Kunal Kapur, masterchef
Masterchef Kunal Kapur affirms that this could pave the way towards a much-needed shift in perception when it comes to looking at the culinary arena from a career point of view in India. He says, “Conferring this national honour upon a chef is a brave start to acknowledging cooking as an art in our country. It is like lending a sense of pride and validation to what we do, as chefs — acknowledging that our skill is not something to be shut away behind the kitchen doors, but something to be lauded on a national platform. The idea of taking to cooking as a full fledged profession is still not well accepted within Indian society and I really hope that with this development, the taboo surrounding the prospect of becoming a professional chef is finally lifted.”
Manu Mohindra, chef and founder, Under One Roof Hotel Consultants P Ltd Imtiaz Qureshi’s award has definitely opened the doors to the fact that the hospitality industry can get national recognition. We have legendary chefs, restaurateurs, designers, architects and other contributors to this industry who also need to be recognised for their involvement and role in the growth of the hospitality sector. It’s the third highest sector in the food services market, an industry that is growing at over 17% year after year and both direct and indirectly linked ancillary industries together, is a very large contributor to the Indian economy — bigger than tourism. The national award doesn’t radically change anything for the industry but allows us all to push forward to get that industry status and necessary national support. It’s not just the chef alone who needs to be rewarded but various people and firms that come together to create a successful restaurant need to be recognised too.
Prem K Pogakula, executive sous chef, The Imperial The chef’s domain, knowledge, reach and connect with the rest of the world, in India has evolved manifold over the years. From playing with kitchen tools and handling a team of chefs for a renowned brand to a globally acclaimed hotel, chefs are more like celebrities in themselves and are pushing the limits. This great honour to the legendary Chef Imtiaz Qureshi is not only an unmatched recognition to his contribution to the industry but shows how chefs have come a long way in proving their mettle and are essentially a great pride for the nation. Now, Indian chefs are rubbing shoulders with eminent Michelin star chefs, globally. It gives all of us — in the Indian culinary industry — a great sense of pride, and encourages us to take Indian culinary scene to the next level.
Simar Bedi, co-owner of Bronies and an IHM graduate If filmmakers, Bollywood stars, entrepreneurs, mediapersons, etc. can be given national awards, then even hospitality sector should certainly be standing shoulder to shoulder with them. One of the reasons for the lagging behind of this industry could possibly be the lack of a solo enterprise’s national exposure, which essentially implies that you need to have a chain of restaurants across the country to be known globally. A solo restaurateur is hardly recognised for his/her entrepreneurship or style or design. Such awards at a global scale are much needed to raise the stature of chefs and people from the hospitality sector across the country.
Ranveer Brar, masterchef I think it is an exceptionally great time for the entire food industry. Not only has the grand master chef Imtiaz Qureshi been chosen for the Padma Shri but food historian, noted Indian food academic and critic Pushpesh Pant has been chosen to receive the same honour too. A lot of chefs have dedicated their entire lives to this profession, and getting a strong recognition like this (a national honour) for what they have achieved is tremendously gratifying. The idea that food is an art, that cooking can be high culture, is nothing new but sadly there have always been debates over ‘can food be art can art be food ’ Well, it is the chefs who are best at making food feel like a creative game and all cooking that aims higher than a boiled egg is an attempt to make an art of a necessity. In this regard, it is surely the first art that human beings ever attempted. And it is still the most universal.
The food space has somehow been, I would not say completely ignored, but unrecognised. However, now I think it has opened up a beautiful avenue for all the aspiring chefs to strive harder and make a strenuous effort to reach where chef Imitiaz has set the bar. It’s a tall order though but personally for me, the news has given me and tons of chefs around the country something to kvell over, and celebrate culinary artists around India.