Cooking with Chef Maneet Chauhan

Q: What are some dishes you love from your childhood?

I loved and still love Chicken Biryani, which is a chicken and rice spiced casserole. I also never say no to rice pudding made with saffron and cardamom.

Q: Where in India did you grow up, and what do you love most about Indian food and culture?

I grew up in a small town in Eastern India called Ranchi. What I love most about Indian food and culture is the vibrancy and vastness of Indian food and culture.

Q: What is your food philosophy? Has it evolved at all over the years?

My food philosophy is that food is like life; it is constantly evolving. My philosophy has definitely evolved over the years, too. I am inspired by each and every place I have visited and all of the people I have met from different cultures.

Q: Who or what has been the biggest influence on your career?

The people. Each and every person that I have met has inspired me or taught me something. The opportunity to grow, literally every day, through these interactions is the biggest influence on my career.

Q: What was the biggest surprise to you about American food once you moved to The United States, and how has American cuisine influenced your cooking style?

One of the biggest surprises for me was that the perception of American food was just hamburgers and french fries. When I moved, I learned that American cuisine is just as beautiful and original as global cuisine, especially the farm-to-table movement.

It inspires my cooking every day because I’m constantly striving to work harder to use local produce, especially within my own restaurants. For example, my menu at Chauhan in Nashville is a perfect combination of where I came from and where I am now; I have Nashville fried chicken on the menu and that’s inspired by my new home.

Q: What flavor trends from India do you see breaking through in the United States? Are there any that have surprised you—becoming popular faster than you might have thought?

Honestly, nothing has surprised me with food. However, it is slower than I had hoped it would be. I do think that the use of spices in mainstream cooking is quite popular and it is something I’m really loving right now, the integration of spices in everyday cooking.

Q: What are the essential pantry items in Indian cooking?

Definitely spices! Coriander, garam masala, chaat masala are all my go-tos.

Q: What was it like being the only Indian female ever to compete on Iron Chef, and what did you learn from that experience?

It was very intimidating and also very humbling because I realized that I was setting an example for young women and showing them that they can achieve whatever they set their minds to.

Q: As a mother of two and with an extremely busy career, do you have any weeknight recipe go-tos that you rely on?

I love making Khichdi. It’s a healthy Indian dish made with rice and moong lentils—the kids love it, too!

Q: Do you have any kitchen gadgets, cooking tips you swear by?

Kitchen gadgets and tools are only as sharp as the chef using them.

Q: What makes your Shakarkandi Chaat recipe so special?

The combination of sweet potatoes, pomegranate arils and spices makes it a healthy but delicious dish that is full of flavor and antioxidants. It's perfect for those wanting to start a healthy new year without compromising on taste.

Q: What is next for you?

I’m always open for new ideas and opportunities that come my way! But at the present moment, I am concentrating on my restaurants and the teams that make them so great. I want to ensure that my restaurants are healthy post-COVID and our people are good and back to where we were.