Pune on my plate: Tales of 3 chefs who experimented with exotic cuisines from Lucknow, Peru and Japan

Chef Qureshi comes from a long line of chefs, who have honed their skills in the kitchens of Nawab of Awadh in Lucknow. Thus, Qureshi, who showcases his art at the Chingari restaurant of Hotel Sheraton of Pune, says he brings with him skills that are influenced by a long line of masters and blended with his personal creations. The curator of the three categories of dishes – Riyaat (Traditional), Virasat (Modern) and Andaz (Contemporary) –, Qureshi says his aim is to make the delicate cuisine of Lucknow popular and with a twist.

“Coming from a long line of chefs, I have literally learnt from the masters. My uncles were the one who introduced Nawabi cuisine to Delhi. Given how Delhi is the heartland of Mughal cuisine, making space for another North Indian cuisine must have been tough,” he said. Unlike Mughlai food, Nawabi food goes easy on spices and instead brings about magic in terms of the blend of spices. “Unlike the Mughlai biryani, the Lucknowi biryani does not have any spice mix. Instead our biryani is made with lots of kewara and induced spices which make the Biriyani light yet fragrant,” he said. When it comes to protein, most dishes are cooked over slow fire with a unique combination of spices.

Kuuru edamame. (Source: Express Photo)

Developed when the Nawabs of Awadh gained power in the declining days of the Mughal Empire, the court of Lucknow tried to make up for the grandeur of the new empire. “Instead of excessive usage of fat, our cuisine is subtle – the magic lies in spices,” he said. The new menu is a clever take on traditional dishes using modern techniques. “Our work is to ensure that our guest gets introduced to the rich heritage from the kitchens of Nawabs. At times we do get guests asking if the biryani would have masala. But over all our experience has been warm and gratifying,” he said.

Chef Ritesh Barve

Chef De Cuisine, Westin Pune

Chef Barve, is one of the very rare ones in Pune who have specialised in Peruvian cuisine. “Along with Japanese, Mexican and Spanish cuisines, I decided to add this to my skill sets as it would help me introduce my guests to something new,” he said. Developed along the heights of Andes, Barve said Peruvian cuisine is known for its usage of corn, seafood and fresh food. “The spread is very vibrant and plays on the taste buds,” he said.

Peruvian food, Barve said, is served to people who are actually familiar with it. Thus the chef and his team prepare the dishes only when guests place the order. “But through festivals and special counters we are trying to introduce this cuisine to Pune,” he said. Ceviche is a type of seafood, which, according to Barve, has caught the fancy of foodies. Instead of using heat to cook seafood, ceviche uses acid from lime and sauces to ‘cure’ the dish before serving it in a palatable manner. “Food is about experimenting and this clean and colourful cuisine is the best to experiment with,” he said.

Corn ceviche. (Source: Express Photo

Before shifting to Pune, Barve had worked in Mumbai and had introduced Peruvian and other exotic cuisine to his guests there. In Pune, Barve wants to do the same and with the team of Westin with him, he says he would be able to do it well.

Given the fact that the Peruvian cuisine is exotic, guests require some convincing to try out this at times. Barve, whose expertise lies in other cuisines also, is always ready to ask his guests to try this out. He says there are plans to make this more popular in Pune.

Peruvian seabass. (Source: Express Photo)

Chef Rakesh Jadhav,

Executive sous chef, DoubleTree by Hilton

Recently, DoubleTree by Hilton, held a food festival where the main ingredient was mushroom. Chef Rakshe Jadhav, the executive sous chef, said the inspiration was from the rich umami flavours and versatility of mushrooms. “Mushroom, have been a staple in Japanese cuisine for centuries… through this festival, we wanted to showcase their unique texture and gourmet appeal through authentic Japanese preparation in a specially curated menu,” he said.

Working with mushrooms can be tricky, given their delicate flavour, their original flavour is often lost if the spices are too loud. The exotic ones like the shiitake mushrooms require delicate handling. Jadhav said they managed to do this by the right pairing of the mushrooms with spices. Jadhav said they used Japanese techniques with minimal seasoning. “Slow simmering in miso based broths, light tempura frying and teppanyaki grilling with soy and garlic butter allowed mushrooms to retain their textures and earthy notes,” he said. Ponzu (a Japanese soy sauce), Mirin (sweet tangy rice wine), and tare sauce allowed the mushrooms to retain their original earthy taste.

This was the first time, the hotel had held such an event and Jadhav said the guests were all praise for it. “We plan to make this an annual feature in our event calendar now,” he said.