JW Marriott Kolkata has some gala news for patrons as they announce an initiative called Masters of Marriott Bonvoy x Culinary Culture. The idea is to bring on board some of the greatest chefs of the world in order for food connoisseurs to meet and interact with them. As JW Marriott decks up to welcome Chef Manish Mehrotra of Indian Accent, New Delhi on September 24th and 25th, we catch up with Chef Himanshu Taneja, Culinary Director, South Asia, Marriott International Inc. Chef Himanshu shares with us some insights of culinary evolution and his personal favourites.
What can we expect from the first edition of Masters of Marriott Bonvoy x Culinary Culture in Kolkata?
We had big expectations from the Kolkata edition but were also a little skeptical whether the seats will sell out or not. However, it is with great pleasure that I say we are already sold out. The city has an immense positive energy and I think this will only add to it in terms of the food and beverage space of the city and JW Marriott in the process.
Why chef Manish Mehrotra?
We have previously collaborated with numerous chefs from off shores, even Michelin chefs from France, Italy and Japan but going forward the idea is to bring in more local masters into the picture. Manish's venture Indian Accent has been ranked as one amongst the Asia’s 50 restaurants best multiple times. He is one of the best chef’s in the country. This is just the right opportunity to have him onboard and he also shares an old connection with Kolkata.
Now that things are back to old normal, what food trends are picking up?
People are certainly becoming more conscious about food wastage, whether it is buffets, events or A la carte. People are avoiding waste and also becoming conscious of what they are eating. They don’t pick things up randomly anymore. These two years gave them the window to learn a lot of things and stick to a health regime. In the process, people are picking up more of the stuff that is healthy in their diet. Consumption of nuts, seeds, lettuce, healthy vegetables, and olive oil has gone up and people have started giving back to mother earth. Sustainability has taken the front seat. We have also worked on our menu to bring in a lot more local produce, sourced within the vicinity of a hundred kilometres as people are not very proud about exotic, imported ingredients anymore. Another global trend that has picked up is veganism and it has made its way into proper menus now.
Do Kolkata connoisseurs have an experimental palate?
Kolkata people are well travelled and are indeed very experimental.
What culinary directions will Marriott Bonvoy take in the coming few months?
We have planned a big campaign for Diwali which will soon make rounds on social media. Going forward we have campaigns planned for Christmas and Valentine’s Day. Apart from this we also have multiple collaborations coming up under the light of Masters of Marriott Bonvoy, but we cannot reveal the names just yet.
Taste wise, what are Kolkata people welcoming?
I have a personal connection with Kolkata, and I think they love all sorts of textures in their food. They love to have strong flavours and Umami flavours and Asian flavours rank quite high in their consumption pattern. The lemon available locally is very similar to a Makroot or an Asian lemon, while the rice, kasundi, nolen gur together pretty much cover all the palates. Bengali food by nature is very evolved and different. It certainly cannot be compared to any other cuisine.
What is your personal favourite cuisine?
It has to be Japanese since it is very disciplined. You get to decide whether you want to have oil, no oil or less oil with your food when it comes to Japanese while also getting to experience numerous textures and flavours. The cuisine also comes packed with numerous health benefits. The amount of detailing and hard work that goes into each of their ingredients is a whole world in itself.
What is your go to spice in the kitchen?
Star anise is extremely versatile and can be used in a lot of cuisines.
Is there a cooking tip that you would like to share with our readers?
There are two in fact. The first being you can’t cook everything in any utensil. The utensil that you are using to cook a certain item impacts a lot on its outcome. Hence, the utensil needs to be chosen carefully. On the other hand, control over fire is extremely important to cook good food. The process of learning how to control fire in the kitchen is complex, but heavily impacts the taste and chemistry of a dish.