Coming out of the kitchen

Like most recent trends, this too was born of liberalisation and the media onslaught. Says Solomon, "Earlier, the percentage of people who ate out frequently was really low, and now even school kids can afford to go out. So now people are more curious about who is creating the cuisine. It is the same phenomenon as the limelight enjoyed by fashion designers — people wanting to know who is behind the designs." Oberoi agrees with him. "Each dish created at Zodiac Grill is a work of art. So much time and attention goes into it. Obviously people notice it," he says.

There has also been a cultural shift. With more people working, there is a lot more focus on eating out. Says Kapoor, "Dining out in style has become a status symbol."

What has also changed over the past five years or so is that Indians have become braver and don’t flinch at the mention of a different cuisine. This has to do with the hordes who fly out each year for a far East or European holiday and come back with a taste for foreign cuisine. And because of this demand, Mexican, Thai and Italian restaurants have mushroomed all over the city with five-star hotels taking the lead. "We started Thai Pavillion and El Mexicana because people now want to eat something different when they go out," says Solomon. And these restaurants are the chef’s babies from inception to menu to regular checks. "The success or failure depends on the chef," says Solomon. And often, after a meal, people want to meet the chef to congratulate him. With celebrities, it has become a status symbol of sorts, to speak to the chef during the meal. A sign of personal attention perhaps. Says Oberoi, "I often have people wanting to speak to me or writing a thank-you note afterwards."

"What is also very important is that you experiment and come out with something entirely new. Just having festivals of various world cuisines is not enough. And then people automatically notice," adds Kapoor. And keeping up with the latest trends, Juhu Centaur is now opening a vegetarian restaurant, Green Planet, which will serve international food.

The multitude of television channels has also created a media space for chefs. There is a big market for cookery shows, and programs like Khana Khazana hosted by Kapoor has a devout fan following of housewives. Oberoi has also done a couple of series for the Restaurant Show on DD 2. Solomon too has appeared on serials like the Poonam Dhillon Show. The popularity has filtered down to newspapers and magazines with chefs flooded with requests to write regular columns.

And now being a chef is no longer considered downmarket. Says Kapoor, "When I decided to become a chef, my family wasn’t so pleased with the decision. It wasn’t a profession you could be proud of. But I have always been given the recognition that I deserve. It has a lot to do with the personality of the person too." Oberoi remarks, "Till about a decade ago, this wasn’t regarded as a serious profession but now it is much celebrated."And the latest to acquire the celebrity tag is a bewildered Nikhil Chibb. A banker who chucked up counting money to chop onions, Chibb gives the city Burmese food. His monthly Buddha of Bohemia’ dinners at Hyde Park are well attended despite complaints of poor service and inconsistent quality. Everything he does, makes news. From going to the Bombay Gym bar with his model girlfriend Nina Manuel to his cuisine, Chibb finds his name in the papers once a week. "I don’t know why I am famous," he says.

But as long as there is an interest in food, the hands that wield the chopper will continue to make news. And the chef will no longer have to stay inside the kitchen.