If you find chef Caique Tizzi on Instagram, you will see that the profile bio reads, ‘Artist & Chef’. The Berlin-based Brazilian chef is known for his quirky, sometimes outlandish, but thought provoking pieces of art, made with food. He is also known for creating unique dining experiences where he effortlessly marries food with art, history and performance.
The avant-garde chef was recently in India, for the celebration dinner of JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity’s 11th anniversary. Sandeep Gupta, Executive Chairman of Aria Hotels & Consultancy Services, which owns the JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity Hotel, first experienced a meal by the chef in Hong Kong. The memorable meal remained with him and so did the resolve to get the chef to India.
Ahead of the event, My Kolkata caught up with chef Caique Tizzi for an exclusive conversation about the art of food, why he does what he does, experiments with Indian food, and more.
Edited excerpts follow…
My Kolkata: What are your earliest food memories?
Caique Tizzi: A food memory that I hold very dear is of shaved ice called raspadinha. Vendors at the beach in Brazil would carry very big blocks of ice, something I actually use a lot in my work. They would use a manual shaver and add the ice into a cup and combine it with colourful syrup or condensed milk, which was really attractive for kids to watch. For me it was almost like an installation and performance on the beach, and I was fascinated by that.
What inspired you to combine art with food and transform that into an experience?
The starting point of the combination of art and food was when I was a young artist and founded a collective project space in Berlin, called ‘AGORA collective’. There we had a kitchen. Since I was young and living with my family, I had been in love with cooking, so I started to cook for my artist fellows and realised that food was an interesting topic to combine with my artistic work. Having a kitchen beside my studio was a perfect situation to start this combination.
What has been the response to your unique style of presenting food?
The response varies from surprising to shock to astonished, people having different relationships with food. I always try to subvert them and play with it and make the experience fun and thoughtful.
Is your food rooted in Brazilian culture? Or would you say it has global influences?
My food is deeply connected to the place that I’m from, but Brazil is a melting pot of culture — the food is influenced by the rest of the world. I’m Brazilian and Italian, therefore, I have this connection with other elements, and I’ve been based in Europe for many years. I would say that I try to connect with different languages of taste and palates, but Brazilian food is very important for me. I like to infuse and combine it with other influences.
Filipino adobo with tandoori chicken — a dish created by the chef for the dinner at JW Marriott Courtesy JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity
Any chefs who have influenced your own style of cooking?
I love Helena Rizzo, a chef and restaurateur from São Paulo. I think the way she is so delicate with the Brazilian ingredients is very poetic, her compositions are also very artistic. I love Yotam Ottolenghi (Israeli-British chef, author, and restaurateur). He made flavours as well as the usage of condiments so accessible and understandable for people. I love Nigella Lawson — she's the queen!
L-R: Braziliand chef and restaurateur Helena Rizzo, Israeli-British chef and restaurateur Yotam Ottolenghi, and celebrity chef and author Nigella Lawson are some of the chefs who have influenced Tizzi
Are you familiar with Indian food? Any Indian dishes you are particularly fond of?
There weren’t Indian communities where I grew up, so I am not very familiar with the dishes. But the more I learn about Indian cuisine, the more I realise how fascinating it is. I love the control of the spices, the smells, and the smart, aromatic use of every ingredient. I’ve been loving dosas for breakfast — they are just so beautiful and tasty. Of course, all the tandoori dishes — the grill and the scent of the fire fascinate me. I love the saffron in sweets. There are many things to love in this cuisine and I’m just about scratching the surface.
Have you tried any Indian street food on your trip to India?
Oh, yes! We have been trying pani puris with multiple fillings and flavours, and it’s an explosion in my mouth that I really love. I’m curious about this milk ice cream that is put into moulds. I haven’t tried it yet but that’s my next goal.
Dosa, pani puri (in picture) and kulfi feature in the chef's top favourites for Indian dishes
Which are the standout dishes at the JW Marriott dinner?
I’m definitely excited about the ceviche dish that we’re creating a floating installation for. I would also say that the moqueca (Brazilian fish stew) dish is special — a very traditional Brazilian dish. The rest is also surprising for me as I also like to take opportunities to create new flavours and combinations with the kitchen team. It’s going to be a surprise for everyone.
Know more about the dinner experience ‘Tropical Anthology’ here:
