Chef Marcello Tully tells Ayushi Sharma that Indian cuisine features high on his list of favourites as ingredients are similar to those of his home country
When you juxtapose food with gender, it becomes a tricky proposition because gender in the kitchen is more culture than science. If you can taste that the food you are eating was made by a man or a woman, you are revealing something about yourself and not about the cook, believes Brazilian-born Marcello Tully, who is the head chef at Kinloch Lodge. The Brazilian chef who calls UK home feels that gender is not important, especially in the kitchen.
“It doesn’t matter who that person is trained by, in which country and what style of cuisine one makes. Of course, there are less women in the kitchen, compared to men, but this is changing rapidly. Even women are gradually moving towards this profession,” said chef Tully.
The chef was recently invited to India by Anand Kapoor, who runs a charitable organisation — CSSG (Creative Services Support Group) to hold a masterclass by Michelin Star chefs and Tully is one of them.
“I love doing masterclasses and workshops as part of my role at Kinloch Lodge so to be a part of a masterclass, that too in India, was an amazing opportunity for me. I got the chance to meet aspiring chefs and this also gave them an opportunity to meet chefs from around the world. The audience got to experiment different flavours and styles from each of the chef’s menus. I was happy to learn different techniques from the aspiring chefs and to teach them what I have learned so far in my career. People usually take the simple tasks and cooking skills performed in the kitchen for granted, but if these aren’t done correctly, then the end product might not be the very best,” said Tully.
A variety of Indian cuisines feature high up on Tully’s favourites. He said, “A lot of the ingredients are similar to those in Brazil, such as— exotic and citrus fruit, nuts, chillies and spices and coconut milk,” and added, “I love the heat and spice as well as the mixed spicy flavours. I would say Indian cuisine is one of the UK’s favourites with many restaurants in cities and towns. Take-aways are hugely popular over there.”
Tully’s father worked in an airline industry which enabled him to travel to many destinations around the world. This gave him the opportunity to try some mouth-watering delicacies along the way. This has served him in the long run in his profession as well as Tully is confident while experimenting with disparate flavours and ingredients. He said, “It’s all because of my travelling experiences that has enabled me to treat my patrons with a wide variety of experience.”
For Tully the greatest cause of failure of any dish is over-seasoning or not adding the proper amount or correct seasoning. He said, “Not getting the right balance of ingredients and flavours is the major reason of a failed dish. Balance is the key to everything. I start with the finest core ingredient and then build up the dish with components, not losing its texture.”
Tully also pointed out that food is not something that is static but keeps on evolving and changing.
“There will be more solutions to some of the big picture issues facing the food and beverage industry. There will be continuous innovation to decrease the volume of animal protein being consumed and development of products with functional benefits to enhance our lifestyles and the continuance of the critical link between diet and health. This will be coupled with the exploration of other natural sources to enhance the food chain,” he said and pointed out that there will be more ‘flexitarians’ in the population who are willing to make more challenging transitions in their diet.
The future, when it comes to food, continues to evolve and change.
