TIGER PRAWN ROAST

Me with Chef Soundararajan P

With Chef Abhijit Saha

• Chef Nimish Bhatia: He was the driving force between the Baluchi brand of restaraunts of the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group’s hotel across India, he has also been the group’s corporate chef for many years. During his career spanning 25 years, he has won many awards. He has been awarded the Culinary Greatness Award at the Culinary Congress in 2012. He has done osme rather cutting edge work in his paring of Indian food with wines. He has conceptualized “Nimmisserie”, his dream intitative, which is all about custom made food. Got featured in this book with his Signature Dish – SMOKED RED CHILLI DUSTED PRAWN MAKHANI on a bed of ASPARAGUS KHICHADI.
• Chef Ramasamy Selvaraju: He is the Executive Chef at the Taj Vivanta by Taj, Bengaluru. He has been the integral part of Taj Group of Hotels for the last 25 years. He was conferred the Best Chef Award at the National Tourism Awards by the President of India in 2014. He believes in providing the eclectic mix of exotic and healthy dining experience. He is not working at Taj Vivanta, he derives immense satisfaction for his soul by serving orphans, the underprivileged and doing charity dinners for the AIDS affected. Got featured in this book with his Signature Dish – John Dory with Lemongrass Veloute and Red Wine Sauce.
• Chef Sabyasachi Gorai: He currently owns aand runs Fabrica, a boutique restaurant consultancy venture. He also launched his own restaurant Lavash by Saby. His latest achivements are the launch of the Olive Culinary Academy, New Delhi and the great success of SodaBottleOpenerWala, Bombay. He has also won the “Best chef of India”, title presented by Varil Awards in the USA in 2012. He is also dedicated to the Slow Food Movement in India. Got featured in this book with his Signature Dish – PUMPKIN MANTI.
• Chef Soundararajan P: He is the Corporate Executive Chef of Mahindra holidays and Resorts India Ltd. He is also a certified WACS judge and WACS certified Chef. He was awarded the National Award from the Ministry of Tourism. He is also the founder of the South India Culinary Association and Founder General Secretary of the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations. He was a pioneer in introducing the concept of waste management such as composting, herb/kitchen garden, and use of recyclable materials at guest line. The hotel was awarded, “American Express Hotel” in 1993. Got featured in this book with his Signature Dish – HONEY LACQUERED TURKEY
• Chef Vijaya Baskaran: He is the Vice President of Indian Federation of Culinary Associations and oversees the entire F&B Operations at the Le Meridien, Bangalore. He specializes in Hyderabadi Cuisine. He was awarded a National Recognition of Culinary Leadership in 2012, apart from Golden Hat Award in 2008. He who strongly believes in cooking fundamentals and getting the basics right. Got featured in this book with his Signature Dish – PAN-CHARRED FISH WITH SOY, GINGER AND CHILLI FLAKES.

Culinary Demo by Chef Sabyasachi Gorai

Author helping Chef Sabyasachi Gorai

Mixed Millets Kichadi by Chef Sabyasachi Gorai

Finally we had an informal culinary demo by award-winning Indian chef SABYASACHI GORAI, who presented a quick and delicious – Mixed Millet Kichadi with Coconut Prawns in his own style.

Desserts

25 of India’s Biggest Chefs Book Launch Event

25 of India’s Biggest Chefs Book Launch Event

25 of India’s Biggest Chefs Book Launch Event

25 of India’s Biggest Chefs Book Launch Event

25 of India’s Biggest Chefs Book Launch Event

25 of India’s Biggest Chefs Book Launch Event

25 of India’s Biggest Chefs Book Launch Event

25 of India’s Biggest Chefs Book Launch Event

Hats off to the author Dr. Saagarika Ghoshal and the editorial team who worked up through various sources to come up with an exhaustive list of culinary experts and METRO CASH AND CURRY for their launch event.

25 of India’s Biggest Chefs Book Launch Event

25 of India’s Biggest Chefs Book Launch Event

25 of India’s Biggest Chefs Book Launch Event

Thanks FBAB for the invite and making the event possible for me.