Passions: Taste-led vs IG-worthy

How much does it really matter compared to the way the dish tastes? A chef and a digital food content creator argue

After watching Saturday Night Fever, he got leather fabric from Dharavi and got pants made from Bob Tailors in Bandra

Chef Sabyasachi says, “Trends change so fast that chefs don’t have the time to understand them. So, how can execution be well thought out?

People are so obsessed with filters that they even stop liking the way they look themselves, let alone anything else! Why should that be? I think a rogan josh looks sexy and luscious all by itself. Why would a flower make it look better? But today, restaurants are adding edible flowers to dishes to make them look pretty.

Yes, making food presentable is the way to cater to the current generation. But you have to be mindful. For example, people are going crazy with colours. If these colours are extracted from foods, they’re safe. But restaurants also use dyes, which can be harmful, just to keep up with the trend of making their dish look colouirful or pretty.

Trends change so fast that chefs don’t have the time to understand them. So, how can execution be well thought out? There was a time when nitrogen was put in everything till a customer in Delhi got health issues. This was the result of blindly following trends.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting a picture of a great meal. But food is meant to keep us healthy. If it looks cool but isn’t healthy, it’s pointless.

Sabyasachi Gorai, 48, is a much-respected chef well-known for his work at Olive and Byg Brewski.

“IG is the new age word of mouth for picking restaurants”

By Shivesh Bhatia

Shivesh says, “Recipes with better pics are trusted more. You can make the most delicious cake, but people won’t try it unless its pictures are great.”

Terence with his seven siblings