‘In Nagaland, I tried many things I’ve never tasted before’: Former MasterChef judge Gary Mehigan 

Former MasterChef Australia judge Gary Mehigan.

Former MasterChef Australia judge Chef Gary Mehigan is in India for an extensive visit conducting master-classes with pastry chef and entrepreneur Pooja Dhingra and creating exquisite dinner spreads for discerning patrons in various cities. We caught up with the affable Mehigan on the sidelines of one such dinner hosted by Taj Land’s End as part of the Rendezvous series in Mumbai. Edited excerpts from the conversation:

What do you find exciting and new about these master-classes that you are conducting in India? 

What's lovely is that I'm now travelling again and back in front of a live audience. During the lockdown, I paired up with Conosh and did a number of master-classes over Zoom, which were fabulous and something completely new but I missed the connection and the personal touch that you have while demonstrating and teaching.

You're back in India after three years — and first time since the pandemic. Do you see any changes or differences in the way chefs are thinking about food now? What about back home or in the other countries you have visited? 

Gee, time flies…! Things have certainly moved on since I was here last. I'm seeing a lot more Southeast Asian flavours generally. Korean, Japanese, Thai flavours seem to be breaking through in all sorts of creative ways. There's also an ever-increasing interest in local, sustainable, regional and mindfully-sourced ingredients. It's great to see indigenous, and sometimes forgotten, ingredients back in the spotlight and used by chefs and home cooks alike.

As a chef, was it difficult to sometimes stay inspired during the pandemic?

Not at all! I wrote and released a book last year — 300-plus recipes, tested more than a few times and fed to the family, makes for a busy schedule. I was also fascinated by the explosion of foodie posts on social media. People cooking, experimenting, and posting their creations. The transfer of ideas is instantaneous and global — everything from three-Michelin star chefs posting incredible creations and passionate foodies digging deep into all things culinary.

Any new ingredients/dishes/restaurants you tried and liked in India? What's been the highlight of your trip so far?

I've been filming a new series for National Geographic India and visited Kerala, Kolkata and just recently Nagaland for The Hornbill Festival. Nagaland was fascinating and a wonderful food experience. I tried many things I’ve never tasted before including silk worms, hornet larvae and carpenter worms to name just a few, as well as the famous Naga pork and ghost chillies.

I’ve eaten at The Love Fools, The Irani Café, Bombay Canteen and O Pedro in Mumbai and Avinash Martins’ restaurant Cavatina in south Goa in the last few months as well as Onam sadhya just to name a few of my food experiences!

You have been to India umpteen number of times, do you recall your first visit here and your first impressions of the country and its culture? 

On my first visit, I was immediately struck by the warmth, generosity and good humour of nearly everyone I met. I was instantly drawn to the colour, culture and beautiful chaos that seemed to be everywhere I looked. Obviously now, after so many visits, I have a deeper understanding and appreciation of India and all that it has to offer. Food is inseparable from the Indian way of life and there's an optimism and a joy to life expressed here that is addictive. Much like Australia, there is a certain resistance to authority that I admire and a sense of humour that so often defuses situations that could easily become more serious.

Do you find any similarities at all between Indian and Australian cuisines?

It may sound strange but texture! We both love the crisp and crunch and the smooth and creamy! Think about dishes like raj kachori — warm flaky pastry, spicy filling which is smashed and then loaded with curds, coriander chutney and sweet and sour tamarind….delicious!

How is the Indian food scene in Australia? Are there any new places/food you have tried in recent times?

It’s on the move with lots of young Indian chefs starting to emerge on the Australian food scene. Helly Raichura at Enter Via Laundry is making waves. Restaurants — established and new — like Ish in Melbourne and Nilgiris in Sydney continue to do good things. Avani Wines on the Mornington Peninsula has been showcasing young chefs and modern Indian cooking for a couple of summers now with a loyal following. Chefs including Deepak Mishra, Mischa Tropp, Harry Magnat and Helly have all run pop-ups with great success.