Run your eyes through his menu or watch him speak on television, and you’ll wonder what goes on in his mind. For the thought behind Heston Blumenthal’s complex and creatively forward food has always been a bit of an enigma. This week, one of the coolest British chefs in the world, Blumenthal is in India for the third instalment of ‘Masters of Marriott’.
For me, he was always a bit of a scientist. Until I met him today, now he is more of a spiritualist. And if you think it’s India that does this to you, you’ll be surprised to know he is already carrying with him his love for Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev, of course the Indian curry and everything in between.
We catch up with him before he gets busy cooking up the two dinners curated by Marriott International at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar.
Very few people know about your fondness for Sadguru’s teachings. Tell us more?
It’s all connected somehow to food. Sadguru says when we eat bread, we eat a piece of the earth and it all becomes a part of us. We are carrying within us a universe. So, everything has a symbiotic relationship. Sadguru talks quite a bit about food. When I was working on some research papers, we found out that when we called a dish smoked salmon “ice-cream” people’s perception was that it was 10-20 per cent saltier than when it was called smoked salmon “mousse”. Because the context created by language is that mousse is sweet. Our subconscious is kind of hardwired but it evolves too. Sadguru talks about contrasts. One of his favourite lines for me is, “The only way out is in”.
Growing up, how good were you in science in school?
Rubbish! I failed in chemistry. But as a kid, I questioned everything. People are scared of being wrong. If I was scared of being wrong, I wouldn’t have made a fool of myself so many times. Look at kids, how many times do they fall over? They get up again.
How have you added to the legacy of British cooking?
Britain’s never been in a more exciting place food wise than it is now. I can talk about myself a bit more confidently now. To British cuisine, I’ve added storytelling, the multi-sensory experience. I wasn’t the most confident person. But I asked myself this question: “why”. Why should I go this old route, when I was prepared for much more. When a belief becomes stronger than fear then you go in that direction, but when the fear becomes stronger than belief, you go in another direction.
What goes on in your mind when you come up with unique dishes such as lickable wall paper, edible fairy lights, meat fruit?
I literally believe everything is possible. Never give up. I might go into a black hole and come back. But [I will] not give up.
Can scientific food ever be clean food?
All cooking is scientific. We need to stop looking at things outside our body and look within. Focus more on what’s inside. There are so many misunderstood things in the food industry. For example, salt is a chemical too. Mono sodium glutamate (ajinomoto)—try and find one academic research paper outside of potential allergies that says it’s bad for you. Let’s say one is full of unaware stress, and they tell themselves, I must drink three litres of water every day. Now water has memory and it can transfer that stress inside. Sadguru talks about something similar. You transfer it into your body. You think you are drinking clean water, you are actually filling it with stress. Water is vibration.
What do you think about Indian cuisine and its role in the world context?
It’s one of my go-to cuisine, since I was 10-12 years old. Indian food was a treat. It gives me comfort.
What have you kept in mind while designing food for the Indian audience for your upcoming association with Marriott International?
One of the things I did is scotch eggs. Scotch egg was invited in 1851 by Fortnum and Mason in London. It was a hard-boiled egg with bread crumbs; I created a hot version where the yolk was still running. We found an Indian version of this with lamb it in (nargis kofta) and one dish on the menu is inspired by this.
One advice for chefs aiming for that Michelin star.
Don’t aim for it.
FAST FIVE
Chef or a scientist?
Neither and both.
One gen-next chef you are putting your bets on
I work with a team of them.
What was your last takeaway order?
Sushi from a Japanese restaurant in Provence.
Your most overused food emoji
I have my own emoji with Skype!
One of the most overrated cuisines in the world
I grew up listening to “you cannot get a bad meal in France”. Oh yes, you can.
Heston Bluementhal’s dinners will take place on April 20, 2019 at Romano’s, JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar, and on April 21, 2019 at Playground, JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity