Now that he has been a judge on the Indian MasterChef and has danced on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, Zorawar Kalra is one of India's better known food figures.
The television fame distracts from his achievements as a restaurateur: Masala Library just celebrated its 10th anniversary. But more significantly, Kalra is the man who made Indian food cool for a new generation of diners who had come to associate Indian food (especially North Indian dishes) with boring restaurants that served butter chicken and dal makhani.
What's more, he did it by himself. He is not from a business family. He had no real capital to begin with. And he had never worked in a kitchen, let alone a restaurant.
The only advantage Kalra had was that his father was Jiggs Kalra, the former journalist who had a huge influence on the Indian food scene. Jiggs was one of the first people (along with the late Busybee) to write about food, first in Mumbai for the Times group and then in Delhi for the HT group.
Jiggs made two great contributions to Indian food. He toured the country and discovered people such as Lucknow's Tunday Kababwala. Many now-famous cooks and chefs owe their national fame to Jiggs's championship of their food. Secondly, he took real Indian food to hotels, which had been content with serving catering college-influenced approximations.
But Jiggs fell out with many of the chefs he had once been friends with. He gave ideas away for free and rarely made much money.
Bu hikaye Brunch dergisinin December 16, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Brunch dergisinin December 16, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Is It Scrolling Or Screening?
Being on the phone while the TV plays is the new normal. Just don't do it when there's company. A case for what it means to be present
This week, we're...
Preferring the spinoff.
The newest tricks in the book
Time is money. Here are the best hacks for saving precious seconds and taking even your everyday feed to the next level
Snuffing out the flames
Has online dating peaked? People are ditching the apps, going old-school, and aiming for IRL connections. Here's how the swipe failed a whole generation
Off the eaten path
In hotels, cafes and home kitchens cooks are getting creative with food waste. Tomato skins show up in a cake, fat flavours broths, peels have fresh appeal. Of course, we're cheering this change
Glamming up your getaway
Every island in the Maldives is stunning. So how do resorts offer a luxury upgrade? At Cheval Blanc it's by elevating every experience-food, service, spa and beyond
Benefits with friends
Of course it's harder to make friends as we grow older. Responsibilities, increase, time is short. Luckily, we have our tribes
A portrait to reflect upon
Playing with lighting and layering, a young Amrita Sher-Gil depicted herself as bold, mischievous, and enigmatic - all at once
Keep your trope shut
A divided world, a post-apocalyptic wasteland, a prophecy, a burden too heavy for a young adult. 10 YA dystopian cliches to vanquish in battle.
Sanjeeda Shaikh
Actor, @IAmSanjeeda