The Poetic Cuisine of Chef Utpal Mondal

A conversation with the corporate executive chef of the HHI group of hotels, Utpal Mondal, is an uplifting experience. He’s a man who is many things – poet, philosopher, chocolatier, polyglot, Hilsa fish aficionado, highly skilled chef and above all, proud Indian citizen, and he exudes a positive energy that’s highly infectious.

I spoke to him in Mythh restaurant at the 5-star Hotel Hindusthan International in Kolkata where, quite frankly, the day would not be the the same without the chef’s beaming presence as he offers a friendly handshake and a warm welcome to customers.  

Chef Mondal’s pioneering creativity has overseen the opening of several iconic venues at HHI including the award-winning Mythh, the banqueting hall Topaz, the famous Underground, and more recently, a many accoladed Italian restaurant, Valentino. He has also introduced a highly popular pastry shop and has even developed a chocolate bar.

At the Taste of Britain Curry Festival with Curry Life team

Described by the influential writer Rajen Bali as “one of the best three chefs in Kolkata”, chef Mondal has been likened to one of the “rare and dwindling breed of hands-on thinking chefs who, though thoroughly steeped in tradition, has the courage, knowledge and expertise to create stunning new dishes.”

Creativity and originality are important concepts to him. Married, with one daughter, Utpal is fluent in four languages and has an abiding interest in literature and the arts. In his childhood he was a poet “because it was a creative thing,” he says. Now in his forties, he still writes poetry - when he gets the time.

When deciding on a career however, cooking offered a more lucrative outlet for his skills. After graduating from the National Council of Hotel Management in Kolkata with a BSc, Utpal was selected for the prestigious Taj group of hotels and assigned to his home city, working with such luminaries as Chef Durgaerasad, Dennis Lambard and Curry Life Consultant Chef Partha Mittra.

“I grew up with the Taj because it opened in 1989 which was when I first went there,” he explained, “ I always say that the Taj is my second home; it taught me what cuisine is all about; I am what I am because of that experience”

For two years Chef Mondal trained in Indian and French cuisine, specialising in steak and fish. He worked within the famous Esplanade coffee shop and Indian restaurant Sonargon, before being transferred to the banquet kitchen serving eight banqueting halls. Busy from morning till night, he often prepared over 90 covers a day.  

He became proficient in Lebanese, Mexican and Italian cuisine under the famous chef Dennis Lambard; “He was the best Italian chef I ever worked with. He was tremendously innovative and gave me ideas that I still use now. My recipe for Italian mud pie is based on his ideas. I started learning my skills in the Indian cuisine but my second favourite is Italian – I’m a great fan of Italian cuisine. ”

Banqueting cuisine offered an outlet for his unusual creativity and innovation: “In banquets the menu is not fixed,” he says, “So I could use new ideas to make dishes inspired by international cuisine.

“But in these parts most clients are Marwaris and vegetarian. To make Marwari vegetarian dishes without using garlic or onion was (and is), a huge challenge. It’s a tough job! Here in Kolkata Bengalis and Marwaris love food. They don’t eat to live, they live to eat!”

He went on to develop two cuisines within the hotel and scored maximum points in staff evaluations, becoming the Taj’s highest achiever over two years. After 15 years and one month he was headhunted by the HHI in 2004. Now he is very happy in his work where he is permitted to give full rein to his creativity, actively encouraged to do something “a little different.”

HHI Kolkata

He says his creative skills were tested to the limits at the recent festival devoted entirely to the Hilsa fish. The Hilsa is about two feet long and has 2,000 bones – Chef Mondal knows –he has counted them! Although Bengalis don’t have the same squeamish attitude towards bony fish as many westerners believing the improvement in flavour is well worth the minor inconvenience of getting a bone stuck in the throat, chef Mondal was set the task of creating 12 different dishes featuring the Hilsa, making sure that each one was filleted to perfection. “I took it as a challenge. I did the dishes, baked, poached, roasted or smoked and served with Hilsa oil as an accompaniment – it’s the most beautiful fish the world has produced, with a tremendous flavour and the festival was a great success; I was so happy.” 

He believes in innovation and invents in the world of poetry and cooking. I sampled a delicious Chocolate pan; essentially pan wrapped in chocolate - a curious combination but one that was delicious and distinctly memorable. Constantly experimenting with different cuisines and ingredients, Chef Utpal has also developed an interesting sorbet made with a liqueur and Betel leaf to aid the digestion.

Has he ever been tempted to take his talents further afield?

“I had many opportunities to go to England or Australia,” he says, “I might earn more money which can give me comfort but I am not happy about whether I could get peace.

“To me, peace is much more important than comfort and other countries may not give me that. In India I am a first-class citizen, even if I just eat bread and potatoes. As a human being and as a chef, I’m recognised within my society and industry. If I’m not respected, how can I live elsewhere?

“Ever since childhood I haven’t had much faith in God; to me mankind is the last word. After I die I want to be brought to mind for something that I have created and leave a legacy for another generation of chefs. Being a chef is a bit like being a film director – he does not act, but ultimately, a great film is known and remembered by its director.”

Hotel Hindustan International, Circus Avenue, Bhawanipur, Kolkata, West Bengal, India Tel: 033 22802323