After shooting for eight series of their very popular show Masterchef Australia, the celebrity judges Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris have become experts at facing the camera. Recently during their Delhi trip, when they stopped by at Godrej Nature’s Basket in Defence Colony to meet a gathering of foodies, one was surprised to see them giving commands to the camerapersons and fixing the microphones with the same dexterity that they exercise when they are in the kitchen.
On his first trip to India, Gary informs that it’s George’s second. To which George quickly adds, “Last time when I came here, nobody knew who I was, but now I am happy to be a popular person.”
Talking about their food impressions in India so far, Gary says, “There is no such thing as Indian food. There is so much regionality here to explore. There is technique and skill in the cooking of every different region and that is probably the best memory we will be taking back. The originality in authentic dishes made in different cities is just wow, it’s a burst of flavours and that right use of so many ingredients makes a lot of the food we ate here pretty different from what people would normally call Indian food.”
George adds, “The Indian dishes that we get in Australia are very different from what we had here. Food scene here is beautiful. But Indian food is very complicated.”
Gary loves food from the southern part of India and the last South Indian dish he had just blew him away. While George’s palate can’t take too many spices, he loved the jalebis in Chandni Chowk. He even hopped on a rickshaw to take a round of the old part of the city.
“Delhi has surprised us by its knowledge about food,” says Gary and George seconds that by saying, “It’s incredible to see that people here are cooking international cuisines at home. Their plating skills are worth mentioning.”
They also joined hands with famous chef Ritu Dalmia for a fun cook-off with children at the Australian High Commission. A master class was followed by an Indian-inspired fusion smoothie competition, where the little chefs were judged by the duo on their smoothie and lassi making skills.
Back home they love to be in the kitchen with the little chefs. And kids love them no less. “That’s because we are cute and cuddly,” quips Gary.
Indian accent is a perfect example of modern Indian food, comments George and Gary does a “Boom boom shake the room” before signing off.