So what really is Indian food about?

Indian food is not hot and spicy contrary to popular conceptions .It is spiced. We believe 'pungent' food- principal ingredients being pepper, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, ajwain, pipli (long pepper) and other such spices. Chillies just came in recently with the Portuguese. Chillies have become common because spices are expensive and they have to be brought in from different places and chillies can grow anywhere. So we have substituted pungency with chillies.

Can you also talk about your role in refining India's roadside food while retaining its authenticity?

Kebabs are from the roadside, and now they are available in 5 Star hotels. Chaats too. We don't change the character of the dish but make a few modifications.

What do you think of fusion food?

Every cuisine is complete only when it is cooked and served tradition says. If you change anything, the cuisine changes. Indian food is thus best served in thalis and katories, as it is spiked and well done and it will not make sense eating it in western style because the way it is prepared is different. The mismatch is not satisfying.

What do you think of olive oil as an ingredient in Indian food?

The smoking temperature of olive oil is low and is not suitable for every dish as Indian food is heated in high temperatures. We can use it selectively and use as a topping.

What kinds of wines are suitable for Indian food?

More strong, robust and older wines go with Indian cooking. The more spiced wines. Food should not be very aromatic and the balance should be kept. We have to see the spicing level if serving wine with food. The wine must be tasted and spices changed accordingly.

Wine makers must make different wines for Indian food that incorporate the fine nuances of Indian food.

What are some of the interesting promotionals of the Indian Culinary Federation and what are its objectives?

The objective of the Indian Culinary federation is to uplift the benchmark of the culinary profession and thus make it popular in the international market. Food is a subject that concerns everyone. So we are making people aware about food in detail so that they understand and appreciate what they eat.

The ICF has done charity shows where food has been displayed to raise money for institutions like CRY, Helpage and other NGO's. We've held Educational Seminars like the National Congress of Chefs to update knowledge regarding food.

In Madras, we collected good cooks from the villages for demonstrations and we are planning to garner more of Indian food this way.

Indian food is gaining global recognition. What role have Indian chefs played?

The role of Indian chefs has chiefly been to discover, practice and serve on a platter. The key idea here is 'to discover'. Our food finds mention in ancient books of wisdom like the Vedas .Our job is to discover, dig out information, practice and make people understand.

So what is the philosophy of Indian cuisine?

Yes. Our food is not just about the ingredients. It revolves around the philosophy of taste, a major aspect. Also involved are seasons, time, local flora and fauna. Our food is not only for physical nourishment, but as Lord Krishna said, “You are what you eat.” Your behavior reflects what you eat. Food allows you a clearer perception of reality. Indian food is not merely 400 years old. It has evolved, passing the tests of time.

Also, Indian food cannot be standardized but it is defined. Standardization brings monotony, but we look for variety. It's defined in the sense that the basics of a dish remain the same but there are slight variations in preparations and the recipe is adapted to local ingredients. For example, a kadhi is a kadhi but different people cook it differently without it losing its essence. We believe in diversity, and we have to practice and make the world understand.

Recently you researched ancient recipes of India for adaptation to contemporary lifestyles. Can you say something on this?

I've studied a lot of ancient texts. Food is defined in all kinds of aspects. We pick up references. Principles and guidelines are given in the texts and we pick up those which suit today's requirements and compose recipes accordingly.

Ancient texts have fatless cooking but they don't recommend a fatless diet because a little fat is essential to beauty.

So what really is Indian food about?

Indian food is not hot and spicy contrary to popular conceptions .It is spiced. We believe 'pungent' food- principal ingredients being pepper, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, ajwain, pipli (long pepper) and other such spices. Chillies just came in recently with the Portuguese. Chillies have become common because spices are expensive and they have to be brought in from different places and chillies can grow anywhere. So we have substituted pungency with chillies.

Can you also talk about your role in refining India's roadside food while retaining its authenticity?

Kebabs are from the roadside, and now they are available in 5 Star hotels. Chaats too. We don't change the character of the dish but make a few modifications.

What do you think of fusion food?

Every cuisine is complete only when it is cooked and served tradition says. If you change anything, the cuisine changes. Indian food is thus best served in thalis and katories, as it is spiked and well done and it will not make sense eating it in western style because the way it is prepared is different. The mismatch is not satisfying.

What do you think of olive oil as an ingredient in Indian food?

The smoking temperature of olive oil is low and is not suitable for every dish as Indian food is heated in high temperatures. We can use it selectively and use as a topping.

What kinds of wines are suitable for Indian food?

More strong, robust and older wines go with Indian cooking. The more spiced wines. Food should not be very aromatic and the balance should be kept. We have to see the spicing level if serving wine with food. The wine must be tasted and spices changed accordingly.

Wine makers must make different wines for Indian food that incorporate the fine nuances of Indian food.