Chef's table: "For me, anything edible is healthy"

What is the good thing about being a chef?

As a chef, every day you will get a chance to improve yourself, cook good food and make people happy.

Why did you want to become a chef?

For me being a chef is the best way to showcase my talent and creativity by using different ingredients and unique techniques. It is a challenging role and it keeps me excited.

Do you follow recipes or create your own dishes?

I do both because for me a menu should have a mix of traditional and innovative dishes.

What are the easiest and the hardest ingredients to cook with?

Hailing from a coastal village I grew up eating lots of seafood. Hence, I find it easy to cook seafood and it is flexible with all the cooking techniques.

What is your favourite food and why do you like it?

Thalassery biryani, any day. Dum cooked with kaima rice and leg horn chicken. Add to that dates pickle and white coconut chutney on the side.

If you could give our readers one piece of advice, what would that be?

One piece of advice for people who are interested in cooking or want to become chefs is keep tasting the food when you cook until you are satisfied and serve only if you are happy with the product, that will make people talk about your food.

What are the healthiest things to eat?

For me, anything edible is healthy. Only thing is it has to match your lifestyle and the climate, and also the quantity of the intake.

Do you get a chance to eat what you cook?

Yes always, and specially, to make sure that the correct recipes are being followed in the kitchen, and sometimes as a meal also.

(Chef Sajosh Peetiyil is a chef at Otto’s Restorer, Bengaluru.)