The culinary symphony of chef Tarun Sibal: A journey across India

For chef Tarun Sibal, food is not just sustenance; it’s an emotion, a language of connection and love. “I only cook for my people,” he declares. “Cooking and eating alone is the loneliest thing in the world.” This was a sentiment that resonated deeply with us as we chatted with the chef about the recently concluded Tasting Trail by Longitude 77.

The unique dining experience in Goa on December 13 was a love letter to India’s diverse culinary heritage. Each dish on the menu narrated a story of a region, weaving a seamless journey from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.

As Tarun informed us, it began with saffron mousse and crispy lotus stems, symbolising Kashmir’s delicate beauty, transitioning through the Northern plains with fluffy kulchas, capturing the essence of the Western Ghats’ spices, and celebrating the Coastal South before ending on a sweet Goan note. These dishes exemplify Tarun’s food philosophy—a focus on regional authenticity and the celebration of local ingredients.

Making of a Chef

Growing up in a Delhi household steeped in the catering business, Tarun’s path to the kitchen seemed predestined. He graduated from IHM Pusa and began his career under chef Manish Mehrotra at Old World Hospitality. Yet his culinary journey didn’t remain confined to restaurant kitchens. Roles at Tulleeho and Solutions Digitas, along with collaborations with the French Ministry of Agriculture and international food boards, broadened his horizons.

“This is my second stint in the kitchen,” he says. “When I returned after working with global giants, I exactly knew what my food philosophy would be and what my plate would look like. During this journey, I’ve dined at the best places, worked with the best chefs, had the joy of drinking the best wine possible, seen landscapes, terroirs, regions and understood produce. I've come back with a lot more thought and love.”

What sets the chef apart is his reverence for not just ingredients but also the people and processes behind them. “For me, a dish is way more than just a sum of its ingredients. It talks so much more about people who are cultivating the produce, the space where it comes from, the people who are going to enjoy it,” he explains. “It’s an amalgamation of all those mood boards in my head.”

Titlie and Collaborative Cuisine

In 2019, Tarun co-founded Titlie in Goa, a restaurant built on the idea of ‘collaborative cuisine’—a harmonious blend of diverse techniques and inspirations. The menu at Titlie is a testament to Tarun’s instinctive cooking style.

“I don’t cook with a cuisine barrier,” he asserts. “I think ingredients are ingredients, produce is produce, and a lot of it is available today at your disposal. If I’m looking for the freshest tuna for a menu, I can get it in a span of 24 hours straight from the boat or a flight and it reaches.”

Citing example of one such dish which he served during the early days of Titlie, he told us about a butter garlic prawns with sambar puree which exemplifies this style. The dish combines Goan flavours with an Asian twist, while the sambar—borrowed from Kerala and Sri Lanka—ties it all together.

“All these three distinctive things came on a plate and creating a symphony that was collaborative for me. The techniques thought processes from various parts of the world and various cuisine styles, and I put them on a plate, they jam together,” he says, “They work in a manner that you can't imagine.”

The Joy of Cooking

For Tarun, the act of cooking is as fulfilling as the dish itself. “It gives me immense joy and pleasure when I cook for people and then they end up smiling after a meal, it just makes me happy and sleep happily at night,” he says. “That's the significant reason why I cook. I think the inherent need for a plate is to give you warmth, joy and comfort.”

When asked about an easy dish that still feels special, he answered hummus. “It is something that on the surface looks extremely easy and simple, but to get it right, and I always say there is ‘hummus’ and there is ‘hummus’, and I’ve always done the latter.,” he said.

Tarun’s wish list for the perfect dinner guest is long but thoughtful. “From Manish Malhotra in India to the Orfali Brothers in Dubai to Jamie Oliver, I want to have that meal with all of them. But Jamie is special to me, and I would actually like to meet him for a meal. After all, we both are cooking in the kitchen! Nigella (Lawson) too, is another one I would like to share a table with,” he muses.

A Love Letter to Culinary Art

Cooking is more than a profession for Tarun; it’s a deeply personal expression of love for culture, people, and the land. His journey—from the streets of Delhi to around the world—reflects an unyielding passion for creating and sharing stories through food. As diners savour his saffron mousse or his butter garlic prawns, they aren’t just tasting a dish; they are partaking in a celebration of India’s vast culinary landscape.