MeetChef Kasiviswanathan, Executive Chef of Radisson Blu Atria Bangalore. In conversation with Explocity, Chef says that good food and service is part of his legacy.

Where did you grow up?

I am from the Chettiar community and grew up in Trichy, central Tamil Nadu.

What led you to become a chef?

The chefs job to me is a dream come true as I get to do what I love the most, for a living. In my earlier days my mom and I made a lot of dishes in the Chettinadu style. I would always help my mother with the preparation work especially for our elaborate weekend meals which included cleaning, prepping and finishing the fish. She has been my inspiration to become a chef. As I belong to the community of Chettiars from Chettinad which is famous for its hospitality, I feel cooking for people and hosting guests run in my blood and comes very naturally to me.

How long have you been a chef?

I have been working as a chef for more than 20 years now.

What do you enjoy more? Cooking or creating?

Creating is the outcome of cooking so it is an intrinsic part of cooking. I feel I learn something new every day in the kitchen by experimenting with flavour profiles and trying new ingredients. The beauty of my passionate profession is continuous learning.

Do you think there is any virtue in preserving the authenticity of a cuisine?

Yes, I think that is a very important part of being a chef; to hold on to traditional recipes, using fresh ingredients and freshly ground spices.

Our food is part of our heritage, a legacy that we cannot afford to leave behind. Most of the modern dishes are in some way of the other inspired by the family recipes handed down over generations. There is a certain charm in reproducing dishes that our forefathers and grandmothers served and relished.

What dish do you like eating the most?

Home food. In particular my mom’s style fish curry which is cooked on the previous day around noon and it is matched with the hot steamed idli for breakfast, And then my wife’s tawa fish with coriander, mint, garlic marinade.

What’s your least favourite dish?

Anything that is deep fried.

How long have you lived in Bangalore?

For the last 12 plus years.

Do you like it here?

Bengaluru has become my second home now. And in professional terms, It’s the culinary hub of South India. You name the cuisine and you have the restaurant in Namma Bengaluru.