Twenty-four accomplished chefs from around the world were selected to participate in the ultimate cooking competition in Netflix’s The Final Table that is available for streaming on the portal. They formed 12 teams of two and were put to the task of cooking the national dishes of Mexico, Spain, England, Brazil, France, Japan, US, India and Italy, with each episode highlighting one cuisine.
Among them was India’s Amninder Sandhu, the executive chef at Arth restaurant and lounge, in Mumbai and Pune. “The Final Table team reached out to me. I had to send across my profile, the concept of Arth along with various other details. There were multiple chefs in India approached by the casting team, however I was shortlisted post going on a Skype interview with them,” she recalls.
Sandhu was pumped up to get out of her comfort zone, compete and see where she stands among the top chefs from across the world. On the set, she realised that the whole competition helped her evolve not only as a chef but also as an individual.
“When we were flown into LA for the shoot, there were 36 chefs that were a part of the casting round. However, at the end of it, just 24 chefs (12 teams) made it to the final cast and were pitted against each other. There were a total of 10 episodes and each team had to make the national dish of a particular country. The show ends with the last two teams being split up and four chefs competing against each other to get a seat at The Final Table along with nine culinary legends,” she explains.
The Final Table comprised Enrique Olvera (Mexico), Andoni Aduriz (Spain), Clare Smyth (United Kingdom), Helena Rizzo (Brazil), Vineet Bhatia (India), Grant Achatz (USA), Carlo Cracco (Italy), Yoshihiro Narisawa (Japan), and Anne-Sophie Pic (France).
“Me being on one of the most expensive culinary competitions was like a dream come true. The directors and producers have shot the who’s who of Hollywood and were now shooting all of us with cameras running over our head at every point, tracking our movements while cooking. The entire set up was completely futuristic,” she says.
Making friends
All the participants on the show shared a common love for cooking, which is why they decided to continue their friendship even after shooting the show. “I bonded with almost everyone on the show. Once the show was done, Chef Darren MacLean from Shokunin in Calgary, and I collaborated to host a private dinner in Mumbai. I also flew to New York at the end of October to collaborate with Chef Aaron Bludorn who runs Michelin starred Cafe Boulud. We did a series of two dinners that were completely sold out. There was also Chef Esdras Ochoa, originally from Mexico, who I have brought to Mumbai. He will be launching a Mexican restaurant called Sancho’s in Mumbai soon,” says Sandhu.
Lessons learnt
Being among such talent, Sandhu ended up learning a lot of things related to the kitchen. “Just meeting so many great chefs, whether participants or judges, is something I will truly treasure. It also made me realise that working with others and sharing ideas inspires you, especially when you’re getting an international perspective on what you’re doing, and allows you to inspire others as well,” she says, adding, “The one thing I learnt from Chef Grant Achatz is that cooking is not a 100 metre race but a marathon. This is something Chef Thomas Keller said to Chef Grant Achatz. Also, one of my biggest learnings is that when you realise the richness of your own culture, you become stronger.”
Participating in the show also boosted her confidence about what she was doing back home. “Post the show, I really felt good about what I was doing back home. I have a great foundation, and knew I was doing something right which I just needed to build on. The concept I’m working with right now — running a gas-free kitchen using ancient Indian methods of cooking over charcoal and wood — has never been seen in the world before. Indian cuisine is definitely one of the most vast, labour intensive and skill sensitive cuisines in the world. India has so many region and culture specific dishes that it would take anyone over a lifetime to master everything. Now it’s my job to make others believe in serious Indian cuisine, and that’s the mission I’m on.” she signs off.
ST Reader Service
The Final Table, a 10-episode series, is available on Netflix