Chef Thayanithy: Sous Chef at the Signature Club Resort, Bangalore

Never stop learning, because life never stops teaching, believes Chef Thayanithy. A calm and pleasant individual, having over 14 years of culinary experience with a penchant for gastronomical experiments. His passion for great food has only made him a thorough individual who understands food and customer’s appetite; cooking wholesome, healthy and well-presented meals, which are the two most important ingredients of a successful chef.   Thayanithy - Sous Chef at Signature Club Resort   Prior to joining Signature Club Resort, he was associated with leading hotels and brands such as Orange County Resort, Black Thunder Resort to name a few. Additionally, he has also served as an executive chef in ‘DFAC B6.2 T-IRAQ’ and Head Chef in C3PO International Food service in Afghanistan. His experience of serving the US troops in Middle East makes Afghani and Middle Eastern cuisine his forte.   Thayanithy has completed the Craft Course if Food Production’ from the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development. We had a tete-a-tete with the chef to learn about his personal insights. Here are the edited excerpts:  

BV: What's your regular comfort meal?

Thayanithy: My all-time favourite meal is well three day stored fish curry with steamed rice.

  BV: You're stranded on a desert island. What five foods would you want with you? What would you make?

Thayanithy: Sufficient loaves of bread, Fresh vegetables with long shelf life, Salt & pepper, Rice, Green chillies.

I would make sandwiches and boiled rice with vegetable curry.

  BV: What is the most essential item in your kitchen? Thayanithy: Salt   BV: What do you cook at home that you never cook at the restaurant?

Thayanithy: Braised milk custard

  BV: Are you curious of other cuisines? Have you ever adapted a recipe from another country?

Thayanithy: Yes very much! Arabian cuisine, because of its rich flavours and vibrant ingredients.

  Fruit Cube Salad   BV: When you're designing a complete meal, what factors do you take into account? How do you achieve harmony/balance?

Thayanithy: Colour, Flavour, Texture, Cuisine, Use of ingredients, Calorie count and Method of cooking.

Make sure we don’t use repetitive ingredients. Carefully select mix of base ingredients.

 

BV: What's your favourite kitchen tool?

Thayanithy: Filleting Knife

  BV: Are you affected by reviews at all? What is your opinion on food writers?

Thayanithy: Not at all. It helps to improve my culinary skills and I consider it as constructive criticism.

  Olive and Peppers Salad  

BV: If you weren't a chef, or in the food business, what would you be?

Thayanithy: I would have become a stage artist , as I love to dance.

  BV: Message to the young chefs.

Thayanithy: Dream Big. Learn everyday something new. Keep up with new & growing trends. Network and socialise to evolve.