Chef Roberto Boggio spills the beans on Italian cooking

Chef Roberto Boggio was recently at Le Meridien where he interacted with the public offering tips on cooking Italian meals. Excerpts from an interview:

Budino Caldo Al Cioccolato (Dolce)

Q.Do you change the style of cooking Italian dishes as per the country?
A.Yes, I do change it as per the taste of the food, depending on the demand made. I try to change the ingredients of the items. Indians need more spices in their dishes, so I add them now. I also add more olives and other ingredients in it while making it for Indians. Making fusion is a fantasy for me.

Chef Roberto Boggio

Q.Which Indian dish do you like and what do you like about India?
A.I like Chicken Biryani a lot, especially the ones made at roadside restaurants. There are a lot of youngsters in India and that is what I like about it. I like the way people respect each other, their parents as well as the way they fear god and bow in front of the idol before starting the day. In Italy, we rarely see youngsters giving such respect. I get a lot of energy when I see the youngsters here. People respect animals and I like that a lot. I see people stopping their car to let a cow cross the road.

Q.Why has Italian food become famous in India?
A.Italian food is simple to cook and is more popular. It's easy to change its taste and still make it taste good. Also, it gels with Indian food preferences and hence, has become more popular.

Q.You use a lot of seasonal fruits and vegetables in your cooking, does it help?
A.Yes, it helps a lot to use seasonal fruits and vegetables; it enhances the taste of the dish, for sure. It adds to the taste as well. For example-it is the season for strawberry, so I use it in my dishes a lot.

Q.What is your dream?
A.My dream is to start my own school of catering to teach young people how to cook well.

Q.Can you give some tips for cooking?
A.Put a silver foil on the pan when cooking meat.