An Anglo-Indian from Nagaland, and settled in Goa, and currently in Kolkata for a pop-up by Gormei at The Glenburn Penthouse. Meet Chef Alistair Lethorn, who opened his restaurant, Aal’s Kitchen, in Goa last month after years of pop-ups in Mumbai, Goa and Bengaluru. “I am very passionate about Naga food. Mostly because of the fact that we don’t use any masala, unlike in other parts of India, and I was quite fascinated that food could be tasty even without it,” says the chef. We caught up with Aal before the dinner pop-ups on June 9-10.
Excerpts from the interview:
My Kolkata: Tell us about your journey from working in an IT firm to chef-restaurateur.Alistair Lethorn: After working in an IT firm in Delhi for 14 years, I took a leap of faith in 2009 and started a restaurant while still working in IT. Eventually, I sold the restaurant and pursued my IT career, but my love for cooking never faded. In 2017, while in Mumbai, I started cooking for friends, who insisted on paying me for it. This led to the explosion of my home pop-ups, with nearly 70 people flocking to my two-bedroom apartment on Madh Island. A journalist attended one of these pop-ups, wrote an article about me and caught the attention of my building complex manager. He generously offered the Raheja Clubhouse for my future pop-ups. Inspired by this, I decided to make a bold move and relocated to Goa in 2018-2019.
What did you do in Goa, and how did you end up opening your restaurant Aal’s Kitchen in Small Vagator?
In Goa, I immersed myself in various culinary endeavours. I dabbled in permaculture, built a smoker, and organised regular pop-ups at renowned establishments such as Bomras, Moyo Asian Kitchen & Bar, Roots, Sangria, and The Forest Kitchen Goa. I also ventured to Mumbai for pop-ups at esteemed venues like Soho House, Mag Street Kitchen, The Bagel Shop Bandra, WTF Versova, Club Jolie’s, and private gigs. Additionally, I had the opportunity to showcase my culinary skills in Bengaluru at The Leela during a special pop-up event. Finally, in May, I fulfilled my dream of launching my own restaurant, Aal’s Kitchen, in Goa. By that time, I had already built a strong brand, and visitors to Goa now had a dedicated place to savour my culinary creations.
Your food is usually people’s introduction to Naga cuisine. Have you had to tweak things for wider taste preferences?
Initially, it was a bit challenging because some people would come and tell me that it doesn’t taste right. But certain flavours like bamboo shoots are supposed to have a distinct taste, no? It’s like when someone says blue cheese doesn’t taste right to an Indian palate. Being in Goa, where many Westerners come for the food as well, I had to find a balance. However, the good thing is that people are more well-travelled now, and open to trying new things. This has worked in my favour, and my aim has always been to introduce Northeastern food to a wider audience through these pop-ups. I remember when I was 17 and travelling to Goa, people didn’t even know that Nagaland was a part of India. But things have changed since then, and more people are exploring and travelling. But yeah, I’m still careful about the approach to the food. I tone down the spiciness, umami, and fermentation aspects quite a bit. Gradually, as people become more comfortable, some even ask me to go all out with the flavours.
L-R: Smoked pork, ‘galho’, and fish cooked with ‘michinga’ peppers @aalskitchen/ Instagram
What are some of your dishes that always work like a charm?
Without a doubt, galho is always a crowd favourite. Just a couple of days ago, there was a lot of discussion in various groups about galho being one of the favourites. Another popular dish is the Smoked Pork and Bamboo Shoots. Additionally, the fish dish made with michinga, which belongs to the Sichuan pepper family, is well-received. In Kolkata, since the dining experience is more formal and plated, I prefer using boneless fish like bekti. However, back home, I use chounak or red snapper and put it into the smoker. Each dish has its own unique flavours.
Smoked pork with bamboo shoot and mustard greens, which the chef has replaced with baby spinach Amit Datta
Which ingredients were hard to find in Kolkata? I heard from a common friend that you were looking for chives and mustard greens...
(Laughs) Chives, mustard greens and wild mushrooms! In Goa, I have a reliable supplier for fresh ingredients, but unfortunately, I couldn’t carry mustard greens with me as they would wither. I thought I would be able to find them in Kolkata since most cities usually have a northeastern settlement. Nevertheless, I brought everything else with me to Kolkata, including all the smoked pork! I ended up carrying around 28kg of luggage, exceeding the allowed limit of 15kg (laughs). My clothes went into my backpack!
Beef cooked with mango, and without onions or tomatoes, so it can be pickled and kept for a while Amit Datta
Do you find any similarities between Bengali and Naga food?
In both cuisines, there is a heavy emphasis on using fresh leaves and vegetables. During my time here, I have been able to find ingredients like pumpkin leaves and banana flowers, which are commonly used in Naga cuisine, to make chutneys. So, while there are common elements, the application and preparation methods differ.
Finally, your go-to places in Goa for a meal?
Bomras, and a small little restaurant called Roots that still does Goan Catholic food so you get things like tongue roast.
