Meet the Chef: Nick Garg

Name: Nick Garg
Occupation: Sous Chef at Red Hook Brisbane
———————–
FoodieAdam: When did you begin your culinary career, and where did you study?
Nick Garg: I began my studies in 2010 at James cook University

FA: What/who was your biggest influence towards becoming a chef?
NG: I always loved to cook, but I wanted to learn to cook other cousines apart from Indian that I was most comfortable with and wanted to learn to making other types of food starting with Mexican.

FA: Where have you previously worked?
NG: Rosa Mexicana, Oporto, Ribs and Burgers, and currently Red Hook for two years

FA: What is your favorite ingredient and/or cooking utensil to work with?
NG: Being mostly a vegetarian (I still eat Chicken though :P), I enjoy salads.. But favorite ingredient would be Cauliflower . And my most liked utensil would have to be my pairing knife.

FA: What challenges have you had while becoming a chef?
NG: The main challenges I faced was with restaurants closing, and becoming sponsored to be here.

FA: What is your favorite food?
NG: *laughs* My favorite food would have to be my native food, Indian. But I do like other types of Asian food. But I have a soft spot for Dal Lentils.

FA: What are some of your favorite places to eat out, and dishes from there?
NG: My favorite place to eat out, even though I work there, is Red Hook. I really enjoy the deep-fried Mac N Cheese Squares and the Jamaican Chicken Burger.

FA: What do you do when you’re out of the kitchen (with what free time you get :P ) ?
NG: When I’m not at work, I do the usual things like talk to my family back home, hang out with friends and go and get drinks. Nothing too exciting sorry ;)

FA: If you could work in any other industry (besides hospitality) which would it be?
NG: I always wanted to open my own car business, it’s always been on my mind and one day I might still do it.

FA: What food trends do you see emerging in the future?
NG: Burgers. Just burgers  :P 

FA: Any funny moments in your chef life, you’d like to share?
NG: Not exactly a funny moment.. But at work, two other chefs were working (who were a little short), were making the Deep-fried Mac’n’Cheese Squares and they could reach far enough, even jumping to get it.. and ended up dropping a bunch into the fryer and splashing it on to my arms. *laughs* I still have the burns from it.