Meet the chef giving London’s fine diners a taste of Kerala

As Chef de Cuisine at The Lalit London, Jomon Kuriakose is putting dishes like payasam, duck mappas and mathanga erissery on the map

Seared red mullet and cassava mash served with a side of Alleppy fish curry sauce and crushed curry leaves is Chef Jomon Kuriakose’s personal victory. As Chef de Cuisine, when he first served the dish at The Lalit London, it starred king fish along with tapioca, and was simply known as kappa meen curry. Back home in Kerala, sardines are usually used for the dish. Even though Jomon chose king fish because of its fleshy texture, the dish did not get the warm response he was expecting. Not one to give up, a few months later, in one of the usual menu rejigs, Jomon reintroduced the dish using the red mullet, a much-loved variety of fish in London. Now, Jomon had guests ordering it and complimenting him as well. “I realised that the way the dish is presented and described makes all the difference. I tweaked the plating a bit, making the fish centre of attraction, so that guests of any nationality could relate to the description. I consider it an honour to showcase Kerala cuisine here,” he says, over a call from London.