Chef's table: Vishal Atreya

At the end of the day what everyone needs is food, just food.

What’s the good thing about being a chef?

The best thing about being a Chef is the fact that you live and breathe around food, something that this whole world is working for. At the end of the day what everyone needs is food, just food.

Why did you want to become a chef?

Becoming a chef was serendipity for me. I was always inclined towards art and expression. After joining hotel management college, I realised in my second year that there is some bit of art and expression in food. And hence the journey began.

Do you follow recipes or create your own dishes?

I am a proponent of basic and traditional recipes. Once you perfect those, you may think of creating your own dishes.

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

No ingredient is easy to cook with, but the toughest to prepare, of course, is sea food.

What’s your favourite food and why do you like it?

I like home cooked food that my wife cooks. To be specific, it is arhar ki dal and chawal. I have grown up eating this and every time she cooks it at home, it takes me back in time.

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

Do what you love and love what you do.

What are the healthiest things to eat?

Water is the healthiest beverage and dark coloured fruits and veggies are the best food.

Do you get a chance to eat what you cook?

Always. I never experiment with my guests. I always subject my taste buds to the food that I have cooked before the guests enjoy it.

(Chef Vishal Atreya is a chef and partner at The Pumphouse, Bengaluru.)