Chef Speak

A Mauritian in India

Celebrity chef and managing director of Mauritius-based Hotel & Catering Training Centre, Mougam Pareatumbee, says it is his love for India that keeps him coming back for more. He talks to Priya Krishnaswamy about his two passions - cooking and India

Chef Mougam Pareatumbee Managing Director of Mauritius-based Hotel & Catering Training Centre

Chef Pareatumbee, celebrity chef from Mauritius, is visibly impressed with the country's grandeur and the people's hospitality - a reason why he visits the country so often. Apart from running a hotel and catering training centre in Mauritius, Pareatumbee is also the secretary of the Mauritius Chef's Association in addition to being an honorary member of the Indian Federation of Culinary Association. He explains that there has been a serious misinterpretation of hospitality worldwide. "Services are available in plenty but what is lacking is the sincerity with which they are provided. It is sad that people in authority are shunning their responsibilities," he says.

Commenting on the people of Mauritius, Pareatumbee says, "They trace their origin to many cultures - migrants from Africa, India, China and Europe. Naturally its cuisines reflect an amalgamation sorts, more so since the island nation has access to the freshest and the most exotic raw ingredients including fruits, vegetables and seafood, apart from several indigenous spice mixtures and pastes that have evolved through the ages," he informs.

Working in harmony with the High Commission of India in Mauritius, Pareatumbee takes every opportunity to promote India and its cuisine abroad. "Every year, we have an International Chef's day where we hold competitions to promote a particular country's cuisine. Last year's theme was India and the show was a grand success," he says, adding, "I believe that we need to work together more often. I want to see panipuri and tandoor on every street in Mauritius. In fact, I already see this happening. Mauritius is little India, outside India."

Pareatumbee believes that training and exchange of talent is what will work wonders for both the countries. Commenting on the low visibility of Mauritian cuisine in India, he says, "Today, people are open to experimenting. We need to import talent from Mauritius to India while parallely exporting Indian chefs to Mauritius."