Thai meals is consolation meals for him, “a way of life”. His sojourn with the cuisine started manner again within the 1990s when he went to Thailand to be taught at lodges and road meals stalls.
Says the chef, “I love Thailand, the people, their culture and food. I have been exploring it for a very long time, but my last two years after I left Taj President, were when I saw the cuisine in a new light. I visited villages along the length and breadth of Thailand and delved deeper into the nuances of the cuisine. Different places do Thai cuisine differently today, and a lot has changed since my earlier trips. I sought answers to several ‘why’s. I interacted with chefs across age groups and saw how they all work to make sure the legacy of Thai food remains unchanged and is carried forward.”
Fresh substances make all of the distinction and Chef Ananda makes positive he will get the perfect choice straight from Thailand. “Luckily, I am next to the airport too, so that helps,” he says light-heartedly. On a critical be aware, he provides, “This cuisine is a lot about herbs and that is what makes it challenging. The food should be an experience for the diner’s nose and tongue, from the beginning till the end of the meal. I want this cuisine to grow on people.”
Much like a house, Thai Naam guarantees you an genuine Thai expertise. A rust-red brick wall adorns the doorway, much like the flooring in historical Thai properties. “Art elements from northern, central and southern Thailand are reflected at Thai Naam, be it in our culinary offerings or the décor and design,” says Ananda.
The menu is deliberately restricted, however considerable in vegetarian choices. “I don’t want people to get confused,” he states merely. From marinated rooster morsels wrapped in pandanus leaves and fried, to a spicy mince rooster salad and steamed John Dory with lemon garlic sauce, to lengthy inexperienced eggplant with tomato, pickled garlic, edamame and chilli, all dishes replicate his ‘less is more’ philosophy. He doesn’t consider in doing “too much with the ingredients”.
The dishes are served in a sequence, with development of flavours in thoughts. “Nothing is served without a reason, merely to fill your stomach. You must savour each morsel and taste the ingredients,” he avers.
Chefs of Ananda’s stature usually cease precise cooking, however he cooks daily, and says the training by no means stops for him. It is similar mantra he teaches his younger staff, whom he has hand-picked from Kerala for his or her expertise.
For a person who has helmed profitable eating places, he shows the identical pleasure and nervousness a newcomer would, anxiously awaiting your response, as you style his meals. No smugness and overconfidence for this soft-spoken chef. That is what makes him Ananda Solomon.