Why Everyone is Gaga for Gaggan Anand

Posted in Restaurateur of the Month | 3 comments

Chef, restaurateur, pioneer. Three huge titles for an extraordinary talent from Kalkota who interestingly made a name for himself in Bangkok. Chef Gaggan Anand worked at the Taj Group in his younger days and came to Thailand in 2007 as the head chef at contemporary Indian restaurant Red Bangkok. Quickly earning recognition for his exceptional cooking, industry insiders were already comparing Gaggan’s creations to that of chefs at established Michelin-starred restaurants. When he finally ventured out with his own restaurant, “Gaggan’, he experienced the freedom to create truly inspired dishes that were representative of his passion, commitment and creativity. Today, Chef Gaggan is one of the world’s most respected Indian chefs – while his restaurant is only 2 years old, it is the only Indian restaurant to be included (No. 66) in the Top 100 List of the World’s Best Restaurants. “Gaggan” is also ranked No. 3 in a 2014 list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants. So what makes this superstar such a standout? Perhaps it’s his desire to retain the authenticity of Indian food even though his approach is so decidedly innovative. Perhaps it’s the fact that he put Indian cuisine on the map in an environment so different from his native India. Or perhaps it’s his approachable and down-to-earth style despite his numerous achievements and accolades. Whichever it is, Chef Gaggan has made it clear that legendary is within his reach.

Gaggan’s restaurant is set in a colonial-style wooden house in the heart of downtown Bangkok with cuisine that he describes as progressive Indian with traditional touches. While his cooking style can be thought of “modern”, “futuristic” and “deconstructive”, Gaggan is quick to point out that he loves traditional Indian food and believes in retaining the authenticity of the cuisine. As global influences have found their way into his dishes, the exotic ingredients and cooking styles are used to enhance rather than commercialize the amazing complexity of Indian dishes. What Gaggan excels at is taking dishes typically eaten in India and finding new ways to prepare and present them so diners are curious, surprised, and delighted by the new combinations. He explains where he found the inspiration for looking at Indian food in this way by saying, “Indian cuisine itself is already deconstructed. Every recipe has several components, each of which is made on its own using different techniques and then combined together for the final dish. For example, there are probably over 200 different dals and over 200 different curries. So the recipes themselves are already complex and all I’m doing is applying a modern approach to looking at each part of the final dish in a new way.”

Although the base of his cooking is Indian, Gaggan has always wanted to change how people thought about typical Indian food. With influences from the Portuguese, British, French, and others, cuisine in India has always been more than just the curries that many international diners immediately think of. Gaggan pushes that belief to the side by incorporating elements of Japanese, South American, and street food cuisine into his creations. He constantly travels the world in search of unique global ingredients like pure vanilla from Columbia, pepper from Peru and yuzu from parts of Asia. Because the menu at his restaurant changes every 2 months, he is continuously motivated to learn, explore, and innovate in the search for culinary perfection. In fact, one of the reasons he loves being in Bangkok is the 24/7 access to fresh chilies and produce and exotic spices that can’t be found anywhere else. For Gaggan, Bangkok is inspiration and energy, but it is also where he feels at home among a people who are always smiling and happy.

With so much passion, it’s surprising that Gaggan could have any critics. But even when he hears a bad review, his outlook remains positive and confident. “I believe in what we’re doing and I don’t look at boundaries. Trying new recipes, improving old recipes, it’s a continuous process and I find ways to keep getting inspired. At the restaurant, our team brainstorms different ways to cook all the time and I find that their collective energy and ideas are amazing. Ultimately, you can’t be afraid of change because you never know what new experiences will bring. My head chef is now Indonesian and he brings such a different element to the kitchen than a traditional Indian chef.”

It is clear that Chef Gaggan has made great progress in Thailand when it comes to changing people’s mindset about what to expect in Indian food. But for those outside Asia looking to experience his acclaimed cuisine, there aren’t any plans to expand outside Bangkok in the near future. At least that means the integrity of the original establishment will be well-preserved and there’s one more reason to take a trip to Thailand. To sum up Gaggan’s perspective, he claims that despite all the fancy food he creates, his favorite comfort meal is “his mom’s simple dal curry.” A surprisingly common sentiment among master chefs everywhere and a refreshing answer from a culinary genius.