Death of the Tsar of Indian cuisine, Jiggs Kalra

Jiggs Kalra, writer, researcher and pioneer consultant in the field of food, died this morning in Delhi after a long illness. Aged 71, who became the first Asian to be inducted into the International Food and Beverage Hall of Fame, he was widely considered the first to import lost recipes from all of northern India, including royal kitchens of Awadh. in the limelight and is behind the popularity of many Indian dishes in Indian restaurants around the world, including kebabs and tikkas.

Famous Chiefs Remember Jiggs Kalra, Tsar of Indian Cuisine

Born in Jaspal Inder Singh Kalra, he began his career as a reporter at the Times of India, then at Illustrated Weekly of India, where he flourished under the editorial eye. of fire Khushwant Singh. He eventually embarked on culinary writing, with which is arguably one of the first reviews of Indian restaurant reviews in the Evening News, and became so expert in the field that his former boss and mentor, Singh, awarded him the informal title. The tsar of Indian cuisine & # 39;

His Prashad Book: Cooking with Indian Masters remains a Bible for anyone who wants to professionally cook Indian dishes and is used as a textbook in home schools of the country. He was also a pioneer of food television with the very popular show Doordarshan, Daawat, in which, with the historian of gastronomy, Pushpesh Pant, traveled the country across the country, addressing chefs, bawarchis, khansaamas and other professional cooks.

Over the years, Kalra has worn many hats, including as an advisor to the Indian Trade Promotion Organization in 1997. He has been at the forefront of the success of some of the most iconic restaurants. from India, including Dum Pukht and Bukhara, as well as their research and writings, have been prolific until a decade ago, when a stroke forced him to put himself in a wheelchair. However, he remains involved in the Indian hotel industry: he lends his name and expertise to restaurants such as Jiggs Kalra's Made in Punjab and Jiggs Kalra's Punjab Grill. He is also a mentor and culinary director of Mbadive Restaurants Pvt Ltd, launched in 2012 by his son. Zorawar, with restaurants such as Masala Library, Farzi Cafe and Pa Pa Ya Restaurant.

Also Read | From the Punjab Grill to the Masala Library: The Legacy That Jiggs Kalra Left behind

However, his most important contribution was that of an impresario for Indian cuisine. "There have been other great authors of recipes for Indian cuisine, but what sets Jiggs apart is that it was not just a writer but also an ambbadador for the mark for Indian cuisine, "says Pant.

In this role, says Pant, Kalra is not only helped to make Indian cuisine worldwide recognized as a culinary tradition of the same rank as French, but also helped to showcase the role of the chiefs, including Imtiaz Qureshi of Dum Pukht. "He would find chefs in the alleys of small towns and promote them in his articles. The hotel management used to despise the chefs, but Jiggs fought for their rights and helped restore the confidence and pride of the chefs in their own craft. This is perhaps his greatest contribution to Indian cuisine. "