Bottling Floyd’s memory

You must have had a rough dayrdquo he gently asked Barkha one night many years agoldquoHow did you knowrdquoldquoYou used spice blends from the marketrdquo he had smiledldquoHow did you knowrdquo she asked againldquoThe profile of the blend gave it awayrdquo he replied still smilingBarkha Cardoz had had a rough few days at work and in the quest to lovingly put a hot meal for her equally hardworking chef and restaurateur husband Floyd Cardoz she had chosen the easy way out Like most people do in the kitchen ldquoFloyd believed that fresh spices and masalas make a world of difference to a dish but on some days itrsquos just not possiblerdquo she tells midday over a phone call from New JerseyFloyd and Barkha Cardoz PicGetty ImagesIn his quintessential style Floyd came up with a quick solution for his chefinthehouse He made small batches of spice blends for Barkha to rustle up a quick meal without compromising on the taste The pair thought of extending this to others who need a quick fix in the kitchen In 2019 they met Ethan Frisch a former cook at Tabla who Floyd had personally trained Frisch had started Burlap amp Barrel a Queens spice company that specialises in sustainable singleorigin products working with smallholder farmers to source spices that have never been available in the US before and help improve the livelihoods of the partner farmersBarkha like Floyd loves to sprinkle chaat masala on almost everythingThe Mumbaiborn American chef Floyd won Top Chef Masters Season 3 in 2011 and was coowner of O Pedro The Bombay Canteen and Bombay Sweet Shop in the city While Floyd always wanted Barkha to lead the spices project she says it had become a beautiful partnership ldquoIt was always usmdashwe were a team He was there by my side rooting for me to excel He was working on getting people to open their minds and heart to Indian food and was constantly teaching and mentoring He hardly slept Irsquod often ask lsquoDo you even sleeprsquo and hersquod say lsquoIrsquoll sleep when I diersquordquo Barkha remembersCarefully picked and measured these spices are nonGMO nonirradiated and are sans additives and colouringsIn March 2020 Floyd passed away suddenly after he contracted the Coronavirus infection A few days later when Frisch asked Barkha if she was still on board she wasnrsquot sure what to say ldquoThen I thought how else could I honour the legacy of a legend who spent more than three decades leading restaurants in the United States and India penned two cookbooks won a national television cooking competition and contributed his time and talent to countless charitable organisationsrdquo She knew she had to do thisWhile the lockdowns had slowed down things Barkha was adamant to work on this Up in Queens New York where the larger mixers werenrsquot in she wasnrsquot sure how they were going to pull it off They would grind 10 pounds and because there was no kitchen around to test she would mix it in water and check for the taste and texture By the end of a long day shersquod be exhausted and smelling of spices but would tell Floyd in her thoughts that while she was scared and nervous she would make him proud Barkha recalls a letter she wrote to himldquoI was so nervous to grind and blend those first 800 pounds of spices with Ethan and Ori wanting to get things perfect for you But I felt you with usmdashguiding my hand nudging me to trust my years of experience and exposure to flavours and it worked When we were done I felt confident and calm I knew that all together we had created a flavour legacyrdquoIn 2020 on Floydrsquos 60th birthday Barkha launched the first three masalas Goan Masala flavours of Floydrsquos familyrsquos homeland Kashmiri Masala from his travels as a young cook and Garam Masala the cornerstone of his spice cupboard In 2021 she added three more Green Tikka Masala an adaptation of an iconic dish from his NYC restaurant Tabla Vindaloo Masala Floydrsquos mother Berylrsquos recipe for the classic Goan stew and Chaat Masala a seasoning he loved to sprinkle on pretty much everything They are priced at 1199 onwardsFloydcardozcom and burlapandbarrelcom have information on the ingredients tasting notes recipes as well as anecdotes from Barkha of what that spice meant to Floyd Whether you are a seasoned cook or someone intimidated by the thought of measurements these earthy ruddy mix of blends work A dollar per jar goes to the charity Cookies for Kidsrsquo CancerFor now loved ones are bringing back the masalas to India for those who knew Floyd and were touched by his kindness but does Barkha have plans to set shop here ldquoI donrsquot know Will India be open to premium spiceblends Irsquoll have to first find outrdquoFloyd Cardoz ScholarshipTo commemorate his love for mentorship and teaching Hunger Inc Hospitality the holding company for The Bombay Canteen O Pedro and Bombay Sweet Shop has established The Floyd Cardoz Scholarship in partnership with the Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration WGSHA Manipal This annual scholarship will allow one aspiring and deserving culinary student to receive a fully sponsored threeyear culinary graduate programme The first recipient of this scholarship was Jeevan George who started his course at WGSHA in 2021