Cook Before You Leap

The 30-year-old Pohoja,who is part of the team that has turned around the Chinese restaurant My Humble House,has been cooking up a strategy for Shanghai where he would be rubbernecking with 11 other chefs from 11 countries. “I have been preparing since December,” said Pohoja. “Bocuse d’Or is a real test for the chef. We all have to cook a dish using one specified ingredient and the judges would evaluate on the basis of taste and presentation.”

He has trained under the famous Singaporean chef Sam Leong and ITC’s top chef Manjit Gill. At Shanghai,Pohoja and others would get three hours to create a dish of halibut,a flat fish that is seemingly easy to cook. “Using elements of molecular gastronomy,I wish to give it an Indian touch,” he says. He would be mating his halibut with mint and mango. “I would be using aam papad,with its unique sweet and sour flavour,and mint chutney to transform the dish,” says Pohoja,as he deftly balances a globule of mint on top of the fish. At Shanghai,he has to crank out 14 portions with two garnishes. He has put his halibut through several taste tests,“The first time I sent the dish for sampling,the mango slices were found to be too thick and they overpowered the taste of the fish.”

Gill,who has been tasting the dish,says,“You need to be very organised to compete at this level. India stands a good chance this time.” The competition will be tough,he adds,“Unlike India,countries like Singapore and Malaysia are big on F&B,which is a major revenue earner for them,and they have been participating in the event since the 1980s.”

Pohoja made the cut from 120 chefs who participated in a culinary contest conducted by the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations at The Ashok in December 2009. Now his mango-soaked halibut is looking for gold — with both eyes.