Credo for an ancient kadai

Celebrity chef Akshay Nayyar takes ancient Indian food and turns it into a Kopper Kadai

Celebrity chef, TV host, cookbook author and multitasker, Chef Akshay Nayyar is a whiz in the kitchen, but what’s most heartening is his aspiration to celebrate authentic Indian cuisine. In the country to open his latest offering to Indian food lovers, Kopper Kadai in Koramangala, the host of Foodshala who recently cooked a meal for PM Narendra Modi, and has earlier worked with Sanjeev Kapoor Restaurants, loves what food means to him.

The Delhi boy whose parents are teachers is a Virgo who grew up exploring food. “My journey from cooking Maggi to learning seven cuisines of the world has been challenging,” he says. A first ranker at college, he trained under Ista (now Hyatt) and Ananda in the Himalayas. Then Middle East beckoned the multitasker, “I moved to Melia, Dubai as Chef De Cuisine where I learnt Spanish and Arabic and by 2014 I was executive chef. I took over the reins of SK Restaurants for Middle East operations as a corporate chef later,” Akshay says.

Food is a journey for Nayyer that constantly evolves, and he shares his most cherished memories, “I recall I took a pledge and served 200 people residing in a Dubailabour camp. For me those smiles of ultimate satisfaction were a reward. Ambassador of India to UAE, HH Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak al Nahyan (minister of higher education and scientific research), HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan (crown prince of Abu Dhabi) are a few other dignitaries who I had the pleasure of serving,”

Working with chefs life Chef Marco Pierre White and Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, he says was wonderful. About Foodshala, he says, “The fifth season is airing on a Middle East TV network. It’s the brainchild of K Kompany, now ranked as Middle East’s biggest Asian food reality show.” As a chef he is ranked at #8 in Caterer Middle East’s power 50 list 2015, and being the first Indian chef to be featured in this list is an honour for Akshay.

His book Foodshala Kitchen Comforts was a progression of the show.

Cooking for Prime Minister Modi on his recent trip to the UAE was a moment of pride. “I was truly honoured. We got a call from the Ministry of Foreign affairs, UAE and were quite surprised. We had to keep samples of each and every batch/ingredient that was used. Aware that he is a pure vegetarian, we wanted to make him feel like home by doing a typical Gujarati thali with Undhiyu with Khichadi etc and a few extraordinary twists like 100 Karat gold pearl biryani. I met Shri Modi later and it was an honour. We had a brief chat during breakfast in his room and I must appreciate his modesty and knowledge about ingredients. Got to learn few chilli facts and traditional remedies from him,” says the chef.

He now aims to make the brand a household name, and hopes to conceptualise a few more theme-based concept restaurants. About the concept, he says that it is a revival of the ancient cuisine of India with a modern and energetic twist.

One of his most popular dishes is Ganna Chicken. “Sitting on the ledge of balcony in our ancestral house in Kartarpur, Punjab I was watching farmers cutting sugarcane. So the first thing that came to my mind was freshly squeezed cane juice, which is truly a divine treat, and second thing was a hot and spicy grilled chicken,” he shares about his inspiration.