"NAAN
BUKHARA" MAGICIAN
"He is ready to work hard, very
swift in the Tandoor kitchen" quipped J P Singh, Executive Chef, Bukhara
when asked about the qualities of Chef
Nagender Makhia - the specialist who rolls out ‘Naan Bukhara’ - the largest
bread of this restaurant at ITC Maurya,
New Delhi.
Remember, Bukhara, -the award
winning, hi profile culinary destination of ITC Maurya, happens to be the
highest earning restaurant in India. That said, I have been to this eatery in
the first week of September this year when I stayed at this iconic hotel
between Sep 04-10th 2016.
Himanshu
Bhandari - Bukhara Manager,
suggested that I should sit near the show kitchen so that I can see the Chefs
in action. I felt good that I have been given the front row seat to see the Chefs
strutting their stuff. Yes, that is when I observed Chef Nagender crafting the
biggest Naan I have ever known - the "Naan Bukhara”. His incredible
speed and mindfulness at work impressed me to the hilt.
Bihar born Nagender
is a first generation hotelier in his family. His father was a farmer. After
passing 7th standard he landed Delhi in 1997 searching for a job.
Providence took him to a restaurant in Delhi. ‘Vegetable Cutting’ was his
starting point. While he was working in the staff cafeteria in the student
hostel of Welcom Group Management institute, Gurgaon (Sister concern of ITC Group of hotels) Chef
Mayank who was the HOD for the kitchen opined to Chef J P Singh that Nagender
is superbly talented. Chef J P Singh cherry-picked Nagender without wasting
time. (By the way, Chef Mayank is presently the Executive Chef at ITC Maratha, Mumbai).
That was in 2003. Ever since, Nagender is wedded to the Bukhara kitchen.
Now, about ‘Naan Bukhara’. The
1.25 kg dough ball has to be rolled, flattened, rotated on the palms to make it
bigger ….flattened further to ensure the tear drop shape, placed on the wall of
the Tandoor - with skewer pierced into the bread, to make as many holes, so
that the bread will be crisp….and then cooked to perfection in the Tandoor.
That day when I met Nagender, in just 20 minutes he made three big Naans and
served it to the guests. "For dinner we make 15 to 20 ‘Naan Bukharas’ on
an average", says Chef Nagender. He also added that the 17 member Bukhara
Chef brigade is highly multi skilled.
This 135 seater eatery serves around 100-150 guests for lunch and around
200-250 for dinner on an average.
Chef Nagender is married to Reena Devi, blessed with three
children. Aarathi (15), Radha (07) and Kushal (18 months). Cooking is his hobby.
Text
and Pictures: R Kesava Mallia in New Delhi
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