Popular chef and former Masterchef Australia judge Gary Mehigan opens up about his move away from the show, new culinary adventures and why Mumbai is close to his heart
Gary Mehigan
You, Matt Preston and George Calombaris gave us 11 seasons of Masterchef Australia, making global flavours and techniques accessible to the average TV viewer. Stepping away must’ve been hard. How did you fill up that void?
I couldn’t have wished for something more amazing in my life. It was a game changer. It was the longest job I ever had — nearly 12 years. The three of us always knew that when we leave, we’d do it gracefully and pass the baton. In our final year, I felt it was time to do something else. I’ve been a restaurateur for 18 years, a chef for 35, and on TV for a long time. Masterchef was the biggest part of that. But food and travel is what gets me going. And then, 2020 happened. Leaving Masterchef wasn’t a shock; the year 2020 and the COVID-19 experience was. But I’ve been doing lots of things — a podcast, and working on a book. I’ve been doing many Zoom events and consultancy. I’ve also been pitching new food ideas to networks. I’m hoping that once restrictions ease, you’ll see me back in a different guise.
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The F&B industry has undergone an overhaul since last year. What are some of the key trends that you think are here to stay?
It’s been a decimating time for restaurants. The question was how the hell are you going to survive? How do you bring a restaurant experience home? But people have done that, and it’s exciting. Of course, we all want to step out and grab a bite, but dining at home is here to stay, along with the clever technological innovations that make it possible. This period has given a new lease of life to an industry that was operating in the same way for 100 years.
Mehigan enjoys street-style cooking on a trip to Jaipur in 2019
You’re pretty vocal about your love for Indian food. But how much has the openness to trying Indian food changed over the years in Australia?
Compared to five years ago, there’s a lot of momentum now. Our Australian experience of Indian food tends to be either the traditional hub where classic fare is cheap and cheerful, or a handful of upper-end restaurants. I think the biggest problem with Indian food here is that there’s a struggle to add value. For instance, in India, there are generations of families selling say, pani puri or chhole bhature that’s cheap and loved. But you worry that if you don’t add value to that, future generations won’t take it up. It’s much the same here. What I’d like to see more though is diversity, to break perpetuated notions of
Indian food.
You’ve travelled extensively in India. Which is your favourite food destination and most memorable food adventure?
I enjoyed the fare in Jodhpur, making kachoris on the street and eating a kind of freshly churned butter on a leaf. An experience like this is quite unique as it gives me a sense of the city. But that takes nothing away from walking into a famous Hyderabadi restaurant and seeing biryani being cooked for a thousand-odd people. I’ve got to be careful here, but if someone asks me which city you prefer [in India], I’d say Mumbai because it’s like New York, but on steroids. It’s also got some of the best restaurants, like The Bombay Canteen, Swati Snacks, and Soam, and all the street food. If I recommend someone from Australia on where to go first in India, it’s always Mumbai. The Causeway, the sea, Gateway of India, the terminus building [CSMT], Sassoon Docks — Mumbai is one of those cities that’s got an obvious beating heart.
Which are the Indian chefs you think the world must watch out for?
Manish Mehrotra, Prateek Sadhu and Thomas Zacharias are the ones to look out for.
Tell us a bit about your upcoming book, Good Food Every Day.
It’s a collection of over 300 recipes. They are dishes I’ve collected from my travels, whether Laos, Vietnam or India. There’s a section on stews and curries. For instance, fish moilee that I learnt from a chef in Kochi, or recipes from different Indian families. This is food that excites me. I still love dressing up pretty plates of food, but sitting down and relishing a bowl of something like char kway teow, a Malaysian dish, is more satisfying. The book also comprises family favourites, like the egg and lemon soup my daughter likes, and staples from my mother. There’s a great sense of joy in putting together recipes that you can cook every day and enjoy together.
Oz-tripping
I encourage people to look beyond the reef, rocks and Harbour Bridge. Foodies, think of Australia in terms of more local destinations and local stories [like Hobart in Tasmania].
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