A Love Letter to Indian Food
I dipped a charred piece of bread into a rich gravy that soaked each crumb like a sponge. I raised it to my mouth and closed my eyes, and that is where my journey began.
I am a western chef. I grew up in a small city in New Hampshire in the United States where one wasn’t exposed to Indian food. Growing up in kitchens, I learned how to cook from many amazing western chefs. Each chef would impart the knowledge passed down to them by their mentors. It wasn’t until much later in life that I would try my first bite of Indian food. From the moment my mouth tasted the tangy and spicy gravy of chicken vindaloo, I became transformed. I wanted to know why the west didn’t embrace Indian food the way many other parts of the world did.
I cannot think of a cuisine that represents its country better than Indian food. It’s a passionate dance of fire, ever-changing and evolving with each bite. From spicy and sweet to sour and salty, Indian food, much like the country, is bold and full of life — its intensity amplifying as its unapologetic flavors barrage your sensations. To master the cuisine would take lifetimes but to fall in love with it, takes only one bite.
