#PureLove from Texas

Owner of Urban Cowboy in Austin, Texas, transgender Chef Chris Trapani was in Bombay to serve his famed Tex-Mex food and spread love

It was a hot Thursday afternoon when we reached The Lalit in Bombay. Chef Chris Trapani, from Austin, Texas, was touring five cities in India, serving authentic Tex-Mex food across the Lalit properties. Now why were we excited to meet him? Considered as one of the experts on Tex-Mex cuisine globally, he is a successful transgender chef, who is also heralded as an inspiring figure for the community, but more on that later.
We spot the chef in his black apron at the hotel, instructing two cooks. With back-to-back events across the cities and two parties to cater to later that day, Chef Chris was excited, shuffling between his work and the interview without breaking a sweat. We sat down to understand his culinary journey and his overall Indian experience.
Born and brought up in New York, one of the world's busiest cities, Chef Chris always wanted to help people by either becoming a detective or a cop. That he got a summer job at a catering company at the age of 16 happened by accident. For him, it was his "no turning backu00b4 moment. He stayed in New York for almost 30 years, where he worked with several top catering companies and designed menus for popular television sitcoms such as Sex and The City and Saturday Night Fever. Around 12 years ago, he moved to Austin. He claims that the shift to Texas changed his life for the better. Why? Because he met the love of his life in Texas (who he later married) and was his huge support when he transitioned.
"I transitioned when I was working for a corporate and was nervous about my colleagues' reactions. But fortunately, they were positive and understanding." He launched his food truck Urban Cowboy around two years ago and rose to global fame when he participated in a cooking competition for food trucks which was telecast on the Food Network. First transgender chef to appear on the channel, his story inspired the viewers. After this, he started getting calls and emails from people going through the same journey and parents with transgender kids looking for advice.
Speaking on his partnership with the Lalit Group, he mentions, "Keshav Suri found me and encouraged me to come to India to be a part of the #PureLove campaign. And I am so glad I did." Elaborating on the campaign, he adds, "It stands for being inclusive and diverse, and providing equal opportunities to the LGBTQ community. I conducted a few workshops in India, and met some incredibly passionate people. I hope that more such initiatives are undertaken so that change is steadily brought about in the industry."
Touring in Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Bombay and Chandigarh, Chef's menu contained his top three signature tacos; 5 Avocado Taco, Smoked Chicken Taco, Mahi Mahi (fish) Tacos, along with Tortilla Soup, Al Sriracha Fried Chicken, Avocado Gazpacho, Bread Pudding
and more.
Due to the unavailability of some ingredients, Chef made a few modifications in his dishes with local ingredients. For instance, Queso Fresco cheese was replaced by cottage cheese or paneer and honey substituted agave nectar. Also, to please the Indian palate, the chef prepared vegetarian versions of his famous tacos. But was this his first time serving an Indian audience? "No!" he exclaims, "Last year, we (Urban Cowboy) catered to an Indian wedding in Texas. The menu was a bit challenging as we had to combine Indian and Tex-Mex food. But we managed to pull it off by serving Butter Chicken Enchiladas, Tandoori Tikka Tacos and more such fusion food."
Now, we know what Chef Chris was serving in India, but what was being presented to him? "On my first or second night here, I had a very heavy meal of butter chicken with Indian breads.
As I enjoy eating spicy food, I loved the dish and the pickles that came with it," he said.
Would he like to visit India again anytime soon? "Definitely! I would love to come back with my entire family and explore more of its culture.
Who knows, if everything goes right, then I might just turn up for a Pride Parade!"
Until we see you next time, Chef!

Check out his recipes here.