Chef Suresh Pillai calls for an academy to promote, popularise and preserve Kerala’s culinary heritage

Chef Suresh Pillai calls for an academy to promote, popularise and preserve Kerala’s culinary heritage

“Mohanlal is a complete foodie. He enjoys exploring different kinds of cuisines, cooking and having good food. His tastes are not confined to any one cuisine; he enjoys several kinds of food he has had during his travels,” says Chef and restaurateur Suresh Pillai.

At times, the actor opts for customised diets. Sometimes, the chef gets a call from the home of the star for a special serving of oxtail soup, which the star is said to enjoy, or a helping of lean meat if he is on a no-carbs diet.

Having catered to a legion of celebrities, this celebrity chef is familiar with their food choices. It takes a little prodding to get him talking about what he cooked for the celebrities. “When West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle was in Kerala, he was bowled over by fish Nirvana (a signature dish of the chef); cricketer Virat Kohli is a vegan. He enjoyed a typical Kerala sadya (traditional feast of rice, curries and dessert served on a banana leaf) because many of the curries served as part of a sadya are vegan. Even many Malayalis are not aware of the range and diversity of Malayali cuisine,” he adds.

That is why Chef Pillai, an ambassador of Kerala’s rich culinary culture, is determined to popularise it for visitors and Keralites themselves.

“Many heirloom recipes are vanishing and we are in danger of losing our culinary heritage. Our grandmothers and elders were eating and buying local long before it became a trend. At present, most of us have no clue about the rich diversity of food that exists in our neighbourhood,” explains Suresh during a chat at his signature restaurant Restaurant Chef Pillai at the Le Meridien in Kochi.

He rues that though the government has set up several institutions to safeguard and preserve our literary and cultural heritage, nothing has been done to conserve and popularise our rich culinary heritage, “which has been seasoned by the State’s long legacy of maritime trade. Our food has been flavoured over the years with the methods and ingredients that were brought by traders and colonialists to Kerala.”

“Look at the richness of our breakfasts. Nowhere in India can we find so many choices. Curating that is important. We need an academy on the lines of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy and the Sahitya Akademi to promote, study and preserve the culinary traditions of Kerala.”