Page 71 - UpperCrust e-Magazine Third Quarter 2024

CHEF IRFAN PABANEY | COME INTO MY KITCHEN

La Cucina di Irfan

Enter the chef’s lair and watch him rustle up some homely
Italian fare with couscous thrown in for good measure. Chef
Irfan Pabaney has a flair for food from all over the world

Text & Photographs: Farzana Contractor

am always curious about how top chefs links with the late Rajmata of Gwalior, a
cook at home, when they are cooking a connection through her own grandmother.
I for themselves and family. To this That apart, she is an art historian and
meal
end I landed up at Chef Irfan Pabaney’s consultant, who is now sportingly assisting
home in South Bombay, who coincidentally me in shooting all that Irfan is preparing for
happens to live in the very same building as us to eat and shoot. Or rather, shoot and eat.
Amrita Raichand, our cover girl. Strangely “Do you always assist him in all this?”
there are others, too, who are big foodies “Always!” she replies promptly. “Story of my
residing in this building. life! But I really don’t mind. It’s fun. And
Well, it’s a charming old-world kind of he is so passionate about his calling…” That
an apartment, one which houses plenty of we can vouch for. Irfan has been around
books, has rugs thrown around, plants in in the Bombay culinary firmament, firmly,
the verandah, in assorted pots, and unusual since at least 1992. And we have seen his
artifacts picked up from travels all over the progress. But before we come to that, let’s see
world, exclusive, unique pieces that one can what’s for lunch. Pearl Barley Broth, Chicken
only find in the flea markets across Europe. Cacciatore, Warm Lemony Couscous, Penne
“That’s Yasho’s department,” says Irfan Siciliana, Mushroom & Roasted Almond Paté.
walking into the living room and finding me The penne is Irfan’s favourite. He says he
admiring this beautiful statue of a peaceful can eat it at least three times a week, or more.
looking woman, as if in meditation. Yasho is “Its fresh, crunchy and so healthy. The Chicken
Yashodha, his wife of 16 years. Yasho would Cacciatore is tomato-licious, the pâté is 100%
rather we not talk about it but she has royal vegetarian. Though it looks like liver pâté, it

The apron says it all Chef Irfan with Yashodha and Ujwala

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