Chef Vicky Ratnani Gets Candid About His New Show
One Indian chef who has put our country on the global map is Vicky Ratnani. With his impeccable style and easy demeanor, he makes even tough recipes look like a piece of cake. After his hit ventures Vicky Goes Veg and Vicky Goes Foreign, he is back and this time closer to home. Having gained tons of experience abroad, he is all set to use said experience to give our delicious Indian cuisine a twist in his upcoming show, Vicky Goes Desi. We had a little chat with him about the show, his childhood memories, and obviously, food.
Q1. Vicky Goes Veg was a major hit. What can we expect from Vicky Goes Desi?
You will expect a lot of good food, of course, which is predominantly Indian. It is all about taking the local ingredients and making them look and taste urban. The show is not only about the way a particular dish is cooked, but also how it is presented in a unique manner.
Q2. So, what is in store specifically for the Indian viewers?
They will see how their everyday products get a makeover, with the introduction of ingredients like faux nuts. Whether it is pumpkins, beetroots, or coconut, everything has been used to create something new. I have also given a lot importance to indigenous ingredients, like red and black rice, that not many people are aware of.
Q3. Talking about Indian food, what is that one childhood food memory that has stayed with you?
My mom’s Sunday biriyani. Every week, I would wait with a plate and spoon in my hand, hovering in the kitchen for it. In fact, I have even given biriyani a twist in one of the episodes.
Q4. In the span of 13 episodes, you must have created a lot of dishes. What is the one dish that stands out from the rest?
There is one dish in which I have used black rice to make pancakes and the stuffing inside is something like Baingan Ka Bhartha with pomegranate raita. Another dish that comes to my mind that is different is the beetroot and coconut poached kingfish — it’s absolutely sensational. You will see me work out a lot of rice dishes as they are fairly simple to cook.
Q5. Why should people watch your show?
With this show, I want to bring in the flavours of Indian cuisine with a mix of Latin American, which should be fun to watch. There is so much to explore and share when it comes to our rich cuisines, and I have tried to do justice to that by bringing something different on the table. My goal is to bring the regional to the international.
Q6. So after the previous show, you came out with a cookbook called Vicky Goes Veg, will there be one after this show too?
I am planning to publish another one. It won’t be with the same name but the concept will be somewhat similar.
Q7. Any cooking tips that you would like to share with our readers?
Always, always go for seasonal, fresh, and local produce, as opposed to store-bought, cold storage ones. Eat as much as you want, but remember to eat smart.
Q8. Lastly, if Vicky Ratnani was a dish, what would you be?
Definitely, tandoori chicken!
The show will air from December 3, 2016, every Saturday at 8:30 pm, only on NDTV Goodtimes.
