In this episode of Expert Talk with Bhavya Desai, we sit down with celebrity chef and restaurateur Michael Swamy to explore the intersection of food, art, and storytelling.

From his journey at Le Cordon Bleu to revolutionizing food styling and photography in India, Michael brings a unique perspective to the culinary world. With multiple Awards to his name and a thriving YouTube channel,  @abackpackandcamera  , Michael is shaping the way India experiences food. But what does it take to turn passion into culinary excellence?

Watch now as we uncover the inspirations, challenges, and creative genius behind Chef Michael Swamy’s journey!

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This podcast was shot on Sony A7 IV and FE 50mm F1.8 📷

Timestamps:

00:00 - what's coming up?

00:52 - Bhavya x Micheal starts

01:40 - Chef = CEO

06:00 - Differences between a chef and a cook

09:00 - The rules in America about leftover food

12:00 - Are MasterChefs good cooks?

13:40 - Indian MasterChef vs outside

15:00 - How is MasterChef shot?

17:20 - Where did Indian MasterChef show lag?

18:40 - The ethical cost of delivering good quality food

22:50 - How to get 3 Michelin stars

23:50 - Why is quality so hard to achieve

25:10 - “Bible menu”

25:40 - Are Indian consumers mature enough to understand niche menus?29:20 - How much of MasterChef India is not true?

31:50 - Longest on-set time

32:40 - How does this happen internationally?

33:40 - How does a top quality restaurant kitchen work?

35:45 - “Spaghetti” doesn't exist, it's linguini

37:10 - What happens to the dishes sent back to the guest?

38:30 - Is eating the previous night's food bad?

40:20 - How difficult is it to run a successful restaurant?

43:00 - How to start a restaurant from scratch

45:50 - Is the hospitality industry becoming more popular?

50:14 - Gordon Ramsay made himself into a celebrity

49:25 - Sanjeev Kapoor

51:00 - Small kitchen = bad kitchen

52:40 - How should Indian chefs start branding themselves?

54:00 - Michael's first camera

56:30 - Social media, lost opportunity

58:00 - Everyone is looking for collaborations!

59:20 - Do chefs take failure well?

01:00:20 - Burnout

01:01:40 - Delegate your tasks

01:04:00 - A Chef's routine

01:06:10 - Experimenting as a chef

01:08:00 - International vs Indian chefs

01:09:20 - International vs Indian restaurants

01:10:40 - Micheal’s Funniest stories

01:14:20 - Indian chefs don't want to teach

01:16:30 - We need more critics

01:19:30 - Final words

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📢 Follow Michael Swamy:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themichaelswamy/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.swamy.319/

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-swamy-00a6725/?originalSubdomain=in

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebackpackchef/featured

▶ About Expert Talk with Bhavya Desai - "Expert Talk with Bhavya Desai" is a podcast channel where curiosity meets expertise! and our host Bhavya Desai, a curious and enthusiastic podcaster, talks to different experts and brings out the best in his guests, ensuring that every episode is packed with valuable takeaways. This show aims to connect people who love learning with professionals who have a lot of knowledge and experience.