Bobby Chinn - World Café Asia

Chefs who travel all over the world sampling different cuisines almost always show - or at least make sure that they show – a respect for both – the local ingredients and the local way of cooking. I have often realized this while watching Anthony Bourdain’s show. Even if he doesn’t like any dish he doesn’t turn up his nose at it. He just says that it tastes different.

Bobby Chinn is however - different. I have often watched his show - “World Café Asia” – and wondered how he has managed to get away with such grimacing. And you would think that since he is a Chinese - and the Chinese have a reputation of eating anything that swims, runs, flies or crawls - there wouldn’t be much that he would make a face at. :-)

However, I watch his show because I have a fondness for Asian food – mainly Chinese and Thai. Of course, I know that the Asian food that’s actually served in these countries is vastly different than the one served elsewhere in the world. I have had a first hand experience of the same while on a tour in Bangkok. I was sick of the Indian spread – like Chhole, Palak Paneer, Dal Makhani, Rajma, Navaratan Korma, Chicken Korma and the omnipresent Rumali Rotis and Naan - that used to be laid out at the Indian hotels that our tour guide used to take us to during the lunch and dinner hours.

So at one of the places, when he told us that there was Thai food on offer at a table nearby I stopped midway between spooning boondi raaita onto my plate and rushed to that table.

But when I got there I couldn’t even tell what meat was served. Praying that I have selected chicken I piled the rest of my plate with some dishes that were very decidedly veggie. I was in for a major disappointment however and had to abandon my plate despite being a firm believer in the doctrine that food should never be wasted. :-(

Ok, back to Bobby Chinn. In a nutshell, I don’t watch these food shows just to enjoy the sight of the food being cooked – I also hope to pick up a tip or a recipe. If that means I have to also put up with Bobby’s grimacing, then so be it!