Meet The Executive Chef Anirban Dasgupta

Executive Chef Anirban Dasgupta is currently handling end to end fine dining operations at first Hilton in Bangalore. A self-motivated, innovative and highly energetic personality holds 14 years of experience in managing the culinary operations with expertise in world cuisine. Plattershare got a chance to speak to him about his tasteful journey. He also humbly accepted the invitation to answer future queries from Plattershare users.

When whole India was crazy about doctors and engineers, why did you choose this stream?

In a family full of educationalists I was different to start with, however as a person always had the inclination towards anything and everything creative. Hotel management happened to me by accident and taking up a professional chef’s role was much later however it was soon during my 3 year stint as a student at IHM, Bhopal I fell in love with the profession and realized this is where I belong.

Is cooking an art or science for you?

It’s a little bit of both. Science remains at the core of it, in other words it starts with science and ends in art when it’s presented to the discerning guests. As a professional chef that’s the differentiator that we create in our restaurant Ministry of Food in terms of finesse on the plate. Cooking thus as I say is a unique mix of science and art, an edible art!

Who rules your home’s kitchen?

This one is my favourite question although asked numerous times, it reminds me of my mother who is an out of the world chef and my inspiration to become a chef. Having said that it will be wrong not to give credit to someone who has been on the stove for the last 7 years in my home’s kitchen, someone who can give me a run for my money – my wife.

What are your favourite cuisines and signature dish?

Italian remains my first love amongst many other cuisines which I learnt over the last 14 years. Cuisine of a country is defined by its culture, what I like thus about Italians is it’s routed in their culture and also from the passion that they exuberate in their daily life. The best part of the cuisine other than the enormous variety is everyone is a good cook in an Italian household and they still believe in recipes passed down through generations.

It’s difficult to single out one signature, however if given a choice a contemporary twist on the classical Tiramisu remains the signature.

Is there anything new which you are planning to learn?

Cooking and the subject of food is like chemistry where we learn and innovate every day, I learn something new almost every moment in a day. A specific answer to the above question however is I am keen to travel across my motherland and unearth more recipes. Indian food is yet to get its worth in an International platform which it deserves.

Who inspires you while you create your dish?

Chef Hemant Oberoi will always remain on top of the list of inspirations, I love the passion that he brings to the table even after three decades in the industry. Our generation is fortunate to have people of his stature around. During my tenure in my last Organisation I had the good fortune of working under him and learn the nuances of cooking and the whole approach towards creating dishes that I possess now is what I have learnt from him.

If Plattershare users want to learn a new recipe from you, would you help them and how can they connect with you?

It will be a pleasure to share recipes with Plattershare anyone can connect with me directly by sending a mail to [email protected] or by posting on my platter.

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