Celebrity chef and entrepreneur Sanjeev Kapoor at Hotel Taj Malabar in Kochi | photo credit: special arrangement
“How was the Kappa Biryani made? Initially, Irani Biryani did not contain rice and now even Kappa Biryani does not contain rice,” says Sanjeev Kapoor. Celebrity chefs were shooting in Kochi Taste IndiaA TV series conceptualized by him.
Sanjeev believes that recipes like places are constantly evolving. “How can you say a recipe is authentic when 50% of the ingredients are not local. Can you make Malabari paneer curry but who knows there might be one after 50 years. One can have noodle biryani, which is authentic,” he explains, adding that travel and migration help people embrace other cultures and this is reflected in their food and lifestyle.
According to him Fort Kochi is a case.
“Even as Fort Kochi in its new avatar is 500 years old,” he says, “Kochi is one of five other iconic Indian cities that will be explored through his eyes for the show.
For them, a place is not just what everyone sees it to be but a dynamically evolving multitude of culture, tradition, cuisine and much more. Sanjeev will be exploring new and different nuances of Kathakali, Chinese fishing nets, coconut trees, kappa biryani and sustainable and conservation initiatives in the city for the show.
Kerala Style Kappa Biryani | Photo credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
“My research team has been working on changes in cities for the last two and a half years and I will be rediscovering them,” he says, citing the example of wrestling in Varanasi, which was a male domain but is now producing world-class women. Wrestler. “I was also involved in wrestling matches,” he laughs.
In Kochi, he will interact with women Kathakali dancers who have now entered the male-dominated field. Sanjeev, an art collector who has been to Kochi several times and is familiar with the city, says, Art has given Kochi a new and different facet. “The series seeks to show familiarity, not familiarity, with human stories. We want to showcase relevant India,” he says.
The show will also focus on the economics of coconut trees, the overcrowding of Chinese fishing nets, and efforts towards conserving mangroves.
Sanjeev started his career in 1984 and worked in various places like Varanasi and New Zealand before becoming the youngest Executive Chef at Hotel Centaur in Mumbai in 1992. He hosted the popular TV show Treasure of food Before starting my show, food food in 2011. Sanjeev was awarded the Padma Shri in 2017 for his contribution to Indian cuisine. His latest entrepreneurial ventures are setting up a culinary school and launching Good Eats, a line of plant-based protein products.
Test India will be broadcast after a year.