Chef Ravi Saxena is the Corporate Chef at the new Dhaba by Claridges that has opened in Bangalore. Chef Saxena lives and works in Delhi but has created the menu at the new restaurant.

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. I Left in 1989 to pursue IHM from Goa.

What led you to becoming a chef?
It was by chance. I come from a family of doctors and engineers and really didn’t have a clue about this industry then. I decided to become a chef when I did my training in Hyatt Regency, New Delhi in 1990. There I realised kitchen was the department I wanted to focus on.

How long have you been a chef?
From 1992.

What do you enjoy more? Cooking or creating?
Both are interlinked. Cannot create without cooking and they both go hand in hand.

Do you feel there is virtue in preserving the authenticity of cuisine?
Yes very much. In today’s day with so much fusion happening, somewhere I feel the authenticity is losing ground. I am not anti fusion but it needs experienced execution. I am a firm and staunch believer of adhering to the culinary limits of a cuisine.

What dish do you like eating the most?
Any simply cooked dish, like a basic pasta or a basic butter chicken.

What’s your least favourite dish?
Guess none.

Do you like Bangalore?
Bangalore is a beautiful place. I love the weather, people and culture.