Chef Ranveer Brar is a legend of sorts and when one thinks of shows like MasterChef India, he is often the face that pops up. Also, known for television shows like The Great Indian Rasoi, Health Bhi Taste Bhi, and Himalayas the Offbeat Adventure, Ranveer is an explorer, who loves visiting places and telling food stories. Besides his shows, he also happens to be an award-winning chef. At 25 years old, he became the country’s youngest executive chef and worked with hotels like Novotel, Taj Mahal Hotel, and Radisson Blu Hotel. He also opened restaurants such as Morisco, Banq, and English Vinglish and other spaces not just in India, but also in Boston and Canada. And, now, on his culinary trail, is a brand new travel and food show called Dum Laga ke India, where he explores four metropolitan cities, and in each episode, he is joined by a celeb who loves eating as much as he does. He gets candid about this web series and tells us what to expect. Excerpts:
Tell us about the show — Dum Laga ke India.
This series is unique in its own way. It has a fine balance of three aspects — food, travel, and entertainment. And, I have always said that for me food and travel are synonymous. I love working on shows with a similar format and when I was approached for Dum Laga ke India, I just had to say yes.
It is a fourpart series, with special appearances by Vaani Kapoor, Pranita Subhash, Armaan Malik, and PV Sindhu and we explored some of the best foodie destinations. Which are the cities you explored? So, we covered Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. All these cities are extremely special to me — not just for their food, but for the rich culture, heritage, and stories that they offer.
What kind of equation did you share with these celebs?
The process was actually pretty simple. We picked a few celebrities from different professions from each city, who love indulging in local cuisines and meals. It was great shooting with them and I related to them on a personal level. For instance, Vaani Kapoor is a typical Punjabi and when she speaks about her household or food references, there is no chance one can not relate to her. There is also Armaan Malik and we have shared a special equation for a long time now. We shot together previously for a show called Ranveer’s Cafe. Our love for Kolkata, music, and food can be seen evidently in the Kolkata episode.
Pranita Subhash, who is in the Bengaluru episode, is an absolute livewire and you can see that spark when she talks about her city. It’s infectious! From Hyderabad, it is PV Sindhu, a person that I related the most with — her competitiveness is addictive. She loves her city and it is so heartwarming to hear her speak about her childhood and growing up. In terms of food choices too, we had a fun and inevitable banter about Lucknow vs Hyderabad biryani!
What was your experience here in Hyderabad?
Hyderabad had to be on the itinerary where food, history, and especially, biryani are concerned! While this was not my first trip to the city, we took the usual route to Charminar, which is simply amazing for its food and other places. You can see everything that I am talking about in the series. And, the city’s biryani lovers are in for a treat.
What do you think Indian television or OTT platforms are missing out on when it comes to food-based shows?
I think we are missing good food-travel shows, the ones with a good perspective. We need more content that does justice to how extensively food is ingrained in our culture. I feel this should be given more space on television and OTT.
What’s next?
Pretty excited about the next season of MasterChef India, the telecast roughly begins at the beginning of 2023. On the personal production front, I am looking forward to completing a unique food series that will surely touch the right core within everyone. More as it happens!
Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.