At The Pass with Sreekar Kapuganti
The acclaimed long-running At The Pass series showcases Toronto and the GTA’s best chefs. You won’t find any celebrities featured here. Perhaps you already know these fine cooks, but maybe not. They’re not famous - yet. But it’s time these talented, passionate, hard-working chefs got a bit of the spotlight. Meet Sreekar Kapuganti.
🕘 5 min read
Currently
Line Cook, Côte de Bœuf. Private Chef, Official Residence of diplomats representing Canada.
Formerly
Italian restaurant, Intern at The Bombay Canteen.
Favourite dish to make right now
Prawns Curry!
Last cookbook purchase
Elegant Entertaining: Seasonal Recipes from the American Ambassador's Residence in Paris by Dorothy Walker Stapleton and Philippe Excoffier. It was a gift.
Have you read it/tried any recipes
Yes I read the book and tried Duck with Peaches, Spicy Jus, and New Noirmoutier Potatoes.
One dish or ingredient you’d like to see gone from menus
Truffle oil and truffles. I love truffles, but it has to go for a certain time to come back.
And one dish or ingredient that you’re excited about right now and would like to see on more menus
Bitter melon.
Skate Wing Fin With Preserved Ramp Pesto, Wild Cultivated Rice, Pickled Mushrooms and Braised Red Onions.
Biggest influences
My parents have been super supportive with my career choice since day one. As I come from a family of engineers, it was a tough and completely different career path I opted for.
Chef Thomas Zacharias has personally been the biggest influencing person in my life as he has shown me the pathway to work in the kitchen - For a person who had no experience in the kitchen, by letting me enter a complete professional kitchen to experience the real kitchen life.
If you could eat at any restaurant
Kakatiya Mess (Hyderabad, India), probably my most favourite restaurant, but I’ve always wanted to try at Odette and Core by Clare Smyth.
Last thing you ate
Rice and dal. I love rice with everything!
Three must-have ingredients always in your fridge
Green chilli, coriander, and lime.
Guilty pleasure
Biryani, Chicken 65 and gelato!
On the Ossington Strip. Photo by Miguel Barrera.
Top 3 favourite Toronto restaurants
Umm, tough one! Parallel Brothers, The Chefs’ House - great place run by George Brown College students - and Pho Rùa Vàng Golden Turtle Restaurant - their Spring rolls are to die for. Just love it!
Top 3 favourite Toronto bars
Café Pamenar, Hanmoto, and The Cloak Bar.
Go-to drink
Love to try new drinks.
One habit you have in the kitchen that you should lose, but can’t seem to shake
Smile or laugh during serious moments - my stress buster though/weakness. And butterfingers, for sure – I drop every single thing.
And one habit you have in the kitchen that will inspire young chefs
Consolidate everything after the service and multitask for being top of the game!
Chanterelles Tartine: Saskatoon Chanterelles, Sage Ricotta, Sugar Peas, Super Seeded Toast.
Hidden talent
If it’s considered to be a talent, trying as many coffee shops as possible and single diner at many restaurants.
Best career advice you ever received
Always ask questions and make sure you know what you do before doing it, if you are not sure, ask again! From my mentor Chef Thomas Zacharias.
Worst career advice you ever received
I personally believe there's nothing as bad advice. It's all about how we take it or just move forward.
Your advice for young cooks starting out in the business
Work smart while you work hard - it’ll take you a long way! And enjoy the process and curve of learning - It’s fun. Most importantly, respect everyone!
Discover more chefs in the At The Pass series.
Know someone in Toronto or GTA who should be featured? Submit their name for consideration. (And yes, you can nominate yourself. )
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