Kumar Mahadevan

Last updated

Kumar Mahadevan
Kumar Mahadevan (chef).jpg
Born (1959-11-23) 23 November 1959 (age 63)
Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India
EducationMadras Catering College
Spouse
Suba Mahadevan
(m. 1987)
Children2
Culinary career
Cooking styleContemporary South Indian cuisine
Rating(s)
  • Abhi's awarded 1 Chef's Hat by The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide in 1995, 1996 & 1997.
    Aki's awarded 1 Chef's Hat by The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide in 2011, 2012, 2013,2014,2015,2017.
Current restaurant(s)
  • Abhi's
    Aki's
Website akisindian.com.au
www.abhisindian.com.au

Kumar Mahadevan (born 23 November 1959) is an Indian chef, restaurateur and media personality, based in Australia. He is often referred in Sydney's dining circles as the "Guru of Indian cuisine". [1] He is recognised for introducing authentic Indian cuisine to the Australian public with his restaurant, Abhi's in 1990. Following the success of Abhi's [2] he opened his second restaurant Aki's [3] at Sydney's prestigious dining precinct 'The Finger Wharf Woolloomooloo'. Aki's carried the accolades for Chef Kumar, being the only Indian restaurant to win the coveted 'Chef Hat' award for consecutive years since 2011 till present.

Contents

Early life

Kumar Mahadevan was raised in Tirunelveli, a town in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. He was brought up in a typical Hindu Brahmin joint family, consisting of his grandmother, her three sons, their wives and children. [4] His father was a steel merchant. [5]

Kumar got his first taste for Indian cuisine in his mother's kitchen, at a very young age. [5] He names his grandmother as his biggest culinary influence, crediting his sense of smell as something he inherited from her. When he was eight, she taught him to make rasam, a subtle but complex lentil soup, that's a staple in every Southern Indian meal. [4] [6]

Training and early cooking career

Kumar Mahadevan started an economics degree at the University of Madras at the age of 16, but dropped out a month later, when his family's fortunes fell. He then joined Madras Catering College, on the suggestion of a friend. Though granted a full scholarship for the three-year course, Kumar struggled to convince his parents as they expected him to pursue an academic discipline. [4] [7]

At the end of his first year, Kumar got a summer job at the five-star The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai. Kumar signed up for double and triple shifts, working for eighteen days consecutively, while commuting from his aunt's place, an hour and a half away. Starting out in butchery, he continued to work in every department under Cyrus Todiwala, a Parsi chef who now runs London's Cafe Spice Namaste. He graduated in 1979. [4] [6] [8]

Kumar went back for his apprenticeship at the Taj, completing it in half the time. In 1981, when offered a higher salary, Kumar left for Basrah in Iraq, to work at the new Sheraton. [9] With the Iran-Iraq war worsening and having helped to settle his father's debts, he returned to Mumbai in 1984. [4] [8]

Career

Kumar went to Australia in 1985, to work in a joint venture by The Tea Board of India and Air India – the Mayur restaurant in Sydney, cooking for the likes of Elton John, Mick Jagger and the King of Bahrain. [6] He worked 96-hour weeks over six days for meagre pay and had signed a four-year contract, with a clause that stated that if he left, his parents will have to pay a huge fine. [4] [8]

Kumar got married in July 1987, and his wife followed him to Sydney. But, the long hours and the low wages started to take a toll on Kumar, and he was desperate to leave. He came close to walking out in 1988, when he was forced to return to the kitchen within hours of his son's birth. Luck intervened, when Mayur's finances fell and Kumar was suddenly freed from his contract. [8]

Kumar joined Sorrentino cafe in Sydney's Circular Quay in 1989. He became friends with the owner, Doug Moxon and they decided to open an Indian restaurant together. They found a place in North Strathfield and in 1990, Abhi's, named after his first son Abhinav, opened. [6] In 1991, his second son Akilesh was born. In spite of receiving good feedback, Kumar and his wife struggled to make ends meet for the next few years. [4] [8]

Success

In 1994, Les Luxford, the food critic at The Sydney Morning Herald stumbled upon Abhi's, on his way back from a business meeting and soon published a positive review with the headline, "The Search is Over" in April 1994. Abhi's became an overnight success and in Kumar's own words, 'there were queues down the street'. When it got really busy, Kumar asked his wife, Suba to help in the restaurant in the evenings. Abhi's has since gone on to become an iconic neighbourhood eatery and culinary institution of Indian Gastronomy continuing on their 28th year still pulling large crowds. [4] [8]

The more ambitious operation, Aki's (named after his second son), was opened in November 2003 on the newly restored Woolloomooloo Finger Wharf. This was a chance for Kumar to exhibit Indian Cuisine at the next level with traditional flavours with a contemporary twist. It aims to give the customers a fine-dining experience in Indian cuisine. [7] Both his restaurants highlights Kumar Mahadevan's handling of clever flavours and fresh, fragrant spices in a modern interpretation of traditional desi food. Kumar enjoys creating dishes that combine authentic flavours of South India, with the best seafood and other local produce of Australia – an approach that has gained him a huge fan following. [10]

Awards

Television appearances

Kumar Mahadevan has had several national TV appearances on prime-time shows.

Personal life

In July 1987, Kumar Mahadevan married Suba Krishnamurthi, a commerce graduate from Chennai. He refers to her as his greatest inspiration and at times, his greatest critic. Since the success of Abhi's in 1994, she has helped Kumar with the running of both the restaurants. [8] [17]

They have two sons Abhinav (born 1988) and Akilesh (born 1991), after whom Kumar named both his restaurants. His other passions are photography, wine and travel. Every year, the couple visit their native place for inspiration. [17]

Kumar loves rediscovering yesteryear recipes by visiting cooks and housewives, refining their traditional style and integrating it into the food at Abhi's and Aki's. Kumar credits his friend and chef, Praveen Anand (an acclaimed Indian chef and founder of Dakshin restaurant in Chennai), as a constant source of inspiration and influence on his continuing education on both the historic and contemporary aspects of Indian food. [18]

Books

In 2013, Kumar and Suba Mahadevan co-authored a book titled From India: food, family & tradition. [4] The book presents traditional and modern recipes alongside their personal story of arranged marriage, international adventures and their ultimate move to Australia. Recipes are arranged according to the tastes – ‘sour’, ‘sweet’, ‘salt’, ‘bitter’ and ‘spice’, perhaps a nod to the Vedic concept of six tastes. [8] [19] [20]

Awards:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curry</span> Spicy Asian or Asian-influenced dishes

Curry is a dish with a sauce seasoned with spices, mainly associated with South Asian cuisine. In southern India, leaves from the curry tree may be included.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fusion cuisine</span> Cuisine consisting of a combination of several culinary traditions

Fusion cuisine is a cuisine that combines elements of different culinary traditions that originate from different countries, regions, or cultures. They can occur naturally and become aspects of culturally relevant cuisines, or they can be part of the post-1970s movement for contemporary restaurant innovations.

Indian cuisine consists of a variety of regional and traditional cuisines native to India. Given the diversity in soil, climate, culture, ethnic groups, and occupations, these cuisines vary substantially and use locally available spices, herbs, vegetables, and fruits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicken tikka masala</span> Dish consisting of boneless chicken pieces in curry sauce

Chicken tikka masala is a dish consisting of roasted marinated chicken chunks in a spiced sauce. The sauce is usually creamy and orange-coloured. The dish was first offered by British cooks of south Asian origin and subsequently gained popularity at restaurants around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biryani</span> Rice-based dish from Indian subcontinent

Biryani is a mixed rice dish originating among the Muslims of South Asia. It is made with spices, vegetables, rice, and usually some type of meat. In some cases without any meat, and sometimes with eggs and potatoes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Perry</span> Australian chef (born 1957)

Neil Arthur Perry AM is an Australian chef, restaurateur, author and television presenter. He also is the co-ordinator for Qantas Flight Catering under his company Rockpool Consulting. He also cooks high quality Korean BBQ foods and is an expert in Asian cuisine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bush tucker</span> Food used as sustenance by Indigenous Australians

Bush tucker, also called bush food, is any food native to Australia and historically eaten by Indigenous Australians, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, but it can also describe any native flora, fauna, or funga used for culinary or medicinal purposes, regardless of the continent or culture. Animal native foods include kangaroo, emu, witchetty grubs and crocodile, and plant foods include fruits such as quandong, kutjera, spices such as lemon myrtle and vegetables such as warrigal greens and various native yams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vikas Khanna</span> Indian chef

Vikas Khanna is an Indian chef, restaurateur, cookbook writer, filmmaker and humanitarian. He is one of the judges of MasterChef India. He is based in New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian Chinese cuisine</span> Fusion cuisine combining Indian and Chinese traditions

Indian Chinese cuisine, Chinese Indian cuisine, Sino-Indian cuisine, Chindian cuisine, Hakka Chinese or Desi-Chinese cuisine is a distinct style of Chinese cuisine adapted to Indian tastes, combining Chinese foods with Indian flavours and spices. Though Asian cuisines have mixed throughout history throughout Asia, the most popular origin story of the fusion food resides with Chinese labourers of Calcutta, who immigrated to British Raj India looking for work. Opening restaurant businesses in the area, these early Chinese food sellers adapted their culinary styles to suit Indian tastes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tetsuya Wakuda</span>

Tetsuya Wakuda OAM is a Japanese-born Australian chef based in Sydney. He was the leading judge in the final episode of the second season of Junior MasterChef Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tetsuya's</span> Restaurant in Sydney, Australia

Tetsuya's is a restaurant in Sydney, Australia, owned and operated by chef Tetsuya Wakuda. Tetsuya's cuisine is based on Australian, Japanese and classic French cuisine, and makes use of Australian ingredients. The restaurant is known for its signature dish, the Confit of Tasmanian Ocean Trout, referred to by Financial Review as "the world's most photographed dish," and has been offered since 1987. Tetsuya's, along with the French establishment Claude's, is credited with bringing a new style of fine-dining cuisine to Sydney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of the United Kingdom

British cuisine is the specific set of cooking traditions and practices associated with the United Kingdom, including the cuisines of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. According to food writer Colin Spencer, historically, British cuisine meant "unfussy dishes made with quality local ingredients, matched with simple sauces to accentuate flavour, rather than disguise it". International recognition of British cuisine was historically limited to the full breakfast and the Christmas dinner. However, Celtic agriculture and animal breeding produced a wide in variety of foodstuffs for indigenous Celts. Wine and words such as beef and mutton were brought to Britain by the Normans while Anglo-Saxon England developed meat and savoury herb stewing techniques before the practice became common in Europe. The Norman conquest introduced exotic spices into Great Britain in the Middle Ages.

Guillaume Brahimi is a French-born chef based in Sydney, Australia. He is currently head chef of Bistro Guillaume Sydney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni</span>

Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni, popularly known as "Chef Jacob", was an Indian celebrity chef born in Uthamapalayam, Tamil Nadu. He was known for his authentic South Indian cuisines. Aruni was a visiting chef at several hotels, and a consultant chef. He was also a food historian, spice collector and promoter of South Indian cooking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gurinderjit Singh</span>

Gurinderjit Singh is an Indian-born chef based in Brisbane, Australia. He is currently the owner/chef of an eatery that offers an amalgamation of Indian/Mexican cuisines, IndiMex Café Bar Restaurant at Stones Corner, Greenslopes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meeru Dhalwala</span>

Meeru Dhalwala is an author, chef and co-owner, with her ex-husband Vikram Vij, of the Indian restaurants Vij's and Rangoli in Vancouver, British Columbia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vivek Singh (chef)</span>

Vivek Singh is an Anglo-Indian celebrity chef, restaurateur, and media personality known for his Indian cuisine. He is the CEO and Executive Chef of four London- based modern restaurants and one Oxford-based modern restaurant. Singh is a regular face on BBC's Saturday Kitchen, and has been featured on television shows including Madhur Jaffrey's Curry Nation, At Home with Rachel Allen, NDTV Good Times – Will Travel for Food and My Kitchen Rules UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ranveer Brar</span> Indian chef

Ranveer Singh Brar is an Indian celebrity chef, Masterchef India judge, author, restaurateur and actor. He is well known as the host of popular Television food shows and as a judge in four seasons of MasterChef India, alongside fellow chefs Sanjeev Kapoor, Vikas Khanna ,Vineet Bhatia, Garima Arora and Pooja Dhingra

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kundan Lal Jaggi</span> Indian chef and restaurateur

Kundan Lal Jaggi, was an Indian chef and restaurateur based in New Delhi. Kundan Lal Jaggi is the inventor of butter chicken, and dal makhani, paneer makhani and the founder of the Moti Mahal restaurant along with his partners Kundan Lal Gujral and Thakur Das Magu in 1947 in Daryaganj, Delhi.

Greg Malouf is an Australian chef of Lebanese descent, author and culinary consultant. He is known as a pioneer of modern Middle Eastern cuisine in Australia and for the influence that his work has had on Middle Eastern cuisine at large.

References

  1. "The guru of Indian cuisine rocks on MasterChef". Our Strathfield. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
  2. "ABHI's Indian Restaurant". ABHI's Indian Restaurant. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  3. "AKI's Indian Restaurant - Bookings, Menus, Photos". AKI's Indian Restaurant - Bookings, Menus, Photos. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Mahadevan, Kumar (2012). From India: Food, family and tradition. Allen & Unwin. pp. 1–10. ISBN   9781743433959.
  5. 1 2 3 "A chat with Chef Kumar Mahadevan". Inside Cuisine. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Kumar Mahadevan Profile: From India – New and Traditional Food (Kumar Mahadevan).
  7. 1 2 "Guest chef Kumar Mahadevan". The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 February 2006. Retrieved 7 February 2006.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "The life of spice".
  9. "From India – New and Traditional Food (Kumar Mahadevan)".
  10. 1 2 "Kumar Mahadevan". Chef's Pencil.
  11. "Chennai Prawn Vendaki MasterChef recipe".
  12. "MasterChef 2012: Week 7 Highlights".
  13. "MasterChef Australia Season Four – The Hectic Hindu Wedding Challenge".
  14. "The MasterChef curse is broken". 20 June 2012.
  15. "Hostings - Food Safari Spices". www.sydneyweekender.com.au. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  16. "Episode guide | Food Safari Fire". Food. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  17. 1 2 "In The Know with Kumar Mahadevan".
  18. "Short Order: Kumar Mahadevan".
  19. "Book review".
  20. "From India: a cookbook worth coveting".
  21. "British Book Design and Production Awards 2013 Shortlist". Archived from the original on 12 February 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2013.