The first thing you notice about chef Sashi Cheliah is the warmth and energy that he radiates. We had seen him before on MasterChef Australia Season 10, where he became the first Indian-origin contestant to win the competition in 2018. Five years down the line, we finally met him in person in Bengaluru. His restaurant in Chennai, Pandan Club, boasts the lesser-known Peranakan cuisine — a culinary culture that blends Chinese, Eurasian, Indian and Malay ingredients and cooking methods. With the intent of introducing Bengalurueans to the same, he was at Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel & Convention Centre last week to host a two-day pop-up event. We caught up with the chef to understand his food philosophy but instead, ended up getting a sneak-peek of his plans to open a restaurant in the namma Bengaluru!
Is there any dish/eatery you absolutely want to explore in Bengaluru?
I particularly wanted to eat at Farmlore this time. And the experience was so personal, so unique. I went to Lupa, which had a very nice ambience and amazing food. Next, I went to ZLB 23 and was blown away with the food there. I also had a dosa in Vidyarthi Bhavan. In all these, I partly wanted to understand the food culture of this city. We want Pandan Club to expand into Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai. And to understand the local palate, the local way of eating, the food scene — observation is very important.
That sounds exciting! Tell us more about your plans for this restaurant.
Firstly, being a restaurant, we need to understand the local food culture. In terms of cuisine, the restaurant is going to be the same as Pandan Club in Chennai. But Pandan Club is more of a family-friendly restaurant. So, perhaps the ambience of our restaurant in Bengaluru might be a bit different because this city is a lot more hip by nature.
Let’s move back in time a little. You used to work as a prison officer. How did you become a chef?
The switch came because of a mid-life crisis (laughs). My wife and I wanted to start a business because we wanted to work on our own. So, we zeroed on the one thing I knew other than law enforcement — cooking! Cooking is something I had always enjoyed doing and I had a relatively good standard, even back then, to start a restaurant. That is when my wife, a huge MasterChef follower, pushed me to apply. That was the switch.
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Is there any speciality in Peranakan cuisine that you think needs to be explored or represented more?
There are certain ingredients used in Peranakan cuisine that are not well-known to the world. For example, not many people know what candlenut is. It is somewhat like macadamia nut and is used as a thickening agent in dishes. It adds a nuttiness to the flavour and is a very important ingredient used in Peranakan cuisine. However, it is not used as such throughout the world. Another ingredient called black nut, also called kluwak, is also an important ingredient. It is poisonous in its original form but the moment it is fermented, it loses the harmful poison. I think such interesting ingredients can be explored more, especially when it comes to fusion dishes.
How do you walk the tightrope of getting fusion food right?
It’s a grey line. While taking a traditional dish and switching it to a modern dish — I try not to tamper with the flavours. Flavour is something very important. So, I maintain flavours but I work with techniques.
Apart from the restaurant, what can we expect from you next?
There’s a lot actually (laughs). We are looking at not only India but also Singapore, Dubai and different parts of Australia. We just launched my first cookbook (Kampong Boy: Flavour is my hometown) and I am now planning to write a second one and do as many pop-ups as I can.
Quick five:
Food philosophy?
Flavour
Comfort food?
Sambar
Favourite ingredient?
Lemongrass
Favourite dish created by you?
Lychee Duck Curry
Favourite culinary destination?
Thailand
Email: prattusa@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @MallikPrattusa