The Master Class with Chef Koetke

ITC Kakatiya and Kendall College, a culinary arts school in Chicago, USA, on Wednesday hosted a master class by renowned international chef Christopher Koetke, vice president of Kendall College of Culinary Arts, and P Sekar, executive chef of ITC, to raise awareness about culinary arts education and the different career opportunities it presents.

Chef Koetke, who is on a week-long visit to India, walked the participants through the preparation of a duck recipe, incorporating flavours of the upper Midwest of the United States, including maple, wild rice, and a distinctive relish called Chow Chow. He combined familiar cuisine with high end global technique. This complex dish served as a vehicle to discuss culinary education essentials such as discipline, passion, technique, seasonality, internationality, local sustainability, business acumen, and artistic principles.

“I am so happy to start my Indian tour in Hyderabad, a city well known for biryani. The rich Hyderbadi dish is such an exotic amalgamation of spices, flavour and culture of the city,” said Chef Koetke. “India’s cuisine stands out in the world not just because of the long-held tradition of cooking methods, but also because it is tied to the hospitality and generosity of its people. Our school has benefitted enormously by the contribution of many Indian students who have come to learn but also to teach us about the Indian art of food and hospitality.”

This is the third time Chef Koetke has visited an ITC Hotel in India. He came for the first time to India last February, holding master classes in ITC Delhi and ITC Bangalore. His next stop will be ITC Rajputana Hotel in Jaipur on September 27.