Chef Sabyasachi Gorai Talks On Australian Cuisine, Underrated Ingredients And More - NDTV Food Exclusive

Exploring a new cuisine is always an exciting experience. From the ingredients and flavours to the textures, there's a surprise in store for your taste buds in every bite. One cuisine that has recently come to the limelight is Australian cuisine, and there's no better person than Chef Sabyasachi Gorai to give you more insights about it. Also known as Chef Saby, he has spent a large part of his life in Melbourne, making him quite adept at Australian cuisine. He ran the popular restaurant 'Lavaash By Saby' in New Delhi and currently owns a hospitality business. Recently, the Australian High Commissioner to India hosted the inaugural 'Taste the Wonders of Australia' at Aahar 2024. The menu for this was curated by the chef, featuring mouth-watering delicacies. We recently got the chance to have a candid conversation with him about his insights into Australian cuisine, his personal food preferences, advice for aspiring chefs, and a lot more.

Photo Credit: Instagram/@sabygorai

Question 1: How would you describe your personal style of cooking? Could you share any signature dishes that epitomise it?

My personal cooking style is heavily influenced by my experiences in Australia, characterised by a Bohemian flair and a focus on utilising fresh ingredients. I am particularly passionate about working with locally sourced produce. While it's challenging to pinpoint one signature dish, among my favourites are black curd with miso, parmesan chicken, and koobideh kebab.

Question 2: What is your favourite cuisine? What is something that you particularly like about Australian cuisine?

Without fail, Italian cuisine has to be my first preference. I'm also fond of Japanese and Spanish cuisine. It's more of the classic dishes of every cuisine that connect with me. For example, in India, I love all the regional cuisines. It would have to be biryani, yakhnis, kadhis, and home-style recipes. Speaking of something that truly inspires me about Australian cuisine is how it focuses on the use of local, seasonal, and fresh produce, as well as the fusion of several different cuisines to create something new.

Question 3: How do you perceive the fusion of Indian and Australian cuisine?

There's no singular Australian cuisine; instead, it's characterised by the influence of various other cuisines, culminating in modern Australian cuisine. In the past, I've crafted several menus utilising Australian fresh produce, like meat, and combined it with Indian spices for marination. This distinctive fusion has been warmly received by people, who seem to relish it. I'm excited to witness this blend of flavours continue to evolve in the country.

Question 4: What are some special dishes that you recommend trying at the 'Taste The Wonders Of Australia' event?

One standout dish is lobster paya, a unique Spanish speciality and one of our signature offerings. It also features salmon and will be prepared from scratch, cooked and served fresh. Each pan serves 200 people. Additionally, we have an avocado flatbread available. Made with a special dough, this pizza bianca-style bread is topped with cold avocado and truffle.

Question 5: If you could eat only one dish for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

It's quite difficult to choose just one dish. If it were Indian cuisine, I would opt for biryani or a simple dal and roti. That's my comfort food. If it were Italian, I'd lean towards risotto or pasta. And for Japanese cuisine, I'd choose chahan, a garlic fried rice.

Question 6: What is the most underrated ingredient that you think deserves more attention?

I feel like there are many ingredients that often go unrecognised, but one that stands out to me are fiddlehead ferns. I recently discovered them while travelling. They are also known as lingra in the North East and are something that deserves more attention. In general, I enjoy working with ingredients that aren't widely recognised, are simple, and reasonably priced. Apart from fiddlehead ferns, black rice from the North East is also quite underrated.

Question 7: If you had the chance to cook for a celebrity, who would you choose and what dish would you prepare?

I would love to cook for actress Sophia Loren! She visited a very popular place in Naples, where she enjoyed a pasta called linguine with lobster. It's a very refined pasta dish consisting of spaghetti, and it's very light and exotic. So, if given an opportunity, I would love to recreate that particular pasta for her.

Question 8: Have you ever received a strange food request from a diner? If yes, what was it?

I've encountered numerous unusual requests during my time in the industry. It's quite common. In restaurants, customers often ask for non-dairy cheese, meat substitutes without any actual meat, or even request a giant-sized chicken dish. Some ask for a chocolate cake without chocolate or chocolate that is sugar-free. These requests vary widely, but they're all part of the job in this industry.

Question 9: If you were to recreate a dish inspired by a movie, what would it be?

I'm a great fan of the late legendary chef, Charlie Trotter. He had a restaurant in Chicago which was also featured in the movie 'My Best Friend's Wedding'. The first shot features him plating a lovely steak for Julia Roberts, who plays the role of a food critic in the movie. I would love to recreate that dish sometime.

Question 10: What advice would you like to give to aspiring chefs looking to create their own identity in the industry?

My advice to aspiring chefs would be to prioritize learning how to serve. The initial few years can be challenging and may not always be as glamorous as one imagines. However, mastering the art of serving customers brings immense satisfaction. Cooking is a fascinating profession and offers instant gratification, but becoming a great chef requires knowing how to serve.