Anthony Bourdain left everyone in shock after he took his life. The celebrity chef, who was known for his award-winning series Parts Unknown, was found dead in France earlier last month. His demise impacted several people, including Indian celebrity chef Ranveer Brar.
The 40-year-old culinary master, who is presenting Sony BBC Earth's upcoming series Secrets Behind Food, spoke about Bourdain's death with International Business Times India and said his loss was a big lesson for everyone in the industry, especially in India.
"I do feel it is a big lesson for all of us, especially in India. Because we take celebrity business very seriously. We are a country that idolises celebrities and that puts a big responsibility on celebrities," he says.
"What is scary is that, while it is good that people look at chef like me and want to become chefs but they don't remember and understand the journey one takes to get here," he adds. The chef refers to the young chefs who are venturing into the industry fresh out of management schools and people who are just entering this industry wanting to be celebrity chefs.
"This [Bourdain's death] is a lesson for us that it is not easy, high-pressure zone. It is not an easy state to be in. There are things that you have to deliver and the show has go on. And this is about being a chef and celebrity later," he says before adding, "Dealing with the conflict between artist and business, celebrity and chef. All these things only life can make you ready for and as a young chef you need to spend that time as a chef to be able to take the next step to become the celebrity."
While he answered what goes into a celebrity chef, Brar is ready to present the question and answer the "whys" of cooking with Secrets Behind Food.
The BBC show is an anthology of 3 shows which features Supermarket Secrets, Food Factory Supersized and The Food Detectives. Viewers will dive into a culinary experience where they understand everything from picking the right ingredient to the right blend of spices that goes into making the most delicious meals.
The episodes have been shot internationally but Brar is presenting it in India. "All these three shows go beyond 'let me show you how to cook a recipe.' In Food Detectives, you have a bunch of chefs going around and trying to discover secrets behind food, understanding why we eat what we eat and detect cooking problems that people have," he explains.
"In Food Factory Supersized, we go into food factories and answer scientific questions behind food processing and packaging. And then there is a show called Supermarket Secrets. The show goes behind the UK's biggest supermarket chains. All these shows are a lot about "whys"," he says adding that it is important to understand the science behind the food making process.
Celebrity chefs Gregg Wallace, Tom Kerridge and BBC newsreader Babita Sharma will also be part of the series. The show premieres on July 23 on Sony BBC Earth.
