By Hemisha Morarji.
“I feel we have an obligation to the land that has given us so many opportunities to be successful.”
Food fans who religiously watch Saturday Kitchen will certainly recognise his name and smile.
But apart from showing off his superior cooking skills on morning TV, Cyrus Todiwala is the proprietor and Executive Chef of the Café Spice Namaste restaurant, a trendy eatery in London that visually catches attention with its hot pink-and-orange drapes and arch windows.
When he’s not producing “London’s Finest Indian Food” – as described by Frommer’s London 2010, the Mumbai-born chef is consulting for the Tesco Finest Range, as well as managing two other restaurants – The Parsee in Highgate and Cafe T in New Cavendish Street.
Yet those who were lucky enough to try his food needn’t moan about under-rated talent, as Todiwala’s extraordinary efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. In 2010, he was awarded with an OBE by the Queen herself for his services to food and catering. But despite this feat, the culinary genius remains sweet, friendly and down-to-earth. When I tell him that my dad is a huge and often copies his recipes in the kitchen, he tells me, “Say hello to dad for me!”
But banter aside, Todliwala has much more to say, discussing the importance of fresh British produces and feeling like “a boy in a sweet shop” when it comes to new and exciting ideas….
You were presented with an OBE by the Queen in 2010 for your services to food and catering. It must have been an honour?
Absolutely, it was an honour for all of us, for my family and for the Asian community as a whole.
You and your wife own the award-winning restaurant ‘Café Namaste.’ How did this partnership come about?
It was established in 1995. This is our 7th year and that came about through our small restaurant, which was just called ‘Namaste’. We merged with 10 partners and Café Spice Namaste was born. We felt we needed to uplift Asian cuisine and to change the perception of Indian cooking.
Café Spice Namaste has received a lot of praise from publications such as The New York Times and the Harden’s Restaurant Guide. What do you think the success is down to?
Well, we try to maintain a high standard, from our friendly service to the atmosphere; and I feel that is what keeps us on top.
According to Café Spice Namaste’s website, you offer an extraordinary twist on traditional dishes from Goa, North India, Hydrabad and Kashmir. Describe this twist that makes these dishes exceptional compared to those made at home.
I feel the twist is down to the fact that we favour British produces. We live in Britain, so I feel we have an obligation to the land that has given us so many opportunities to be successful.
We use local ingredients and we have contact with farmers who provide us with fresh and in season produces. We then take those British raw materials and serve them in the classical Indian way. We have a lot of knowledge, which we’ve gained from our team. We have worked in different parts of India and use what we’ve seen and learned in our cooking.
What do you feel is your personal stamp in your menu?
I spent some of my childhood in Rajasthan and my father would go out in the winter and shoot game, so I grew up eating venison and grouse. This opportunity wasn’t available to many Indians and I feel this (dietary upbringing) reflects in our menu.
Some people often have difficulty creating restaurant quality food at home. Is there a certain way they should make their food in order to achieve 5 star quality at home?
I think it depends on what you classify as 5 star foods; but it’s not difficult to create this at home. I find that people trying to make restaurant quality food tend to get complicated and the key is to keep everything simple.
I also find that people are price-conscious. To get high quality results, you need to buy high quality raw materials. It’s worth the money to buy free-range products, particularly those with the red lion mark – that’s the mark of quality. It tells you that the animals have been well looked after and the farming methods have been done in way to ensure top quality produces. This mark can even be found in Halal products.
According to the restaurant website, you strive to make your dishes innovative and this has often been picked up by journalists and reviews who have tried your food. Where do you get your ideas from?
The ideas come from getting excited about food. When I see something new, I’m like a small child in a sweet shop. I’m inspired by people around me, Asian women in particular. If I can produce something half as good as what they make, I’d consider myself successful. But the problem is, that they get very shy when I ask them to show me how to make food the way they do, even when I try to joke with them!
What inspired your love of food and catering?
I was inspired by my mother – it all started from there, as she was always cooking at home. I was also inspired by my father. Although he was keen on cooking, he was also very disciplined and I feel that has played a part in where I am now.
My family had a lot of connections and we would go to my uncle or my aunt’s house and I would see a lot of different things (food and cooking techniques.)
I also worked in a hotel before setting up my first restaurant and I would hang out in the kitchen and be inspired by what I saw. That was what made me want to do more.
What’s your favourite cuisine and why?
It’s an easy question that’s difficult to answer. I would have to say Parsi food, because it’s cooking from the community. I also like a lot of European cuisines and we cook a lot of French and Italian meals at home, as well as some Thai and Chinese. But to be specific, I will always love daal and rice and this will never change.
In three words, what do you think good food should be?
Hmm, in three words….‘soul, mind and body’. Even the simplest food should fulfil the soul, mind and body. You can’t go better than that.
What advice would you give to anyone wanting to become a chef or a restaurateur?
I don’t want to scare anyone, as it is a tough industry. But I will say never stop learning, keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth a little bit closed. You must also have passion for food – never be fed up of cooking because if you don’t love it, don’t do it!
If you can’t get enough of Cyrus’s creations, you can see him at the Foodies Festival between 5-7 May at Hampton Court. To grab tickets, call 0844 995 1111.
