Issue link: https://canadawidemedia.uberflip.com/i/918147
30 OUR HOUSE WINTER 2018 DOMINION LENDING CENTRES Describe how important cooking at home is, not just for yourself but for families and people in general? I cannot say enough about eating together as a family, and having a home-cooked meal—and I'm a restaurateur! There are statistics that show families who make time to eat together each night, who break bread together and talk, have fewer instances of crime, of drug addiction, and of broken homes. Now, that's easy for me to say—working in the restaurant industry, we were hardly a "sit down for dinner at six o'clock" family. But we made a conscious e‹ort to set aside breakfast time, and an evening each week when we knew we would all be together—and that means no cellphones at the table. What advice would you give to someone who is afraid of or overwhelmed by the idea of learning how to cook? I would say just try it. There are so many books out there that will teach you the basics, and if you get it wrong, so what? I don't use recipes; I put in a few key ingredients that I want to use… then I add more, and then even more until I'm happy with what I've cooked. Baking is a science —so it's hard to go freestyle with that… but cooking is love… and you should experiment and not be put o‹ from trying. What advice would you give to a young chef thinking about opening his or her own restaurant? I would say it will be the hardest thing you will ever do. But it will also be the most rewarding. You need three things: the passion to follow your dream of opening a restaurant, an amazing team who will always have your back, and money— ideally lots of it! Do you cook much at home, or leave it to your restaurants? I love to cook at home and I love to be in my restaurants seeing other people enjoying their dinner with us. I don't have my daughters at home to cook for anymore, so I can make what I want. But I like to take my time while I'm cooking. Being in the kitchen is my greatest pleasure, and it's also my entertainment for the evening, and I don't want to rush it. You've cooked for celebrities and politicians. Is there someone or a group you haven't cooked for that you would still like to? There's an expression: "Give a man a fish˜and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." I'd like to teach people how to cook Indian food, and have it added to their repertoire of meals they cook for their family. I'd love to be an ambassador of Indian food in Canada, and I'd like to show as many Canadians as possible to not be daunted by Indian spices and recipes. What are your thoughts on the Canadian culinary scene? How do Canadians stack up against the rest of the world? Canadian cuisine is incredible—and it's getting better and better. We have the most amazing resources which create the best ingredients. We have fantastic meats and produce from our local farms, we've got really great wines, craft beers, gin and vodka, and on the east and west coasts the seafood is second to none. When you've got those world-class resources, then you're already on the international stage from a culinary perspective. How does your typical day unfold? There's honestly no such thing as a typical day. They are all so di‹erent, and it depends on where I am. As much as possible, I get up early and go to yoga, then it's either meetings and more meetings followed by service at one of the restaurants or, if I'm travelling, I'll try and eat at someone else's restaurant to see what they're up to. CANADIAN CUISINE IS INCREDIBLE—AND IT'S GETTING BETTER AND BETTER. WE HAVE THE MOST AMAZING RESOURCES WHICH CREATE THE BEST INGREDIENTS.