Chef Speak

A flavoured fusion

For world-renowned Israeli Chef Avi Biton, the culinary journey began at age 14 when he started cooking for family and friends. Twelve years later, he has his own restaurant Adora in Tel Aviv and hosts a televised cookery show. He is at his candid best as he talks about his passion for cooking and fusion food. By Beryl Menezes

For Chef Avi Biton, it was just a passion to cook and a curiosity to experiment with cuisines, especially those of France, Spain and Italy, that took him thus far. Working as junior chef in small restaurants in his home town of Tel Aviv, he rapidly rose in ranks to a top chef, travelling to Romania and France. After gathering enough experience, he decided to open his own restaurant, Adora in Tel Aviv, where he could mix-and-match to his heart's delight.

"Israeli cuisine is very young - just 60 years old - and is a borrowed cuisine with elements from the Middle East, Turkey, Europe and the Mediterranean. This makes it a flavourful fusion retaining the distinct taste of each cuisine," says the chef who has had no formal training in cooking, though he has trained several chefs.

Fusion food with a hint of Mediterranean is what he specialises in, as according to him those flavours are ideal for combining with Israeli cuisine. "I use a lot of olive oil, wine, fresh herbs, fish and vegetables in my cuisine, which makes it both healthy and tasty at the same time. So I eliminate heavy butter and cream from French food, but still use the wine and herbs; I use the Middle Eastern spices, yet combine them with fish and lamb." He also follows French cooking techniques, using local Israeli ingredients and produce.

Biton feels there is a lot of scope for Israeli cuisine in India, as it can easily be adapted to the Indian palate with spices like cardamom, cinnamon and cumin. "Right now, I am thinking of combinations like dal with shrimps, scallops and fish. Besides, Israeli food has a lot of veggies as well, so vegetarians need not be disappointed." Judging by the success of his recent food demonstration at World Trade Centre in Mumbai as part of a yearly culinary exhibition, he can be assured of a decent clientele at least.

According to him, the secret to success is constant innovation and of course a passion to cook. He says, "You have to become a chef for the love of cooking, and not for the glamour that the profession attracts." Being a chef is a tough job, standing on one's feet for over 15 hours a day and constantly reading and updating oneself on the latest trends in order to stay ahead of competition. "One also has to be savvy enough to pick up tips from different restaurants around the world and innovate to constantly create new flavours. Being a chef, therefore, effectively means dedicating your whole life to serving others," he adds.

Opening another restaurant, whether in Tel Aviv or elsewhere, is definitely on his mind, along with writing a cookbook in the near future. Besides that, the chef who is also a talented drummer, loves going clubbing and listening to electronic music in his free time - which is rare. However, he is quite happy reading cookbooks and travelling all over the world, updating his knowledge and learning the nuances of each cuisine. "I wake up every morning with only one thought - what new dish can I create today."