What I Can’t Live Without: Hari Nayak

Award-winning chef Hari Nayak, featured in the January/February issue of Today's Diet & Nutrition, enjoys the sweet life.

Hari Nayak is a celebrated chef who's written marvelous books about the bold, exotic cuisine of his native India. Writing cookbooks, appearing on television, and winning “stars” as an executive chef are satisfying, but Hari Nayak has another passion: ice cream.

“We say that its ‘ice cream like you’ve never seen before,'" Nayak says about his Halo Fête, America’s first ice cream patisserie, in Princeton, New Jersey. The “desserts and entremets glace” are traditional French pastries filled with ice cream instead of cream and custard. “In other words,” the pastry chef says with a smile, “I bring people joy.”

What are your top five favorite cookbooks or cooking technique books?

The Professional Chef by The Culinary Institute of America, which has run into an 8th edition.

Larousse Gastronomique by Prospore Montagne. Great reference book for traditional cuisine.

Mangoes & Curry Leaves: Culinary Travels through the Great Subcontinent by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid. A travel essay and a recipe journal combined in one book. No book comes close to this in engaging the traditions and culture of the entire subcontinent.

Instant Entertaining by Donna Hay. Easy to follow recipes, and exceptional photography by my favorite food stylist. Very modern.

Prashad-Cooking with Indian Masters by J. Kalra and Gupta Singh. An authentic Indian cooking guide and recipe collection from the five-star chefs of India. I use this book when I crave traditional flavors.

El Bulli 2003-2004 by Ferran Adria, Juli Soler, and Albert Adria. My all time favorite book. To a professional chef, every page is an inspiration!

Patisserie of Pierre Hermé by Pierre Hermé. These recipes are very accessible to a home cook as well as a professional chef. Pierre Hermé is my favorite pastry chef.

What kitchen appliance or tool do you use most and what for?

My coffee and spice grinder. I love to cook with spices and always grind my own spice blends. To keep the freshness, I roast the spices in small batches and grind them as needed during the cooking process.

What kitchen gadget couldn’t you live without?

A good, sharp chef’s knife.

If you had to limit your spice rack to five spices, which would they be and why?

Chili Powder – gives the heat

Cinnamon – gives the sweet flavor

Cumin – gives the fragrance

Tamarind – gives the sour taste

Ginger and garlic powder – balances the above flavors

All the above combined will give a balanced flavor to any meal.

What single food or dish couldn’t you live without?

The soul food that I ate growing up in India: A hearty lentil soup (dal) over a bowl of home cooked boiled rice (chawal), with vegetables (subzi).

What Do Your Loved Ones Ask You For?

Spice grilled lamb chops and chocolate cake!

Read more on Hari Nayak in the Jan/Feb issue of Today's Diet and Nutrition.
You can also visit his website here.

*Photo Credit: Jack Turkel