Chef Ramasamy Selvaraju might have won the title of the ‘Best Chef in the Five Star’ category at the National Tourism Awards, but it’s home-cooked food that warms his heart
Chef Ramasamy Selvaraju’s funda to making delicious food is pretty simple. “Cook from your heart and with love,” says the man who has been bestowed with the title of ‘Best Chef in the Five Star’ category by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, at the recently-held National Tourism Awards 2012-2013. Selvaraju is one proud man. “I’m so happy and so proud of myself,” he says.
Currently working as the Executive Chef at Vivanta by Taj in Bangalore, the chef started his culinary journey almost 25 years ago with the Taj Group itself. “I graduated from the catering college in 1985 and started working with the hotel immediately after that,” recalls Selvaraju.
However, convincing his parents that he wanted to become a chef was much tougher. “When I used to visit my mother during the vacations, she would ask me questions such as ‘Why do I need to study to cook?’ and that the neighbours were enquiring about what I’m doing with my life. It was tough to make them understand, because in those days, men didn’t take up such professions,” he says with a smile.
Specialising in European cuisine, the chef enjoys cooking Mediterranean and Italian food as well. “When you cook with passion, it ensures that nothing ever goes wrong with the dish. I never go and speak with the guests, but they often come and tell me what they enjoyed,” says Selvaraju, who has prepared dishes for eminent personalities like Pope John Paul II,
Amitabh Bachchan and former President Abul Kalam Azad among others.
The chef enjoys cooking on weekends for his kids. “Sometimes, they demand Italian and on other days, I make Oriental dishes for them,” says Selvaraju. And who’s cooking does the culinary star enjoy himself? “My wife’s,” he smiles. Well, chefs are husbands, too!
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