Category Archives: World Opinion

He’s one of the world’s best saxophone players, and he’s finally coming to Kentucky

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, World Opinion
Rudresh Mahanthappa has been named alto saxophonist of the year six out of the last seven years by Downbeat magazine. Ethan Levitas
Rudresh Mahanthappa has been named alto saxophonist of the year six out of the last seven years by Downbeat magazine. Ethan Levitas

Rudresh Mahanthappa

Opening: Osland/Dailey Jazztet. 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10. Singletary Center for the Arts Recital Hall, 405 Rose St. $13 public, free in advance to University of Kentucky students. 859-257-4929. Singletarycenter.com, Rudreshm.com.

With each recording he cuts and each band he takes the stage with, Rudresh Mahanthappa reveals different views of a musical persona that can best be described as globally expansive.

In 2015, the composer, educator and bandleader — as well as Alto Saxophonist of the Year, as voted on by Downbeat Magazine’s International Critic’s Poll six out of the last seven years — channeled, dissected and re-assimilated the music of Charlie Parker into an audacious album called “Bird Calls.” Last fall, Mahanthappa followed with “Agrima,” a stylistic turnaround that meshed jazz, Indian classical music and electronics. As he prepares for his Kentucky debut on Saturday, Mahanthappa discussed plans for a future project that involves a straight ahead jazz trio of sax, bass and drums fashioned after Sonny Rollins’s classic 1958 album, “A Night at the Village Vanguard.”

“Look at my discography, and you will see every album is different,” Mahanthappa said. “Almost every album has a completely different band, so I’m always trying to shake things up for myself and change the vehicle as much as I can. My musical personality stays the same, I guess, but different scenarios bring different things out of me.”

I KNEW EVERY TRACK WITH A SAXOPHONE SOLO THAT WAS BEING PLAYED ON TOP 40 RADIO, WHETHER IT WAS MEN AT WORK OR SUPERTRAMP OR THE SAX SOLOS ON SPRINGSTEEN RECORDS.

Mahanthappa’s personal history is as culturally rich and varied as his music. Born in Italy to Indian parents, he grew up in Boulder, Colorado, initially absorbing the pop sounds of Grover Washington Jr. and David Sanborn on the radio before cutting his teeth in area jazz and even Dixieland bands.

“I knew every track with a saxophone solo that was being played on Top 40 radio, whether it was Men at Work or Supertramp or the sax solos on (Bruce) Springsteen records. I learned them all. That was my first kind of ear training, trying to learn by holding my mono tape recorder up to the radio so I could learn the saxophone solos.

“The players in the Boulder bands were all twice my age, but they took me in. I was butchering Charlie Parker solos, but people gave me a chance. Those experiences were really important. It was the welcoming aspect that really mattered. I felt like I belonged someplace. Not that I didn’t belong in my family. It was just a way to really be a musician with other musicians.”

Curiously, Mahanthappa’s exploration of his Indian heritage came much later in his decidedly American upbringing.

“The elements of Indian music came from a place of trying to engage my ancestry in a way that was really meaningful. I don’t speak my parents’ language. I didn’t grow up around any other Indian families. Beyond the limits of my immediate household, I was figuring out how to create an Indian-American culture on my own and with my brothers. For me, in particular, music was the most effective way of describing that, defining that and communicating that. I feel a lot of the music I play is a by-product of me getting to know myself.”

IT’S NICE TO GO TO THESE PLACES I’VE NEVER BEEN BEFORE AND PLAY WITH THE LOCALS WHO HAVE DEVELOPED A REAL SCENE IN THEIR PART OF THE COUNTRY.

Today, Mahanthappa’s heralded career is balanced with duties as the head of jazz studies at Princeton University. That ties in to his performance on Saturday at the Singletary Center, where he will team with University of Kentucky jazz pros Miles Osland and Raleigh Dailey in their Jazztet.

“It’s nice to go to these places I’ve never been before and play with the locals who have developed a real scene in their part of the country. I think it’s very important to the relevance of this music to engage as many of the communities as possible and not just show up to do the gig and take off. There’s a lot more to it than that.”

source: http://www.kentucky.com / Lexgo – Kentucky.com – Lexington Herald Leader / Home> Music News & Reviews / by Walter Tunis, Contributing Music Critic / February 07th, 2018

1837: When the rebel flag fluttered high

Amazing Feats, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinion

In 1837, this anger turned to action for freedom and the British suffered a temporary defeat, says N.S. Deviprasad Sampaje, Writer.

The Jangama Kalyanaswamy's flag used during the Sullia rebellion was hoisted by Guddera (Guddemane) Appaiah against the British in 1837 was later adopted as the Kodagu Gowda coat of arms. They are also called Arebhashe Gowdas
The Jangama Kalyanaswamy’s flag used during the Sullia rebellion was hoisted by Guddera (Guddemane) Appaiah against the British in 1837 was later adopted as the Kodagu Gowda coat of arms. They are also called Arebhashe Gowdas

Mangaluru:

It was the first armed uprising against the British, which took place 20 years before the First War of Indian Independence in 1857. The men who laid down their lives in this uprising of 1837 in Mangaluru are not forgotten.

The Tulunadu Rakshana Vedike and several others organisations marked the 179th anniversary of the uprising on Tuesday at Bavutagudda, where the rebels hoisted the Indian flag to mark their victory over the British on April 5, 1837.

“The people of Kodagu and Canara (coastal Karnataka) were unhappy with the British for various reasons. In 1837 this anger turned to action for freedom and the British suffered a temporary defeat,” recalls writer, N.S. Deviprasad Sampaje.

Mr Sampage , who wrote the book ‘Amara Sulliyada Swatantrya Sangrama,’ detailing this early struggle for freedom, says it was a mass movement and not restricted to some villages or caste.

“It received unprecedented support from the people of Dakshina Kannada. However there were efforts to tone it down by labelling it ‘Kalyanappa na Katakayi, or ‘loot of Kalyanappa’.

But in reality it was a major movement for freedom in the region, which scared the British. The reports of the then Collector of Dakshina Kannada, Leven, reveals this,” he says.

The rebellion was led in Kodagu by leaders such as Aparampara, Kalyanappa and Putta Basappa and continued in Sullia, Puttur before culminating in Mangaluru, the seat of the British Collector.

It is said the rebels held control of the city for 13 days before British reinforcements arrived in Mangaluru and recaptured it.

But it took two months more for the British to arrest the rebels and hang them in public to silence the movement.

“The government must do a proper study of the entire movement so people get to know its importance,” emphasises Mr Sampaje.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation>Current Affairs / by Gururaj A. Paniyadi, Deccan Chronicle / April 06th, 2016

7th India International Coffee Festival 2018 reflects on experiential tourism in Karnataka

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Coffee News, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Leaders, World Opinion

7th edition of India International Coffee Festival 2018 hosted at The Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru saw a host of activities including the coffee workshops, exhibition, keynote sessions, Fireside chat with Shri Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister for IT, BT and Tourism, Government of Karnataka, Coffee Quiz Competition for Coffee enthusiasts ending the day with Café Awards ceremony.

IndiaCoffeeExbn31jan2018

The day started with workshops on ‘Role of sustainability in Post-Harvest Processing Equipment to secure the right quality, type and quantity of coffee.’ The session was led by Carlos Brando and Joao Alberto Peres Brando from Pea Marketing Ltd.

Shri Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister for IT, BT and Tourism, Government of Karnatakagraced the occasion and attended a fireside chat session along with Mr. Anil Kumar Bhandari, President, India Coffee Trust where he emphasized on experiential tourism.“Today people want to experience and learn from their outings, hence experiential tourism is leading to a lot of buzz around homestays. We have offline and online strategies in place and are ready to build infrastructure and jointly manage it with associations. We have opened up 11 new eco-trails that will benefit the homestays and provide exhilarating experience to travelers,” said Shri Priyank Kharge while addressing the gathering.

He further said that, “I am privileged to have a unique opportunity to bring together information technology and biotech to further tourism in the state. I urge the startup fraternity and innovators to come forward with solutions that will help us build a sustainable tourism ecosystem in Karnataka.”

Commenting on this occasion, Anil Kumar Bhandari, President, India Coffee Trust said,“This year the festival focused on skill-building workshops, showcase of products and services, key sessions by delegates on Global Coffee Outlook and Future of Indian Coffee Sector.”

“The Indian coffee sector is growing at a rapid pace. And to sustain this growth, the dependence on government subsidies needs to come to an end,” said Shri Srivatsa Krishna, IAS, Chief Executive Officer and Secretary, Coffee Board of India.

Also, addressing a keynote session here, Jose Dauster Sette, Executive Director, International Coffee Organization said, “India is the sixth place in internal coffee consumption. In future by 2050, the production of world coffee might further decrease due to factors such as climate change that facilitates spread of pests and diseases. Both Arabica and Robusta are also negatively affected by the climate change.”

source: http://www.everythingexperiential.in / Everything Experiential – Business World / Home / by EE News Desk / January 24th, 2018

A rush of Caf Feine

Business & Economy, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg), Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Leaders, World Opinion

The International Coffee Festival brings growers, sellers, and lovers together in the same mug

CaffeineKF20jan2018

Coffee love is serious love, and Bengaluru knows how to keep up with it. Just last month, Coffee Santhe celebrated your favourite brew with a three-day carnival. It had the best estates in India showcasing their blends and coffee-related demonstrations to coffee-related food and art.

Cut to the present. Coffee love is hogging the limelight yet again, thanks to the ongoing India International Coffee Festival (IICF) 2018. The expo, which is in its seventh edition, organised by India Coffee Trust – an NGO formed by various stakeholders of the Indian coffee fraternity, is on till Friday. And the event is dotted with different kinds of activities – from panel discussions to exhibitions by various growers.

Today, for instance, you can flaunt your knowledge of coffee at a quiz. Or, sit down for a workshop about the ‘Role of Sustainability in Post-Harvest Processing with the Right Processing Equipment to Secure the Right Quality, Type and Quantity of Coffee’ by Carlos Brando of Pea Marketing.

Over two days, you can listen to coffee experts and policy-makers talk about the trends in the coffee market, innovation in the production and packaging segment, startups making coffee ‘cooler’, alternate brewing techniques, and how to turn India into a ‘Coffee Nation’.

Jose Sette, executive director of International Coffee Organization, will speak about ‘Global Coffee Outlook – addressing challenges to meet future demand’; Dr Joseph K Kimemia, chairman of African Fine Coffee Association, will talk about ‘Initiatives on Promotion of African Coffee’; Dr Peter Baker, director of Climate Edge UK, will share his thoughts about ‘The Changing Climate for Coffee – farming in a time of extremes’; Sanjay Khajuria, senior VP (Corporate Affairs), Nestle India, will discuss the topic ‘Creating Shared Value –
How responsible business and communities work together’. The fest will also felicitate the best in the business.

Anil Kumar Bhandari, president of the India Coffee Trust, says that the coffee industry owes a lot to the country’s café culture that has grown rapidly in the past decade or so. “I need to give a little background into this festival. We started this expo in 2002, which begun in tacit with the Coffee Board, commerce industry, and ICT. However, we never asked for funds from the government because we didn’t want the show to come with strings attached.

There are only 4-5 large corporate houses that are part of this trust. Initially, it was started by a bunch of coffee growers like me, and the idea was to generate domestic consumption of coffee, and to help the growers market their coffee better. In India, 98 per cent of coffee growers are small, which means they farm on less than 10 acres. Now in 2002, the industry across the world suffered a massive slump because the global market was saturated. There was no strength in the industry to combat this deep depression. It is at that time that we considered generating a new idea – something that will increase domestic consumption – instead of the going to the government to ask for waivers and subsidies.” And this where cafes have come into play.

However Bhandari also adds that the coffee drinking habit remains mostly out of home, but “yes, it created a whole new lifestyle. Before the modern version of cafes, the smaller places had no focus, no identity, barring a few landmark places.”

Yes, the expo is quite industry-oriented. It is an ideal networking ground for people engaged in the growth, production, packaging, and promotion of coffee, or are planning to make a career switch in the direction. Nonetheless, platforms such as these provide common man a chance to learn what goes into bringing their latte, espresso, cappuccino, or the humble filter coffee to their tables.

Besides these talks and coffee quiz, an exhibition is being held across two halls – Kalinga 1 and Siddhartha. On showcase are a range of coffee beans and blends, with Coffee Board of India itself displaying and selling 15 varieties (light, medium, and dark) hailing from Coorg to Chikmagalur, Araku Valley, Nilgiris and Wayanad. Plus, you can sift through coffee filters, including a cute, ceramic one. Needless to say, there’s a lot of coffee for you to sip on, from the regular instant brews to the speciality. Moreover, a few vendors will also teach you the method to making a cuppa of your choice.

Two stalls are interesting. One is selling coffee paintings – painting with coffee powder (see pic on left). It is the handiwork of Himabindu, an IT professional who’s currently on sabbatical. She has put up 30 paintings, and had managed to sell quite a few by Wednesday afternoon. The second one will have you scratch your head as it promises to print your selfie on coffee broth. The set-up will be fully operational today.

If you want to take your coffee expertise a notch up, you can enquire about the ‘Q Grader Arabica Training & Certification’ programme, which will take off towards the end of February. Or drive down to coffee estates in the state and learn about the bean-to-cup process there. You can get information at the tourism stalls.

Catch IICF 2018, January 18-19, at The Lalit Ashok, Kumara Krupa High Grounds Details: iicf.in

source: http://www.bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> Entertainment> Lounge / Bangalore Mirror Bureau / January 18th, 2018

‘Indian cuppa needs own brand for domestic, global markets’

Business & Economy, Coffee News, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, World Opinion

With international prices falling due to excess production, domestic strategic brand initiative crucial.

Leading coffee growing countries like Brazil, Colombia, Vietnam and Indonesia has caused an oversupply with the prices of the commodity falling by about 30% in the global markets.
Leading coffee growing countries like Brazil, Colombia, Vietnam and Indonesia has caused an oversupply with the prices of the commodity falling by about 30% in the global markets.

Bengaluru:

The Coffee Capital, Banga-lore, will host a four-day international coffee festival, beginning today, amidst global uncertainty over the future of the commodity. Excess coffee production from leading coffee growing countries like Brazil, Colombia, Vietnam and Indonesia has caused an oversupply with the prices of the commodity falling by about 30% in the global markets.

Indian coffee industry is at the crossroads now and the only option available for the industry is to create its own coffee brand, for the domestic and international markets, suggested Anil Kumar Bhandari, president, India Coffee Trust.

“The Ministry of Commerce should set up a special focus group for coffee, involving all stake holders in the industry, to create a profile, brand and a sophisticated communication for Indian coffee at home and outside. The government also has to sanction a fund to build a brand,’’ he said.

Prediction for climate change impact on coffee producing countries, including India, is already causing a lot of concern for coffee growers. The entire industry is worried about the rumour of Coffee Board getting restructured. The board is the only entity that holds the industry together. Also the industry hears that an Export Promotion Board is on the anvil for coffee.

Bhandari said, “India has been exporting all its surplus coffee for decades. We grow the best quality coffee, including several specialty varieties. In fact we are the only country that grows coffee under the shade of rain forests. No other country does that. Still, Indian coffee is not able to command a premium in the global markets, because we have not yet built a brand for it. So the need of the hour is to build a sophisticated campaign for our coffee and not creating another entity for exports.’’

Coffees from Central American countries, South American countries, Kenya, Ethiopia are getting premium in global markets, alth-ough none of these countries grow superior quality coffee. During last fiscal, India exported coffee worth Rs 5,600 crore, the basic price fetched at the New York Futures Exchange. “We have the potential to double the value, with the same quantity of exports, if we are able to position our coffee under specialty and premium varieties and not as bulk commodity sold at the basic price,’’ added Bhandari.

Vietnam has recently launched a five-year campaign to build its own premium coffee brand.

The country is spending some $7.5 million in this exercise.

Indonesia, with an average production of 691,000 tonnes a year, is witnessing a sudden spurt in coffee culture, followed by a mushrooming of cafes across the country. Brazil is the largest coffee producer, consumer and exporter of coffee followed by Vietnam, Indonesia and Columbia.

China is also quite bullish on coffee retailing, and it’s enthusiasm in the space is evident with every fortnight witnessing the opening of a Starbucks outlet in the country. China’s domestic coffee consumption is in the 12 to 15% range against 5 to 7% that of India.

source: http://www.asianage.com / The Asian Age / Home> Business> In Other News / by Mini Tejaswi / January 16th, 2018

English welcomes Sowmya Dechamma

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, World Opinion

SowmyaDechammaKF16jan2018

This autumn English will be welcoming Sowmya Dechamma CC, PhD who has received a prestigious Commonwealth Fellowship to work in association with Dr Stephen Morton in the area of postcolonial studies.

Dr Dechamma is an Assistant Professor in Comparative Literature at the University of Hyderabad, India. Her area of study is Minority Discourse in Colonial India, and her project title is ‘Between the Colony, Anti-Colony and the Modern: The Politics of Identity of Kodagu’. Her tenure at Southampton is from September 2010 to February 2011.

Professor Anne Curry (Head of Humanities) commented: “This is important recognition of Stephen Morton’s and English’s excellence in the area of postcolonial studies.”

source: http://www.southampton.ac.uk / University of Southampton / Home> English> Part of Humanities> News & Events> News / June 25th 2010

Army Day 2018: Important Things Students Should Know About Field Marshal KM Cariappa

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinion

January 15 is observed every year as Army Day in India.

CariappaKF16jan2018

New Delhi:

January 15 is observed every year as Army Day in India. Field Marshal Kodandera M Cariappa took over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army from General Sir Francis Butcher, the last British Commander-in-Chief on this day in 1949. Army day is dedicated to the soldiers who fought to safeguard the country’s honour. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended his greetings on Army Day. PM said, “On Army Day, I convey greetings to the soldiers, veterans and their families”.

“Our Army always puts the nation first. I salute all those great individuals who sacrificed their lives while serving the nation. India will never forget our valiant heroes,” he added.

Army Day 2018: Important Things Students Should Know About Field Marshal KM Cariappa
ArmyKF16jan2018

January 15 is observed every year as Army Day in India

Born on 28th January 1900 in Mercara state, now part of Karnataka, Field Marshal KM Cariappa was amongst the first officers to receive the King’s Commission in 1919.

After an outstanding career, he became the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army on January 15, 1949.

A hardcore Infantryman, Field Marshal KM Cariappa was a thorough gentleman who exhibited the highest standards of self discipline and compassion.

He had been a legend in his life time and left an indelible impression that would inspire the people for a long time.

Field Marshal KM Cariappa was the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army and was conferred the rank of Field Marshal on 28 April 1986.

He breathed his last in May 1993.

In memory of Field Marshal KM Cariappa, the Infantry Directorate at the Army HQ has been organizing the ‘Field Marshal KM Cariappa Memorial Lecture’ every year, since 1995, as part of Infantry Day celebrations.

Gen Dalbir Singh, then Chief of the Army Staff, dedicated a statue of Field Marshal K M Cariappa at the Army Parade Ground, Delhi Cantonment and rechristened the parade ground as “Cariappa Parade Ground” on December 29, 2016.

Three Service Chiefs paying homage at Amar Jawan Jyoti on the occasion of 70th #ArmyDay 2018 #ArmyDay2018@DefenceMinIndia@SpokespersonMoDpic.twitter.com/FbAUAAwFY

– ADG PI – INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) January 15, 2018

source: http://www.ndtv.com / NDTV / Home> Section> Education / by NDTV Education Team / January 15th, 2018

Team Coorg shine at Republic Day of India Hockey Festival

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Nri's / Pio's, Sports, World Opinion

Muscat:

Team Coorg overcame Oman Veterans XI to win the top honours in the Republic Day of India Hockey Festival at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Friday.

The annual Festival was organised by Friends of Naqvi Group and Team Coorg under the patronage of Indian Embassy.

In a closely-contested final of the Republic Day of India Trophy, Team Coorg outlasted Oman Veterans XI for a 5-4 victory and to lift the title for the second successive time. Belu Kutappa winning the best player award came as an icing on the cake for the triumphant Team Coorg.

Meanwhile, there was a double delight for Indian School Al Seeb with their boys team winning the Ambassador’s Cup for men after defeating Indian School Maabella and the girls squad lifting the Ambassador’s Cup for women by beating Indian School Maabella.

Chief guest Indian Ambassador Indramani Pandey presided over the Festival, which was also graced by Oman Hockey Association chairman Talib Al Wahaibi and former Oman Olympic Committee vice-chairman and chairman of football and athletic associations Sheikh Soud Al Rawahi as guests of honour and Syed Anwar Ahsan, an Oman Cricket official and General Manager of Raha Poly Products, as the special guest.

During the presentation ceremony, the organisers also honoured distinguished personalities from the Indian community, including Dr. Benny Panakkal, eminent cardiologist and Medical Director of Badr Al Saama Hospital, Dr. Satish Nambiar, Chairman of Indian Social Club (ISC), Leena Francis, Principal of Indian School Al Seeb. Indian School Muscat’s musical talent Santrupth Vedanthi and MK Iqbal, famous cricket coach and Ranji Trophy player from Tamil Nadu, and Inayat Naqvi, former national hockey level player from India, were also feted during the ceremony.

Mohammed Noordeen, General Manager of the Future Group of Companies was awarded the trophy and memento for being the main sponsors. The event is co-sponsored Bank Muscat, Raha Poly Products, ROCA (Khimji Ramdas Group), Monalisa Grand Mall, Mohammed Rafiq & Partners, UTSC, Team Coorg Muscat, Pocari Sweat (Muscat Pharmacy), Oasis Water Company, Al Omaniya Financial Services, Oman Hockey Association, Al Ansari Group of Companies and Oman United Insurance.

source: http://www.timesofoman.com / Times of Oman / Home> Sports> Hockey / by Times News Service / January 14th, 2018

Hanging out with Huang at Bengaluru

Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg), World Opinion

ChefAnthonyKF09jan2018

Chef Anthony Huang admits that Bengaluru played a big role in his culinary story

There are not a lot of things this small-made man with a big heart can’t whip up in his kitchen. Bengaluru-bred Anthony En Yuan Huang, is an alumnus of St. Joseph’s High School and Christ College and currently Executive Chef at JW Marriott Bengaluru.

After the recent success of creating and curating a coffee-infused menu, drawing inspiration from the Kodava cuisine, and hosting it in an exclusive Coorg food festival, the chef talks about his love for coffee, his culinary journey and where his cooking is taking him.

The idea was to keep working with the hotel’s concept of going local, explains Huang. “It only seemed fitting that we visit Coorg, which has some of the best coffee plantations in Karnataka, and try to capitalise and use the fabulous produce the State has. We did some research and found coffee actually goes well with food and doesn’t have to necessarily be looked at as a beverage. That’s where we started thinking about exploring the opportunity.”

After experimentation, Huang found that coffee, with its robust flavour, lends itself extremely well to grills, roasts and meats. “We chose to use coffee with our barbecues since its finest flavour comes when you’re roasting it. However, we did not tamper with the cuisine itself – pandi curry remains a pandi curry. We used coffee in various forms, including expresso, roast and coffee extract after decoction with higher antioxidants.”

So where did his interest in cooking begin? Huang fails to recollect the exact moment because he is a third generation chef, albeit the only one with formal training in the family. “It was always in the blood. As a child I’ve always watched mom and grandmom cooking. They come from a line of wedding caterers in China. I have tons of memories with food and I guess it came very naturally to me.”

He adds that at one point in his life, “Like all kids, I also wanted to be a pilot, a vet or a farmer. Eventually, fate won. I was a typical Bengalurean guy hanging around everywhere except college. But I did want to be a chef. I missed my deadline to apply for hotel management. I went to Christ College anyway to put in a word with the principal. I did not expect in my wildest dreams that he would call me in a few days and allow me to join.”

He pauses to pop a yummy hot rasgulla in his mouth and continues: “The Bengalurean in me remained and I continued to bunk college. But I was the first graduate to get though Oberoi School in their campus interview. I got through OCLD which is like the IIT of hotels. I scraped through attendance and the rest is history.”

Huang went on to work in Oberoi Hotels in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru before moving on to propping up free-standing restaurants that were not doing so well. “I wanted something challenging. I went on to Hyatt and then came to Marriott. This is my fourth year here and I’m loving it.”

He admits that Bengaluru played a big role in his culinary story. “Given the fact that I studied in St Josephs and Christ, I grew up as a hard core Bengalurean. He’s the most easy-going guy in the country. He accepts anything in his stride. A third person can come join our table and he will be welcomed. We, as a city, accept people the way they are. That has been drilled into my DNA since school and it has thought me in my professional line to take every input and add it to my development.”

A lot of that reflects in Huang’s food.

“Nothing is wrong – as long as I’m comfortable with it. As long as I’m happy with every plate that has my name on it, I’m cool with it. I don’t have to go by the rule book. Had I not looked at food that way, this coffee trail would have never happened. However, I’m also quite a purist. I like to keep things authentic.”

Ask him what his signature dish is and he says, “That depends on my mood and the ingredients I have around me. I’d like to take a walk and see what’s available. I believe in freshness. I like to also keep it simple. You will never find my food hiding behind a lot of fluff or garnish. If there’s something on my plate, it means it’s meant to be eaten and adds value to the dish’s taste and enhances the way it looks.”

While a large part of his life was spent as an Asian chef with Vietnamese and Chinese cuisines and he dabbled a bit with French food, “Deep down in my heart I’m an Indian chef. I love South Indian and North Indian food. I love my biryanis. When I’m at home I’m mostly cooking that for the family.”

Describing the psyche of a chef, Huang says, “They are driven by passion and work with their heart. When you choose to work in this artistic field, it is equivalent to falling in love with someone. Cooking has a lot to do with emotions.

“Never ask a chef who’s in a bad mood to cook for you.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Life & Style> Food / by Allan Moses Rodricks / January 08th, 2018

India’s ‘first coffee’ brews GI tag

Coffee News, Records, All, World Opinion
Representational Image / TOI
Representational Image / TOI

Kochi :

Baba Budangiri, 250 km from Bengaluru, where coffee was first grown in India, is going for Geographical Indication (GI) of its variety of the Arabica brew.

On January 1, the Coffee Board filed an application for the GI tagging of Baba Budangiri Arabica and four other varieties — Coorg Arabica, Wayanad Robusta, Chikmagalur Arabic and Araku Valley Arabica — with the Geographical Indication Registry at Chennai.

Coffee Board head (coffee quality) K Basavaraj said: “We have applied for the GI marker and we are also profiling the majority variety grown in Baba Budangiri, a variety called Selection-795,” Basavaraj said. Selection-795 (S-795) is considered to be the natural descendant of two of the oldest African cultivars of coffee — Coffea Arabica and Coffea Liberica — and a third variety is called Kent. Currently, S-795 is the most prominent coffee grown at Baba Budangiri.

Edmund Hull in his book ‘Coffee Planting in Southern India and Ceylon’ says that Coffea Arabica originated in Caffa in southern Abyssina and then found its way to Yemen. According to John Shortt’s ‘A Handbook on Coffee Planting in Southern India’, Baba Budan (Baba Booden), a Muslim pilgrim, brought the brew from Mocha, a port city in Yemen, in the 17th century and introduced the variety in the uninhabited hills that came to be known as Baba Budangiri.

Today, Baba Budangiri Arabica is grown acorss 15,000 hectares around the original hills, where it was first planted. Over the last few centuries, coffee plantations grew beyond Baba Budangiri and the adjoining Chickmagalur and spread to Kodagu and Hassan in Karnataka, and Wayanad, Travancore and Nelliampathy regions of Kerala. It is also grown in the hilly regions of Palani, Shevroy, Nilgiris and Anamalais in Tamil Nadu. The non-traditional areas of coffee-growing in India includes certain pockets in Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> Business News> India Business News / by Shenoy Karun / TNN / January 06th, 2018