Jiggs Kalra: Adieu, tastemaker

As a culinary role model, author and top restaurateur, Jiggs Kalra passes away, celebrated chef Sanjeev Kapoor recalls his momentous contributions to the F&B industry

In 2015, J Inder Singh Kalra, lovingly known as Jiggs Kalra, completed 40 years in the industry. In an interview at the time, he recalled his journey as an ace restaurateur, beginning as a journalist and blossoming into one of the most successful players in the F&B space. But like most things in life, Kalra senior's saga, too, was a product of happenstance, which began when the Maharaja of Mewar thrust him into the role of a restaurateur after he helped him procure staff for the Shiv Nawas Palace in Udaipur.

Of course, after that, things started rolling and Jiggs Kalra gave the country some of it's finest eateries, whether it's the much-loved traditional Punjab Grill or the new-age Masala Library.

A sense of sadness looms over the industry as we learn that the "Czar of Indian Cuisine" passed away between Monday night and Tuesday morning, after battling a stroke for 19 years. Earlier in May, his son, Zorawar Kalra, also a top restaurateur, had taken to social media on the occasion of Kalra senior's birthday, who was hospitalised at the time. "Today is my father, Jiggs Kalra's 72nd birthday. This is the first time, unfortunately, it has been celebrated in a hospital, as he isn't well...Nothing matters more than the time spent with your parents as each and every single birthday matters. He is a toughie...and he will be back soon. Roaring," Zorawar had said.

And Zorawar is right, for Kalra was truly a roaring toughie, who juggled multiple roles as a writer, author, columnist, TV show host and restaurateur. He was as much a household name as he was a mentor in the culinary world. Hailed the "Tastemaker of the nation," Jiggs Kalra touched the hearts of a housewife in Kolkata who relied on his Sunday columns and that of celebrated chefs from the country in equal measure.

Acclaimed chef Sanjeev Kapoor echoes this when he says, "It's not just his contributions as a person, but the way that we think about food today in terms of respect for food began with him because he was the first one to start sharing stories and the knowledge of food on that scale. As professionals, at that time, we were struggling in a world where our peers were not ready to share knowledge and everything was kept a secret. He came from the outside into the culinary world and changed that. Today, we share so much about food whether it's on social media, blogs or recipes, but the trend began with him."

Kapoor, who was a close associate of the family says that Kalra senior was like a father-figure to him and the person who not only made him but the entire nation, see the potential of authentic cuisine. "He was not well for many years. I last met him a couple of months ago at one of his restaurants. So, we knew what was coming, but it's still a really sad day. I told Zorawar that an era is gone with him, but the memories will stay and be cherished forever," he signs off.

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