“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.
Fish Niravana at Restaurant Chef Pillai
| Photo Credit:
SREEJITH R KUMAR
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.
Seasoned by trade
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.”
Bangalore days
The chef became a restuaranteer on November 1, 2021 when he opened Restaurant Chef Pillai (RCP) in Whitefield. At present, his outlets are Kothuxpress, North Rasoi, Caking, Thenga Manga (at Whitefield and MG Road) and RCP on Brigade Road.
“Bengaluru is the city that groomed me from a cook to a chef. Moreover, when I worked there for about five years, I found that nowhere in India would you find a place where different cuisines and food are so welcomed and appreciated.
“It’s easy to open a restaurant in the city given the support one gets by way of technical support and customers’ patronage. I feel it is the best city to start a business. That is why I opened my first restuarant there and followed it with a second one and also five other brands in Bengaluru. The city has a special place in my heart.”
Hailing from Thekkumbhagam, a picturesque, rustic island in Kollam district, Suresh is familiar with the wealth of seafood in the waters of Kerala and hundreds of ways to cook it. “Nevertheless, when I went to Kozhikode for a chess competition in the nineties, I was bowled over by the variety of food that was made with seafood. Each region in the State has its own variations of dishes even when the ingredients are the same,” he says.
Tweaking traditional recipes
Some of the traditional recipes have been tweaked by him to enhance its flavours. Suresh says that the fish nirvana, popular in his restaurants, is a fish curry from Kottayam that he reimagined. So is the puliyinchi chicken wings, which has an unexpected sweet and tart taste that titillates the taste buds. “Nevertheless, I maintain that the fish curry that my mother used to make with sardines and the fish available around the Ashtamudi Lake is the best I have tasted.”
Puliyinchi chicken wings
| Photo Credit:
Sreejith R Kumar
His rags-to-riches story is the stuff of dreams. The son of daily-wage workers, Suresh has not forgotten the many kind acts that have helped him reach for the stars. Now, he wants to give back by employing people who may not have academic qualifications and training but have the drive and ambition to succeed. “Their fire and zeal will make up for the lack of academic qualifications. I had to go through a lot of setbacks because I was not a graduate or qualified chef. So when I spot people in similar situations, I want to give them that break to a successful career.”
He was in the news when he was able to reunite an employee of his from Manipur with her mother and sister during the unrest in the State.
Suresh also makes it a point to employ differently-abled people who want to prove themselves in the food and hospitality industry.
All set to open his flagship restaurant in Kodaikanal, the chef says he is happy that he was able to open 15 restaurants in 2023 and introduce seven brands. He hopes to expand his flavour empire in India and abroad.
In a note on social media, he writes: “What started as 3 outlets in 2022, is now at 14 in the second year. I have plans to hit the 50 mark by this time next year, across 9 countries, and opening up my RCP team to 2000 more talents. “