Some like it hot!
Indian food has been slow to become popular with Australians who traditionally go for less spicy fare. But this is changing. Kumar Mahadevan, one of the first trained Indian chef’s down under, has two innovative Indian restaurants that are transforming the way we see Indian cuisine. Here he talks about how he got here and why he’s happy to call Australia home.
Q: Why did you come to Australia?
Kumar: "I’ve been in Australia since 1985. I came from Chennai - the old Madras. In those days, the government of India had two restaurants in the world, one in Sydney and one in London. They were actually in partnership with the Indian tea board. They were set upt to promote tea initially. Then they decided to promote Indian food. I came out as a head chef for that restaurant. So my purpose was to promote Indian food – I got permanent residency and came along.
Q: What was it like to be working at one of the only Indian restaurants in Australia?
Kumar: "The restaurant was very high profile. It was in the centre of the city, in Martin Place. It was extremely popular and all the big ‘A’ lister’s from around the world ate there. Actors, singers and so on. It was really top notch. Even then, they charged $120 per meal!
Q: How did you go from there to being a famous chef who has two re-knowned eateries.
Kumar: Eventually the restaurant closed and I opened my own restaurant called Abhi’s in a suburb on the edge of the city called Concord. That was 20 years ago. There were very few restaurants at that time and very few professional chefs involved in their kitchens. We were a first. My food was authentically Indian. Australians were not aware of Indian food. There was a lack of exposure but now it has a better dimension.
Q: After all these years in the kitchen what still excites you about Indian food?
Kumar: I’m still passionate about promoting Indian food and I’ve been successful. We are doing a lot more braver things in Woolloomooloo ( the city restaurant is called Akhi’s), there, we are more innovative. My two restaurants are the benchmark of Indian cuisine in Sydney. We are raising the bar all the time. Every day is a challenge. You have to stay on top, It’s like running a race and you are number one. If you don’t think to stay ahead, you will be taken over by someone else.
Q: What do you like about living in Australia?
Kumar: I love living here. Absolutely. I came here when I was young. This is the country I cherish now. My children grew up here. There is clean air, good people, the acceptance of society, because everyone is a migrant here. It’s a happy country and they play good cricket! The opportunities are good. It’s not a very aggressive market like Europe or other parts of the world but the money you make here buys you a better quality of life. The quality of life here is incomparable. You can enjoy both profit and pleasure.
