Aishwarya Rai Bachchan spun tales of passion around various spices in the movie Mistress of Spices. British food connoisseur Julian Amery is here to recreate the same fervour around exotic spices, and he is jet-setting around India in a bid to titillate tastebuds. After a culinary sojourn to Kerala, Julian gears up for a tantalising taste challenge, where his new spice station at an eminent mall in Bengaluru is sure to kick up a storm. Delhi and Mumbai have already been hit by his station.
He may have spent his life in the West, but Julian is as desi as one can be. Not only does his interest lie in South Asian flavours and spices, he has even named his organisation ASA (pronounced Asha) which translates to hope in Hindi.
This spice shop has trinkets and flavours from across the world — whole cinnamon quills from Sri Lanka, vanilla pods from Uganda, smoked paprika from Spain, pink pepper from the Camargue, juniper berries and cornflowers from Scandinavia among others.
Having dedicated his entire life to understanding and relishing gustatory delights, Julian Amery tells us how the exotic journey began, “I have always enjoyed cooking, eating and I realised good food makes me very content. It has been an intrinsic part of my childhood.”
Julian recalls childhood summers and trips to France and Southern Europe where he was exposed to different kinds of cuisines, but his fascination with Bangladesh, India and Pakistan grew with time. He has worked extensively in the hospitality industry and has lent his culinary expertise in some of the top restaurants in the world — he was the General Manager at Groucho and Hurlingham in London and went on to work in the kitchens of Fergus Henderson and Alastair Little. “Presentation, attention to detail may be important but one has to hit the right flavours to really make an impact,” asserts the chef.
Spice is the essence of a dish, and Julian aims to establish that across countries. Stemming away from the notion that Indian spices are very strong and harsh, Julian seeks adventure and thrill in exploring the very same.
“Life is about trying out something new. If you know what your journey will be like, how is it adventurous?” For someone who yearns for excitement and ventures out into unchartered territory, the British food professional set off on a road trip in a Mercedes van he called “Hope”. Travelling for two years, Julian explored the Eastern part of the world and sought spiritual succour through his quest. “That trip was more of a yatra. I managed to reach Mt. Kailash, travelled through Tibetan settlements, and imbibed various cuisines and their tales along the way. For me, it was more of a spiritual enlightenment.”
Speaking about ASA, he says the idea is to present the best of what the world has to offer and source spices from lands far away. In his opinion, he is re-investing profits for the welfare of society. “I travel to various countries, seek the best and freshest of spices, export them and the profits are then channelised towards sustainable development for the upliftment of Below Poverty Level (BPL) citizens.”
This Good Samaritan is intrigued by the medicinal properties surrounding all Indian spices like turmeric, cloves, pepper, coriander, nutmeg amongst others. The garam masala is a favourite, as he claims that it can completely rejig senses and spruce up any Indian dish. “Spices have a way of maintaining harmony on your plate — with a complete presentation of salt, sweet, sour, bitter and umami. It’s a lot like music, where one has to feel all the chords and assimilate them for a sweet melody.”
A trip to India is never complete without a gustatory adventure, and Julian recalls a homely meal of idlis, chutney and sambar. “I could not stop eating the chutney! It was so creamy, delicious and tangy.”
When asked if countries get stereotyped with particular dishes, he disagrees, “Agreed that sushi is characteristic of Japan and dosas are akin to South India but globalisation has opened avenues of discovering food. I hope the discovery continues.”