Artist of the Week| Chef Gresham Fernandez

The best way to enter the mind of a chef is with the first bite of one of their creations. It hits you all at once - the subtlety, the humour, and the fantasy from which it came to be. And so it is with Chef Gresham Fernandes. For the most part, your palettes have already made his acquaintance - it’s his brain that conjured up the menus of Smoke House Deli, Social (across India) and Salt Water Cafe, to name a few. His culinary journey began with him helping a friend with his Chinese food cart on Perry Cross Road in the early 90’s. He then went on to be a trainee at a 5 Star Hotel’s restaurant and later the sous chef at a standalone restaurant. Today, he is the Head Chef and Culinary Director for Impresario. That he is an artist, is not to be questioned. The delicate balance of flavour, texture and soulfulness is what we laud, and the reason for which we have picked him to be artist of the day.

What would you describe as your perfect day, right from the time you woke up, until you went back to bed?

The perfect day begins with waking up early, walking the dog, and 5k in the gym. Breakfast with the wife, no traffic to work, and good produce in the market doesn’t hurt. Ideally, people using common sense in the kitchen, a good dinner service at the not so secret dinner project, drinks with friends, and people in good spirits while i play music, would be the perfect way to close. Then, rinse - wash - repeat.

What is your first memory of exploring your medium of choice?

Market walks with both my grandmothers, while they haggled like monsters.

What according to you is your best creation yet?

It’ll be out in January.

What are the three things you are really into, besides your art?

Music, sleeping, and scribbling on things.

What is something that you have always wanted to do, and really look forward to doing it some day?

Owning a restaurant on the beach.

What is that one thing, that really annoys you?

Horns, the situation that India is in, and man buns.