Like most other chefs, his favourite food is dal and rice. But when it comes to feeding his guests, he leaves no stone unturned

It is time to say cheese

Like most other chefs, his favourite food is dal and rice. But when it comes to feeding his guests, he leaves no stone unturned. Chef Ashutosh of Olio restaurant in Novotel Hotel likes to experiment with new dishes. The latest addition to the menu is the Parmesan Risotto. Prepared in a large chunk of parmesan cheese weighing 38 kgs that's specially imported from Italy, the risotto absolutely melts in your mouth. CS gets a quick bite from the chef:

PIC/ RANE ASHISH

Risotto resort
The parmesan cheese is like wine, the older the better. It takes about two years to mature and needs to be regularly monitored. If it meets certain parameters, it is passed on to the next stage and if it doesn't, it is as good as garbage. We imported the cheese in December 2007 and the parmesan risotto has been a hit ever since we introduced it on the menu.

Past-a perfect
I enjoy preparing pastas, but I would hesitate to say that my other dishes aren't just as good. Though I don't have many cooking secrets, I do believe that it is important to use quality ingredients to ensure a great finished product. This applies for food made at home too. Opting for fresh, authentic ingredients will always make a good dish, needless to say that following the recipe is also important. We spent a whopping Rs 28,000 on this chunk of cheese, but like I said, when it comes to ingredients, there are no compromises.

Taste of India
Indians usually prefer fusion food, but personally I don't like the idea of stealing the authenticity of the food. So to suit customer tastes I might add or reduce the sauces or vary the toppings, but the recipe still remains the same. Though I've only been in Mumbai for six months, I can say that Indians are becoming very experimental in their food choices. Prior to coming here I was in Bermuda and I can safely say that Italian food is as popular in India as it is in the Caribbean. But Indians do like a little extra sauce in their pasta. In layman terms, we like gravy. We're probably bigger foodies than other nations and certainly more demanding too. We like a little extra service and we're very picky about the food on our plates.