Revelations: Iqbal Ahamad, head chef, Grand Trunk Road, London
We delve into the life and inner thoughts of a top chef. This week: Iqbal Ahamad, head chef, Grand Trunk Road, London
What was your first job?
Kitchen trainee in a five-star hotel
What do you normally have for breakfast?
Fresh fruits, cereal, boiled or poached eggs, natural yogurt and cold meat
What do you do to relax?
Go for long walks and get as much nature as possible.
Which is your favourite restaurant?
Quilon in London, which has a wonderful south-west coastal Indian food, and I love Chutney Mary, they never disappoint
What's your favourite hotel?
The Hux hotel in Kensington. It has excellent live music and feels like a real hidden gem
What is your favourite drink?
It changes with the season; for spring I like rhubarb gin topped up with soda
Which ingredient do you hate the most?
Anything in an airplane meal. I never eat on planes; I like to arrive hungry and see what I can find
What do you always carry with you?
Inner peace – you need it heading up Grand Trunk Road!
Which person in catering have you most admired?
A person who has put Indian food and Indian restaurants at the top of Mayfair's restaurant scene since 1998, who is instrumental in getting the first ever Michelin star for any Indian restaurant in the world. His name is Rajesh Suri, the owner of Grand Trunk Road, and I am privileged to be working with him
Which person gave you the greatest inspiration?
My lovely, considerate, beautiful wife
Cast away on a desert island, what luxury would you take?
A plane, probably
If not yourself, who would you rather have been?
Someone that I've prepared a wonderful meal for
When and where was your last holiday?
India, my lovely motherland
Who would play "you" in a film about your life?
Brad Pitt, of course
What is your favourite prepared product?
Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea
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