Hospitality Design - January/February 2012 - 38

perspectives

interview

5 questions for…
Vikas Khanna
Host of MasterChef India, and chef of Junoon and consulting chef of the Rubin Museum of Art, in New York
In your new cookbook, Flavors First, you reveal your passion for cooking started early on. What are some of the ﬁrst dishes you remember cooking?
I learned to cook from my grandmother, Biji. She was a lifelong vegetarian and we ate meat as a family only on Sundays. The very rst dish that I learned from her was lentils. Even now whenever I make lentils, I get transported to that rst time when I watched my whole family enjoy my dish. For me it signi es a meal of my home— comfort and safety.

You’re currently in India ﬁlming MasterChef India. What are some of the biggest changes you’ve noticed in India since you left home for New York?
I see many people come together with a belief in the power of food to help them achieve their dreams and change their lives. They are no longer afraid to accept their passion for cooking. I grew up in a time when that was not always the case. Many times a career as a chef was traded in for a career in medicine or engineering, the obvious, more stable choices. The future of Indian food is at its brightest point ever.

Your own career has spanned the kitchens of Taj, Oberoi, and Leela properties. What did you like best about working in hotels?
Food and service are factors that are key to ensuring that hotel guests are one hundred percent satis ed with their stay. Nowhere else is the pressure so great or the need for discipline so high. The challenges associated with working together as a team to ensure the smooth running of the hotel operations is much more complicated as it involves multiple food outlets, room service, catering, buffets, and innumerable special events. The satisfaction of seeing a guest leave happy, with the promise to be back soon, is worth the effort.

Presentation is extremely important to you. Do you view food as art?
I believe that cooking means nothing if it doesn’t represent a culture. Food, like art, should stimulate all the senses, not just taste; it should visually appeal too, through symmetry and simplicity in its presentation. The Rubin Museum showcases the great art of the Himalayas and surrounding regions. The menu at the café includes specialties from the area. The art, along with the taste and smells of the food at the café, all work in unison to enhance the Himalayan experience for the museum patrons. At Junoon, the Tree of Life cauli ower dish is inspired by the key symbol, which is used repeatedly in the design of the restaurant.

You are a big fan of meditation and organize sessions with your staff. How does this experience positively impact your kitchen?
While we were building Junoon, I made sure that we set aside some space for all the employees to recharge their spiritual batteries. A few moments of calm contemplation help us to better handle the stress of a busy kitchen. We all sit together in one room, all in one posture, all in the same breathing rhythm. I think that caring for the staff is the most important thing in creating a successful restaurant. I want everyone to feel valued. I think diners can sense this when they sit in our dining room.

http://www.roomthreesixty.com http://www.roomthreesixty.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hospitality Design - January/February 2012