Chef Aditya: Passion shows up in the outcome of the final dish

NT Features

Chef Aditya Rao hails from a family of hoteliers and grew up witha keen interest in food. Having completed his bachelor’s degree in Christ University, Bengaluru, Rao’s expertise in the kitchen was finetuned when he went to William Angliss Institute, Melbourne, Australia to pursue a diploma in Culinary Arts (commercial cooking). On his return to Bangalore, he trained with Olive Beach. He then moved to Skyye Bar at UB City before founding Nuts over Salad (India’s first salad subscription service). Aditya is currently the culinary director at Simply Namdhari’s and has been churning out some exciting short eats.

What’s the good thing about being a chef?

The thing that I love the most about being a chef, is that I get to experience different cuisines and even get to cook various cuisines from across the world. I find that this profession allows me to create my own dishes, and experiment with different combinations of foods. This profession is also challenging, given that the chef needs to curate a menu that will not only appeal to the patrons but also tease their taste buds, and I do like challenges.

Why did you want to become a chef?

Well, being a Chef was the most evident career choice for me, since I come from a family of hoteliers. Having practically grown up with people from the hospitality industry, I took a strong liking to it and here I am today, a chef by profession.

Do you follow recipes or create your own dishes?

While I prefer to create my own dishes, I sometimes improvise on traditional recipes to give it my signature touch. I promote fresh produce and healthy eating in all across cuisines.

What are the easiest and the hardest ingredients to cook with?

I cook with various ingredients and find that sugar and chocolate are difficult ingredients to work with. Even a small error in temperature could lead to trashing the dish. Lentils and vegetables are some of the easiest and most versatile ingredients to work with. Having said that, one must take care while cooking to ensure that any ingredient is cooked to perfection.

What’s your favorite food and why do you like it?

My favourite food would be a rice-based dish like biriyani, as it is a perfect amalgamation of a host of flavours that are pleasing to the palate.

If you could give our readers one piece of advice, what would that be?

It is important to cook from the heart, that would be my advice to readers. Passion for cooking definitely shows up in the outcome of the final dish.

What are the healthiest things to eat?

I would recommend broccoli, quinoa and nuts. These are some of the healthiest foods that are high in nutrition.

Do you get a chance to eat what you cook?

Well, the pressure of the kitchen often leaves me with no option to eat what I cook, but when I am off work, I sometimes cook and enjoy delicacies with my family