Off the eaten path

How far would you go for a good meal? Cool chefs recount their culinary pilgrimages to South Africa, Spain and beyond. And why it was worth it

- Arshia Dhar

In Barcelona, Avinash Martins was inspired by uncomplicated, delicious patatas bravas he ate at a central market. SHUTTERSTOCK

Avinash Martins
Chef and owner, Cavatina, Goa

Martins didn't decide to call his popular restaurant in South Goa's Benaulim "Cavatina" on a whim. It was by design, after he fell in love with what he calls the "best food court in the world" at Mercado Central in Barcelona, Spain. The bustling bazaar is a haven for foodies, he says. There's fresh produce, cheese, and stalls selling some 200 kinds of tapas.

Martins says that it's at one of these stalls that he encountered some particularly sumptuous patatas bravas: potatoes roasted on a tomato base, with various toppings. It's also here, while sipping on sangria, that Martins encountered the word "cavatina" in a song performed live. The musician told him it means "to bring out the best”. It seemed the perfect name for his new venture.

That pilgrimage to the market in Barcelona continues to inspire him. "Their frittatas, or eggs and potatoes cooked in several layers, aren't complicated. They're not something that would be served in a Michelin-star restaurant. They're what's made at home. But they're incredibly delicious," Martins says. He hopes more restaurateurs treat their establishments as an extension of their dining rooms, because that's where the heart of a community truly lies.

Renjie Wong
Chef and owner, Salon Colaba, Mumbai