CHEF OF THE WEEK

Passion is one ingredient that Chef Akshay Bhardwaj brings in abundance and one that has proven to be the most significant facet of his promising culinary career. Learning by doing, he sautéed, roasted and grilled out his path by doing what many of the greatest chefs in the world does.

This experience came from Europe’s finest kitchens of the likes of Le Bateau Ivre- Jean Pierre Jacob, Oceania Cruise line, Noma by Rene Redzepi to name a few and his amazing stints in India at Ista Hyderabad; Pullman where he was the opening Chef at La Riviera and also created the first ever Foie Gras Ice-Cream; and the last one being Whisky Samba which did phenomenal business under his helm.

Needles to add, the accumulated experiences have launched him on his own path. It was at Noma that he developed his adoration for emphasis placed on freshness and the quality of ingredients.Akshay’s philosophy on food is clear, he believes food should be made with love and that simplicity is key.

Chef Akshay Bhardwaj specialises in European cuisine, though over the years he has been clever to sculpt a place for himself in inventive western & Pan Asian food which emphasises on freshness, the use of indigenous ingredients and most notably feeds the customer and not only excites them with theory. His influential years working under perhaps some of the best chef’s helped coach his panache and ideas of cuisine.

In a candid conversation, he talks more about himself and his work:

Your philosophy on food ?
– Connecting nostalgia to ingredients of our heritage, which we all have been overlooking in the due span of time.

Your favourite cuisine?
– Food is life and life cannot be only in one point.

Your idols?
– Chef Rene Redzepi
– Chef Ferran Adria
– Chef Grant Achatz
– Chef Marco Pierre White

Your favourite spice?
– Recent is khus ki jad
Otherwise roasted cumen seeds

Your hot selling dish?
– Unplugged Courtyard Gurgaon’s Spicy lamb chops Nasik style

Lessons learnt in the kitchen?
– Patience, organized chaos, work hard to make your love reflect in the food you cook.

How do you like to de-stress?
– Long drives and playing piano

How do you define yourself?
– Simple cook aspiring to be a chef living to make a mark someday

What are you passionate about?
– Coins, cars, ingredients and backpack travelling

Last meal on earth, what would you choose?
– Mom’s gobhi paranthas