Spice Route Culinary Festival: Italian Chef brings personality

KOCHI:
Even amongst the standout chefs cooking up a storm at the international cooking competition on Sunday, Gianluca Mennella has no trouble separating himself from the rest of the pack.
The 26-year-old Italian chef – the youngest and brashest participant in a pool of veteran culinary masters – was the fastest to finish, tabling his dishes for the judges at 1 hour 17 minutes. Contestants were allotted three and a half hours to cook three dishes: an entrée, the main course and a dessert.
“Timing in the kitchen is very important, but the most important subject is the dish. If the dish is ready, if the dish already has life, why should I spend more time trying to make it better?” said Mennella, a tattooed, blond self-described “food artisan”.
After serving up a Crudité of King Prawns and Kiwi for an appetiser, Mennella followed up with a three-culture risotto main course that married Italian food with Indian spices. For dessert, a tiramisu garnished with saffron, cinnamon, curry leafs and vanilla.
Whether he comes out on top tomorrow when the jury picks the best entries, Menella is satisfied because he accomplished what he set out to do.
“Talent is written in ranks or numbers. For me, it is more crucial is to make an honest impression. The dishes I prepare have to reflect my personality: a sort of bi-polar balancing of brightness and the dark. It’s my signature,” he said.