The moveable feast : It’s Reddy, steady and go at Radisson’s Olive Bistro Chef Reddy has been known to serve six course American — French meals on luxury cruise ships in 45 minutes. But he is at his relaxed best in Radisson’s new Olive Bistro talking about his life and times and food over a fascinating, fabulous feast that went on for a too short three and a half hours. As we sampled the delights of the Indian potato cutlet with a hot Chinese Sichuan sauce with a touch of coriander Chef Reddy said, ‘’The theme here is conventional with a little fusion.” His balancing of India and China was young Siddharth Shukla’s favorite. At eleven he likes Chinese food. It was his father Ajay Shukla the Assistant General Manager of the Everest Bank who said that Chef Reddy was sensitive to his customer tastes. ‘Everestian’, praise from a man who has helped to make his bank personalised to heights equal to its namesake. The Shish Taouk is an Arabic dish of chicken pieces marinated in paprika, garlic and oil, cooked to morsel munchiness, served with a very different kind of Humus. It was delicately delicious. ‘’My menu will keep changing in the Olive Bistro. People want choice and except for Bukhara, specialty restaurants have a shelf life of two and half years,” said Chef Reddy who worked in the Maurya in Delhi in the 80’s. The Shukla’s and I hoped he would include Zucchini Dorati or Italian Cheese Coins on the menu when it changed next. It was simple vegetable and cheese in garlic with an accent on the cheeses. It melted in the mouth. ‘’I studied Italian food near Venice and I had Chefs from France teach me French food,’’ said Reddy, as Vol au Vents stuffed with a mashed vegetables with Indian spices had us wondering if Europe and India could meet more often in the Olive Bistro. Chef Reddy’s Indian food owes alot to a stint with the Taj in Indore where as executive Chef he perfected the art of the clay oven Tandoor. The smoked taste of the Paneer Tikka had a distinct flavour of subcontinental winter evenings, and there we were biting into soft twilights that brought memories of tingling spices and herbs. ‘’I love colours and my food is planned with colour in mind. Look around the restaurant, all the plates are different,’’ said Chef Reddy. The Seekh Kababs were a colourful dream. I love Seekh Kababs. I know that the best Seekh Kababs were served in the Gymkhana Club in Delhi. Were, past tense. Now the best Seekh Kabab is at The Olive Bistro. Its taste is made more fulsome by the shredded vegetables that lift it into new realms.“I believe in marination. Most of my dishes are marinated for a long time. The tandoories I marinate for over 8 hours,” said Chef Reddy. The result is unbelievable in the taste of the potato skins stuffed with vegetable and spices, marinated and cooked in the clay oven. and then suddenly Reddy brought his continental cooking to the fore. The carrot and orange soup had a mixed taste of citrus and a carroty flavour. “You can serve it hot in winters and cold in summers,” said Reddy. His Spinach and Mushroom soup highlighted the taste of mushrooms. It is the first time that mushroom did not get lost in the cooking and their faint mustiness stayed with us for a while. While he talked about his life Chef Reddy told us how he changed his mind and his future when his family urged him to not to go America and the Carnival Cruise lines for a third time. “Americans live to eat,” recalls Reddy and on the ships he learnt the discipline of having to cook from 6 am to 10 pm everyday and helping to serve 18,000 meals a day. But Reddy is at his creative best when he is unfettered. His chicken filled with creamed spinach and corn caressed in a blue cheese sauce is a delight that has different consistencies and different tastes coming together in an unforgettable dish. As we finished a dessert of a brownie elevated with a twirled chocolate wafer and colorful accompaniments, Ajay Shukla was ordering a meal for Everest Bank clients. How I envied them all because their time with Chef Reddy means a meal that goes from fun to fantastic, in one fell swoop of varied dining.