Gaggan Anand's 'memory revivers' in India

The inimitable chef talks about his love for local eateries, dining rules at his restaurant and hosting pop-ups

- Mahalakshmi Prabhakaran

Chef Gaggan Anand calls his travels around the world his "best R&D". For him, travelling is less about checking off touristy places, and more about discovering new tastes, flavours and ingredients. And his hunting grounds for these discoveries are hole-in-the-wall establishments serving local specialities.

"Every time I visit India, I do not miss a single chance to eat out. I prefer going to simple places over fine-dining restaurants," he says, sharing the experience of his most recent outing in Bengaluru. "I went to Nandhana Palace, an Andhra restaurant near Devanahalli and enjoyed eating bamboo biryani. It was mind-blowing," he says. At Oota, which specialises in south Indian regional cuisine, the raw mango curry (menaskai) was "a revelation".

For someone who calls Bangkok home, these culinary explorations in India are what he calls "memory revivers". "In Thailand you get raw mangoes through the year and so this raw mango curry is already stewing in my head (as an idea)," he says.

"Indian food is so region-specific and the food in every area is very different. There's so much to discover here, and you know what's the best part? They rely on seasonal ingredients so much that these dishes wouldn't taste the same if you cooked them elsewhere."

I met Anand at Aaleeshan, the Indian restaurant at JW Marriott Bengaluru Prestige Golfshire Resort & Spa, where he hosted a dinner, called The Royal Homecoming, in September. The most recent event was held in Saffron, JW Marriott Mumbai (15-16 November). The Delhi dinner will be hosted at JW Marriott Aerocity in January. "I find it satisfying to come to India. To be able to travel freely without being questioned about where I am from makes me happy," he says.