What to cook for Indian Chefs?

[A Scottish Chef]

Hi

Tomorrow night, Monday, I have three Indian Chefs and an Indian restaurant owner from Glasgow coming to visit me. Essentially a social visit, I'd asked one of them, Raja, a while back for some help/suggestions for my summer menu. For a whole variety of reasons this is about a month behind schedule. Now they are coming to my shop to have a look at my facilities before making suggestions. I think I've mentioned this before, but when I ask these guys for help they don't do things in half measures.

I haven't a clue what to make for them. Should I offer them something completely different to Indian cuisine? Two of them, Kayani & Deven, are top class chefs and I'm nervous as hell about making them an Indian meal.

Basically I don't know what to offer them. HELP!

[indiagirl]

ScottishChef,

Just sneaking some eGulleting in while I am in London on vacation. The visit of the Indian chefs sonds both exciting and nerve racking ... so first, good luck. I hope they do wondrous things for your menu.

I think you should make them Indian food - you're obviously good at it and it will give them an idea of the kind of stuff you cook. Which will make their menu suggestions more tailored for you.

Seriously, make them the things you love to make and eat, and it'll show. I know that sounds super-smarmy, but I'm serious. You don't wont to try to impress them, you just want to share with them a wonderful meal that you have cooked for them, right? How about the Hansi ki Achari Murgh? You know? If it made you laugh out loud .....

So, there you are. My two cents.

[A Scottish Chef]

You don't wont to try to impress them, you just want to share with them a wonderful meal that you have cooked for them, right?

You are right!

Although I wouldn't feel to shabby if they were impressed anyway

I might just go with your suggestion - although I'm hoping the story of the name for that dish is what makes them laugh rather than my efforts in making it.

[Suvir Saran]

Now that you know what you are doing, I wish you all the best.

And hope you will tell us what happened.

Happy cooking....

Fun travels and vacation to you Indiagirl!

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

Why not try to introduce them to new foods, foods that you've created. I think it's a tad condescending to think that just because they're Indian they'd only want to eat food indicative of their homeland. I'm an American but when I go abroad I'm whatever country I'm in. It really bugs me when foreigners seek out the foods of their country when visiting others. Come on branch out, try something new for god's sake....

[Suzanne F]

C/W S: maybe you missed it along the way, but Scottish Chef's restaurant is an INDIAN restaurant. So he has every reason to serve his guests Indian food.

SC: What do you feel are your best dishes? I'd give them what I feel I can nail. Of course, I'd still be gracious about accepting their criticism.

Or what are the best seasonal ingredients you can get now? Maybe do dishes that use them?

Whatever you make, I'll bet they'll care most about your concern for making them happy. After all, they're coming to you to give you advice. Relax!

[A Scottish Chef]

I think it's a tad condescending to think that just because they're Indian  they'd only want to eat food indicative of their homeland.

Possibly. But then I didn't know if they were Moslem, Sikh or whatever and so I didn't know what was ok or not ok for them to eat let alone whether to serve alcohell.

Anyway, it went fine and dandy and I needn't have worried as much as I did at all. Apart from being made to feel like a prize eejit by Raja about the booze. Or, rather, the lack of it.

[Suvir Saran]

Tell us more.. what all did you make?