Dev Biswal

Scotland...will return soon

2011-10-21T10:56:00.000-07:00

Scotland...Must say the first impression lacked spectacle. Slowly the cities and towns melted away and the magnificent panorama emerged as if out of Narnia's secret door. I must admit my tired eyes after eighteen hours behind the wheels stopped in awe.Scotland is all about visuals.The beauty around reminded me of the serenity of the Himalayan ranges where the teeming millions of India have not reached as yet.The majestic lochs with deep blue water. The towering hills staring down at you.Questions raced through my mind. Who lived here? How were their lives? How was community in these vast wilderness.What secret do these Lochs hold? I found the local Scots in the highlands quite secretive about their great local produce. Nobody knew where to find local langoustines when the neighbourhood restaurant by the loch is selling them by dozens! Somebody must know! Maybe I need more trips to this part of the world....

Magic,mystery and marriage in Mumbai

2011-06-23T10:13:00.000-07:00

Mumbai never ceases to surprise you. It is an incessant explosion of humanity in all its magnificence. The glittering shopping malls loaded with leading brands stand next to the centuries old bazaars of street hawkers selling their myriad merchandise.I had the privilege of being invited to a South Indian wedding this time. Regional Indian colours and flavours are showcased the best in weddings. Electrifying ambiance and moreover feasts conjured up for Gods .

The Ambrette Restaurant

2011-02-21T06:49:00.000-08:00

The Ambrette Restaurant

5000 years of culinary history in a 300 Grams Jar

2011-02-19T07:02:00.001-08:00

I have toyed with the idea of marinades for a long time. "Vasudhaiwa kutumbakam" Sanskrit: the whole world is one family...My mum used to teach us a children. The fragmented world we live in today with its complexities of beliefs , customs and traditions baffles me sometimes. After all there are certain things which people do irrespective of boundaries and identities. Cooking and enjoying good food is undeniably a major one. How amazing will it be if households in the West use Eastern cooking techniques and households in the East use Western techniques. I feel it will definitely bridge the gap and give us a much better understanding of each other. If I can I would encourage warring nations to hold food festivals showcasing each others cuisines. Israelites and Palestinians, the Koreans countries, Indians and Pakistanis...the list goes on. If nothing it will help bring misunderstood and divided people together. Feasting together is the greatest form of bonding.

Art ,Action and Drama in our kitchen

2010-11-22T03:48:00.000-08:00

Coming back to my Saturday kitchen was very interesting. After all these years it has become like a second skin for me. I live on the excitement,the high adrenaline and the action.Those who do adventure sports such as wild river rafting or sky diving would understand what I mean. The calm and peace gathered in the short break to India flew off like pigeons after a gunshot! I was back to my primal state. There were new chefs to be trained and hungry customers to be fed.Service in those peak hours take you to a different level of concentration . It brings the best and worst out of the team. Its fine art created amidst heat, sweat and blood . The pain of anticipation in your guts when order tickets are piling up and plates are getting stacked are second to none. Your senses are open and you are drunk with passion. The sweat on the brows and the aching backs stand witness to our toil. The joy of seeing a finished plate and the thought of your art being appreciated is also second to none. My chefs say that working shifts with me is baptism in fire. You are either this side or that side and mediocrity is not an answer. I wish somehow our customers understand what it takes to create what they are enjoying on their plates. It will enhance the dining experience even further!

Culinary rendezvous in India.

2010-11-11T14:56:00.000-08:00

The most memorable destination amongst all in my culinary rendezvous this time was the South Indian City of Hyderabad. It is the I.T hub of South Eastern India and also a mecca for food lovers. I was impressed by the depth and intricacy of flavours and spicing in Hyderabadi cuisine. I had heard a lot about the famous Hyderabadi Biryani. Now was the time to experience it. The scale of production of this delicacy in this city is astronomical. Its something that is seen to be believed. The Biriyani restaurant was almost like a mini food festival! In fact encouraged by my Biriyani adventures, I did something even more radical. I went for a late night food foraging session with some local friends! We got up at four in the morning and visited the old cities’s famous eateries. It was as if time stood still there amongst the imposing and impressive Turkic and Mughal architecture. I felt as if I was transported back 500 years to times of Qutub Shah the founder of the city . All around me were people relishing offal of animals at dawn just before sunrise. I must admit I was impressed and intimidated at the same time. My hosts ordered tongue and sheen followed by kidneys and brain! And all this was being lapped up with thick Hyderabadi bread.We ended the meal with some warm saffron tea...A great aphrodisiac...

I am carrying the spirit of the regal Hyderabadi Biryani back to Margate. Wouldnt it be simply amazing to set up street side eateries with people enjoying warm exotic delicacies!

Foraging for herbs,spices and inspiration in India

2010-11-11T11:08:00.000-08:00

It is time to get inspired. My travels are most of the time culinary adventures into the hinterland of exotic cuisine. This time I am foraging for two mysterious flavours. “Black stone flower” and Cubebs pepper”. Both spices are rare and unknown to most connoisseurs today. I have come across them now and then being used by traditional chefs throughout India.My hunt for these rare herbs will take me from the bustling western coast of Maharastra to the serene and quite foothills of the Himalayas.

Black Stone Flower" is a rare dried flower. It has a strong woody aroma and flavor and resembles lichens.Cubeb (Piper cubeba), or tailed pepper, is a plant cultivated for its fruit and essential oils. Cubeb came to Europe via India through the trade with the Arabs.In Europe, cubeb was one of the valuable spices during the Middle Ages. It was ground as a seasoning for meat or used in sauces.

The Ambrette flower blossoms

2010-08-03T06:24:00.000-07:00

The Ambrette seems to be in full bloom now. We feel a new buzz around the restaurant with the new look and feel. My intention was to change the menu slightly to introduce a few new main courses and starters. Local Ramsgate crabs were an excellent discovery. Crabs have a special place in my list of preferred ingredients. It brings some mouthwatering memories back from childhood days in India. My mother makes the best crab in the world. Crabs in India are smaller and packed with flavour. I would compare them to the famous Cromer crabs in the UK. It was a sense of pure joy to recreate her recipe in the crab jus with mustard oil.The wedding season has been great at The Hannah Dining Suite at Quex Park.

My heart goes out to the flood victims in Pakistan. The sight of human suffering melts way conditioning and blocks in our hearts. Petty voices of political opinion and dislike die out and gives way to feelings of compassion . We feel the pain as if we are all connected by this invisible thread of humanity.

Thanet is special!

2010-05-16T06:14:00.000-07:00

Taking Thanet produce to Earls court in London.

It is a matter of great pride to show case produce from our area at National forums. The Real Food festival at Earls court in London was great fun. Quex Rapeseed oil was our star product. There is a buzz around Rapeseed oil . It seems as if it is the cooking oil of the future.Cold pressed oil from our fields produced using environment friendly farming clearly stood out in the crowd for the most distinct flavours. Its the fertile soil of Thanet after all!

The sky is the limit!

2010-04-30T17:30:00.000-07:00

A big thank you to dearest dada (Big brother).Thursday was one of the greatest escapes I had since months. Flying is addictive. It is a strange sense of freedom...almost as if it is intrinsic human nature to be air borne. May be the exhilaration comes from being able to challenge your intrinsic natural capabilities. I do not know as yet .Perspectives change in the cockpit and you realise how insignificant our day to day pursuits are in the bigger scheme of things. The most mind blowing sight is our coast. Its pristine. It looks like a perfect piece of art by the greatest artist in the universe.Canterbury looks like a chess board with the mighty cathedral as the centre piece. The most amazing sight is the landing at Headcorn . You feel transformed back in time landing amongst sheep in the flat lush green meadows of Kent.

Promoting Quex Park , Thanet and specially Margate at Kent 2020

2010-04-27T13:36:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody.

Kent 2020 was an interesting experience. I am not an early bird. In fact sometimes I forget what the wee hours of the day looks like. Anyways this was a exceptionally early start. Nick Hewer the man from the TV series The Apprentice was our special guest of honour. His speech started with a comment on Margate and how the challenge of reviving our town was extremely difficult. The rest of his speech was the story of The Apprentice and Sir Alan Sugar. A few of the other speakers indulged in some more Margate bashing .I felt some how the isle of Thanet had the status of an unknown and uninhabitated island in the agenda of most speakers.Anyways, I believe any publicity is good publicity and Margate got a fair share of it! I was lucky enough to introduce myself to one of the speakers later on in the day. I said we are a michelin recommended restaurant and we serve fine food and draw people from all over the county. "So where are you based?" he asked. "We are in MARGATE sir" I said with mixed feelings of pride and humility.

Air travel chaos,No Nile Perch, Kent 2020 , Lambs heart etc

2010-04-21T13:47:00.000-07:00

Hi
The day started with no supply of my favourite Nile perch from Tanzania. I love the fish for its firm texture and subtle flavour. Its also fully traceable and reduces pressure on demands of local fish some of which are overfished. So the Icelanding Volcano Eyjafjallajokull (God knows how its pronounced!) is hitting us hard in sunny Margate. Anil is still stuck in New Delhi. I was glad to see an email from him today. The highlight of the day was the return of a full alcohol license for the restaurant. I would personally extend a heartiest "Thank You " to our licensing manager and his team in Thanet district council. I spent most of the day at Detling preparing for the Kent 2020 with the team from Quex Park. I am looking forward to be a part of the event tomorrow.

Travel chaos, Sugar free fig pudding

2010-04-20T14:14:00.000-07:00

The chaos in air travel is taking its toll. Its amazing how events happening in remote corners of our planet touches lives across borders and continenents. A small splinter has a domino effect and ends up in a conflageration somewhere else. Anil my head chef is stuck in India. Work load compelled me to cancel a charity dinner with students of King Ethelbert school. We were trying to raise money for an aids orphanage in Goa ,Western India. Any ways, its an opportunity to get back to the stove and indulge... I have been working on refreshing the dessert menu since the past few days. I stumbled upon this simple but amazingly tasty pudding in my search for a new dessert. The most important thing is its sugarfree! Let me share the recipe.

Sugar free Fig pudding.

Cook 200Gms of dry figs in boiling water for about five minutes. Drain and puree them in a food processor. Keep aside. Heat three tablespoons of ghee or clarified butter in a heavy bottomed pan,add half a cup of powdered almond and saute over medium flame for about two minutes.Add the pureed figs, 1/3 cup milk powder with 1/2 cup of water and cook for about fifteen minutes stirring continuously.Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon green cardamom powder and mix well. Serve hot.

Its as simple as that! Enjoy.

Its time to fall in love again.

2010-04-18T09:09:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody

I am sure all of us go through this. I am not the only one. You do something regularly for a certain time and then the joy goes out of it. We all crave for inspiration from time to time. Moments of love in what we do are rare sparks in life. In my case these are bursts of intense creativity with ingredients, textures and flavours . Ideas about food and new culinary experiences fire me up. I am experimenting with some new flavours for a new spring menu. We are working on ways to cook rabbit in three different ways. I have never had more respect for the beautiful animal in my entire life. I have found a way of using every part of the animal. Spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg lift the sweet gamey flavour of the meat to divine proportions. A sugar free fig pudding is also turning out well. I have plans to serve this with an unique betel leaf ice cream. I feel its time to fall in love again...

Dev ,the Michelin dilemma and Thanet

2010-03-23T13:29:00.000-07:00

Hi friends! The Indian Princess finally got recommended in the Michelin guide this year. However the excitement was shortlived as the initial jubilation was drowned in a series of events that followed. First it was rumors of The Indian Princess closing down followed by a follow up visit by an anonymous Michelin inspector who wasnt happy with the building and location of the restaurant. The final blow came as an enforcement by the local licensing authorities on the alcohol license. I had a taste of local bureaucracy neat on the rocks. Life all of a sudden turned very dramatic. I remember waking up one morning and thinking "Why is it so difficult? What is going to hit me today? My heart goes out to all the people who came out to stand by us during these turbulent times. I received help from unexpected corners. Genuine people and real friends who follow section 27 of "The Common sense Act". Thank you Mariette, Tim, Liam Louise and all other friends and well wishers in TDC. The story of The Indian Princess is getting more and more interesting as months go by. My determination to stay and serve customers in Margate is also getting stronger.

February, Valentines and Aphrodisiac herbs

2010-02-02T09:28:00.000-08:00

"Aswagandha & Basil tea "

Ashwagandha – Withania Somnifera. It is considered the king of Indian herbs.Another natural herbal aphrodisiac, an herbal miracle that works mainly on the reproductive and nervous systems as a sexual and an energy tonic with a rejuvenating effect

"South Indian sea food extract “Rasam” made with fresh local Scallops, tiger prawns and rope mussels flavoured with asafoetida."
Asafoetida: It is a well known Indian aphrodisiac (in laboratory studies, it has been compared favorably to sildenafil, known by the brand name Viagra).

I have been busy brewing herbs to create an unique aphrodisiac sampler on Sundays this February. I wish to offer my guests a very different dining experience where they are trying the real herbs rather than just remnants of flavour lost in a variety of other strong ingredients.
In this process I have realised how common and intrinsic aphrodisiacs are in the social fabric of a country that potrays itself to be highly conservative.

Warm Memories
“It is the myriad colours on a bright day, the sultry mid afternoon heat, the mysterious aromas in the evening, the distant noises of laughter and cries” These are the memories that unlock themselves when I think of my adolescence days in India. On retrospection it seems amazing how there is constant struggle between the intrinsic forces of human sexuality and the serious and sombre moral gurus of society trying to cover it up.

Aphrodisiacs in day to day cuisine
Like most other things with Indian culture, aphrodisiac ingredients enjoy a sort of immortality in time. The skills and knowledge of using them is never lost. They just flow incessantly from generation to generations. Indians have a very different approach to food compared to the rest of the world. Most people just enjoy them without asking any questions. Traditional chefs are these strange groups of mystic men who secretly guard their knowledge and keep it to themselves. They have no fear of losing their skills as the rest of the world is not interested to grasp them. Chewing a betel leaf before bed time or serving a glass of milk laced with saffron before the wedding night are examples. There is a strange sense on beauty even in the prohibitions. As a child I spent a lot of time in Orissa, a land with some parts magically lost in time. The temples are covered in highly erotic and beautiful carvings of men and women from the Kama Sutra. Sometimes even in groups!! I have never seen such an energetic celebration of the sexual energy. These temples were built in the pre Islamic periods when people enjoyed sexual freedom in society. These stone sculptures used to baffle my teen age mind. “If sex is sinful and ungodly, then how come the abode of the Gods are covered with sexual impressions”

India has a thousand years of lost culture of beautiful sexy people and incredible exotic aphrodisiacs . We are compiling some amazing recipes with aphrodisiac ingredients on Sundays this February. Lets celebrate!

Woodcock and Sika Deer

2010-01-05T14:26:00.000-08:00

I am back to serious cooking after a short break. There is a surge in woodcock population in the Deal area and a local game dealer had a record catch. He in fact got seventy five birds within a few hours! I have never cooked Woodcock before.My initial reluctance turned to curiosity and I ended up buying thirty birds. It turned out to be pure magic. The bird has a unique rich taste and a "melt in the mouth" flavor. I plan to match the breasts with allspice and nutmeg. Flavour or ingredient matching is a fascinating science but needs in depth research. I spent the entire night yesterday trying to crack flavors to match with the highly prized Sika deer. We all understand that the sense of pairing comes from similar flavors in different ingredients.However ,where should one start? Is it the diet of the animal that decides the flavours of the meat? Or is it the molecular or chemical structure of the meat? Sika deer is the "champagne" of venison. It is a taste of Japan in England. The first few deer were introduced by the Victorians to the tiny island off poole harbour. They thought they will develop a confined sanctuary for the deer on the island. What they did not know that these Japs are excellent swimmers! The next morning all the deer were in mainland England! Dorset boasts of the purest breed of Sika in the country. I am planning to match this amazingly flavorful meat with Gremolata ( parsley, garlic, lemon jest,black pepper) and cinnamon ...maybe a bit of dark chocolate too!!!

2010

2010-01-04T15:00:00.000-08:00

2010 is finally here. For me the new year crept in rather quietly this time. Usually I start getting quite thrilled towards the end of December with a child like anticipation of a chance to start things fresh in the coming year. This year was different. It felt like the end of a voyage when you finally come ashore. On retrospection, 2009 was a year of whirlwind happenings. It started in the midst of thick recession and stormy down turn. Overnight customers thinned and I was compelled to change focus and direction. The business was no longer a business but became more of a life boat. The team here were like a group of defiant sailors unwilling to give up. By the mid year we had started coming to terms and began accepting the new market .We did have a few irreplaceable and precious casualties in staff members. The end of the year brought fresh and new openings . A short trip to Mumbai to see Mum refreshed things up for me. India has taken giant steps towards a homogeneous global world but the powerful undercurrents of culture, values and customs still run strong. Back in the UK , I was excited to start work with Quex Museum on function and wedding caterings. Some close friends and advisors warned me that the nature of the work in the new project might be monotonous and unappealing. I think I can weave a dream around the venue. It is mysterious and secretive, sort of hiding in the Kentish country. Looking back , I think it has been a really long and winding year...

Winds of change

2009-08-02T12:40:00.000-07:00

Hi

The storm is still not over but we can feel winds of change blowing now. This week started off with a bang! We had a full house on Monday and the restaurant was booked out till Thursday.It was a little taster of the great old times the business has seen here. But the weekend fell like a pack of cards. The wild and exotic festival was a success. We had fun creating the wonderful dishes and the local press backed us up with great coverage. Thank you to Tom Betts and the editorial team at Kent on Sunday. Should we keep selling a premium and expensive product in the current climate ? Will cutting into profits by reducing prices ensure volumes? I am always looking to find answers to these questions.My beloved Margate had a carnival today. I wonder if the town needs these events? Does it really help local businesses by bringing the right people into the town? Or do we need more serious events directed more towards families and a more mature audience? Two things seemed to have done bumper sales today...balloons and endless pints of beer in plastic tumblers.

Travel to the heart of Kent

2009-06-03T15:17:00.000-07:00

I am in love with the Kentish country side. Some places seem to be unreal...as if from a painting,untouched and unspoilt.Our search for Kentish wines took us to Biddenden,the oldest vineyards in Kent. Its also the new home of friends David and Karen. The shop at the vineyard was full of elderly people on guided tours. I picked up a brilliant crisp and dry white made from ortega grapes. Wasnt too impressed with the red wine (dornfelder). Though smooth and easy drinking, I felt it lacked character.Streams of thoughts flow through my mind when I drive through this beautiful country side. I think of the people who live here. Do they realise what they have? Is life boring and monotonous or is it total bliss hidden away from the hustle and bustle?Some day I should have a home here in these endless meadows and valleys...etc etc. May was a great month for the restaurant. June has rolled on slowly and sleepishly. I have created a challenge for myself. The vision is to pass on skills in Eastern cookery to budding chefs from the local area. The first interview is tomorrow. People ridicule me when I talk of English boys making Naan breads and cooking South Indian Chettinad sauces.But somebody has to make a beginning. Lets wait and watch ...
Dev

2009-05-31T15:22:00.000-07:00

Hello

Sometimes we all go through stages in life where there is a lack of control and consciousness. Life is more of existing on a day to day basis than living. The current climate has pushed us towards a similar state of being. Reality of the market, a lot of appreciation but no tangible support from a lot of patrons has chipped the pillars of aspirations we had built in Margate. At times I feel as if I am standing on the shores of a vast ocean poised to jump as time passes beneath my feet. I have been swept away by a different kind of pressure . The team at the Indian Princess is now reduced to half of what it used to be. We are artists. We weave dreams ,concepts and ideas , create beautiful food and live flavours and tastes. Today we are busy looking at profits and losses and cash flows. A big and heartiest thank you to those who have stood by us in these two and a half years. They are truely our special people.

Roe deer from Faygate

2009-05-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

Hi
Roe deer is in season . A friend is a professional game stalker and brings us fresh Roe deer from the village of Faygate in West Sussex. The meat is quite subtle with a lamb like texture. It does not need strong acidic marinations to melt it down.The restaurant has received a series of positive press reviews in the past few weeks.So thank you to the newspapers and publications who have written about us.I am currently working on a menu with rare and exotic meats such as zebra ,ostrich and believe it or not python! CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between Governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. All meat offered can only come as part of this policy. This means that it is either farmed - usually for the skin and the meat is a by product, or under a hunting licence in order to keep the population under control so that the ecosystem is not harmed.

Small break

2009-04-25T07:48:00.000-07:00

Hello!
Apologies for the short break. Radical changes sweeping through the company . They say it is recession. I donot understand it a lot but it does have profound effects on customer behaviour. The other day I had a first hand experience of how it feels when I sat down for dinner at the Indian Princess. Even the most exotic and complex ingredients lose their effect when the mind is heavy with worries. So two findings...first, dining out is a fantastic psycological experience when you are mentally ready for it. Second the current climate requires chefs to concentrate on using and cooking mind blowing flavours and textures.The "feel good" tag is the call of the day

Wood pigeon as a starter!

2009-03-27T15:49:00.000-07:00

My morning started with the hunt for a new starter as we had run out of silver pomfret in the restaurant. The tasty flat fish is difficult to source. Choices in fresh fish is poor at the moment due to the strong winds in the sea. Wood pigeon from Godmersham was the only option left. We marinated them in ginger and garlic then chargrilled the breasts on a slow flame . Fantastic! The loins of pork were resisting our efforts to melt them since the past few weeks. But thanks to molecular gastronomy, we are finally victorious! Acids in the fruit juice used to marinate them did the trick! I went to bed last night watching a part of "Apprentice". Sir Allan Sugar and his talk of business objectives and profits have had a drowsy effect on me. Isint it common sense?"A business is a profit oriented venture". But how many of us realise that?? In the mad rush to achieve perfection in our arts all sense of finance and profits are swept aside.

Hello to the world of foodies

2009-03-26T15:22:00.000-07:00

This is the first post in my blog. Lets take it as a test post. I spent the day looking for a syringe to use for injecting flavours to meats. A brown man in a chef coat asking for a syringe with needles generates amusing looks from the chemist staffs. I had to make extra efforts to look as gentle and be as explanatory as possible. The evening was interesting. I have been researching similarity of chemical compositions in wines and spices. Isint it amazing to know that Sherry and Madiera wines are great match to dishes with coriander due to the presence of aliphatic aldehydes in the fresh herb as well as these wines!!