Exclusive Interview | Chef Mani Mohan Pathak, Executive Chef, Pilibhit House - IHCL SeleQtions
/“One memory I’d like to share is from my home kitchen. It was probably the first time I was cooking bhindi. My mother had kept diced bhindi for making Bhujiya. As she got busy with other work, I promptly stepped in and asked if I may sauté the okra. Her positive response made me very happy and I started cooking immediately only to realise something was wrong.
The okra turned out to be very sticky. Baffled, I asked my mother why that happened, and she smiled and asked if I had washed it? Well, not only had I washed it twice, I had done it after it was cut!”
How did it all start? Share your culinary journey with us
I feel it was my destiny. Since my school days, I used to help my mother and grandmother in the kitchen, It is with their constant support, appreciation and blessings that motivated me to pursue the culinary arts. Though my aim was to become a doctor, I enrolled and graduated from IHM Kolkata. I have been working in the finest hotel and restaurant kitchens for 24 years.
I also tried my hand at setting up my own business. However, donning the white chef coat and serving people the healthiest, finest, gastronomic delights was my calling. I could say this profession also blesses us to become food doctors.
What are your earliest memories of the kitchens you worked in
My earliest memories go with my first kitchen of Taj Bengal as a casual trainee. First look at the huge banquet kitchens with top chefs busy with multitasking for different events, was quite daunting. It was challenging in the beginning but slowly and gradually I overcame my fears and settled into the demanding working environment. I remember the first time I was deputed to the Garde manger and that entire day I just peeled a big bag of onion & cucumber.
One more memory I’d like to share is from my home kitchen. It was probably the first time I was cooking bhindi. My mother had kept diced bhindi for making Bhujiya. As she got busy with other work, I promptly stepped in and asked if I may sauté the okra. Her positive response made me very happy and I started cooking immediately only to realise something was wrong. The okra turned out to be very sticky. Baffled, I asked my mother why that happened, and she smiled and asked if I had washed it? Well, not only had I washed it twice, I had done it after it was cut!
Double whammy. That’s when I realised that one must not wash the okra after chopping it. I still remember how my mother guided me in making it again from scratch with a constant smile on her face.
A dish your patrons/guests love
Most of our guests at Pilibhit House love our menus, but the local Garhwali thali and signature dish kache kele posto (raw banana & poppy seed curry) is a new favourite. My signature style is that I always love to make a cold appetizer such as chilled beetroot and melon wrap filled with smoked yoghurt, Indi bruschetta, reconstructed papadi and kathal (jackfruit) ki haleem are all vegetarian delicacies that are full of flavor and textures.
A dish that you love but do not have on your menu
It’s different jackfruit delights. Seasonal and rich combination of daliya and jackfruit in chaat, it is basically a kathal haleem which we serve at high tea but is not part of the restaurant/ dining menu.
What according to you does it take to become a successful chef?
Becoming a successful chef Is a career long process of constant reinvention. There is always a next level of perfection to achieve. I strongly believe in teamwork. Enjoy, involve, initiate, and innovate is my main mantra for success. Be passionate, keep learning, honing your skills and stay abreast with current trends.
What advice would you give to a young culinary student?
Practice, Practice, Practice! Enjoy your profession, keep learning, keep multiskilling yourself, make your basics strong and be quick to adapt to new things be it ingredients or technology.
Your favourite ingredient is…
For me all Ingredients are equally important to create new dishes. But I do hold a soft corner for sweet basil and another one for melon.
Name chefs, you find amazing or chefs whose work you admire
I have worked with many great chefs, one of them is chef Nimish Bhatia. He is my culinary Guru. I also admire the work of chef Sanjiv Kapoor and Gordon Ramsay.
What books should every chef read?
I would suggest the books Theory of cookery and Larousse Gastronomique. It’s a great handy reference book!
