BENGALURU : What is your most favourite ingredient to work with?
Hot Basil.

If not chef, what would have been your alternate career option?
Painter, because I am quite creative in terms of art.

Do you also cook at home? If no, why?
Yes, I really enjoy cooking for the family so I do cook often.

Do you give cooking tips to your mother and/or wife? How do they react?
Yes. But she never accepts as she is the ‘Home Minister’.

What are your hobbies, apart from cooking?
Different kind of carving and watching cricket matches both old and new.

Do you watch cooking shows/reality shows? If yes, which shows and contestants are your favourites?
I do watch a few shows like Khana Khazana and Master Chef.

What is your family’s most favourite dish that you prepare?
Bengali Chor-churi, Chicken Curry, Mustard Fish Curry.

If it were your last day on earth, where and what would you love to eat?
At my house with my family, having a Bengali meal prepared by my wife.

What has been your worst/funniest kitchen incident?
There was a  time I ran out of white flour and wheat flour and then made up the rest of the choco chip cookies with rye flour! Guests asked me, “They are really out of the world. What is the secret ingredient?”

Any famous personalities you’d like to cook for? What would you cook for them?
Narendra Modi, as he’s my inspiration. I want to cook Bengali-style vegetarian food if he prefers to eat Labra, Musoor Dal, Aloo Bhaja with Plain Rice.

(Shankar Devnath is the master chef of Tim Tai, Koramangala)