About Chef Collin D Pereira

Namaste! I am Collin D Pereira. A culinary enthusiast, a restaurateur, a visionary, a movie extra and the Top Hat Fun Chef of India in a Jar.com

FOND MEMORIES – MY GRANDMOTHER’S STOVE- MY FIRST COOKING LESSONS
Born into a Roman Catholic family as the eldest son, at a very early age I was exposed to the fumes and flames of the open fire mud cooking stoves (called ‘addupu’) that used dried coconut leaf, dried coconut shell and coconut husk as fire wood at my grandmother’s house. Sometimes dried mango wood and neem wood were used to make fire. Where if the fire fails to light up, blow several times into the fire or a quick dash of kerosene from the lamp is a solution. A hand held fan made of palm leaves was used to fan the flames to light the charcoal. Sometimes a long hollow cylindrical metal rod was also used to blow air onto the charcoal to help ignite it. Normally clay pots and wooden spoons (I am especially fond of the long cooking spoon with the dried coconut shell in the end) were used to cook food on ‘aduppu’. Most times you cough several times continuously, tears and nose drooling, sneeze then need to blow out the wet and blocked nose several times to unblock the nose while sweating. When sweat mixed with, dust and ash on hair, face and on clothes, black soot on hands and on clothes, looks like wearing a mask, too much to describe……… The stove was cleaned and smeared with a thin cow dung paste to disinfect it, which sounds rather contradictory but widely accepted as effective. At the end of the day the ash from the stove was collected and used as a scourer to wash pots and pans.

I still remember my paternal grandmother’s kitchen to be very utilitarian, with just a few shelves holding spices and some utensils. A counter-high fixed mud stove with two large openings. A robust fire peeking through, cooking the many meals served in her multigenerational home. I remember my grandmother sitting on the floor in front of the stove. One leg stretched out and the other folded, stoking and fanning the charcoal embers while preparing all those lovely meat and fish pickles for us.

I still remember the grinding stone ‘Ammi and Kuzavi’ the oblong grinding stone with a rolling stone and a base stone. Dried ingredients such as coriander, cumin, and black pepper are placed on the heavy stone and pulverized by moving the roller back and forth with very little water. The base stone has carved ridges to hold the ingredients in place. Traditionally coconut chutneys, curry pastes and pickle masalas were made with this equipment. But in modern days this has been replaced with food processor.

I still remember and have fond memories of all the traditional kitchen equipment used in those day. The Beetle nut cutter – Paakku Vetti, coconut grater, Idiyappam making equipment, Pittu making equipment, Ammi and Kulavi, Aatu Kallu, Rice pounding equipment (Ural & Ulakka), Coconut scraper, Dosa and chapthi griddle….

MY EXCITING STORY
My dad who was an aeronautical engineer at the Indian Air Force took up a job with Gulf Air in Abu-Dhabi, UAE and with him went my mum and sister leaving myself and my brother in the care of the relatives and the maids. But before she left mum always made sure she wrote down all the home recipes she learnt from her mum; so I could cook while she was away. She also made plenty of homemade meat and fish pickles in big jars for us to enjoy while she was away. These meat and fish pickles were a blessing and the next best thing to mum’s cooking for us at that time. My love for pickles and chutneys started here. Later she taught me to make these delicious pickles myself. The meat and fish pickles I learnt from my mum has inspired me to develop the product I have developed today. The meat and fish chutneys branded ‘India in a Jar’.

With a sound schooling background from Infant Jesus Anglo-Indians Boys High School in Thangasseri, Kollam, Kerala State, a Degree in Hotel management and an MBA in marketing I worked with some of the top 5 Star hotel chains in India ( ITC Welcome Group - Sheraton - Madras , Sheraton- Dubai , Taj - Malabar -Cochin, ITDC Kovalam , Carlton - Kodaikanal ). I also worked as the Head of Department for the Department of Hotel Management at Kodaikanal Christian College and also worked as a Radio Announcer/ Radio Jockey for Kodaikanal FM Radio Station - All India Radio (AIR).

I entered the UK food scene in 2000 and worked with some of the best establishments in the Hospitality sector in Scotland and England (The Harlequin and Ashoka Restaurant Group - Glasgow, Poppadum’s and Saffron Indian Restaurant Group - Farnborough, Spice Bazzar - Dartmouth, Pizza Express, ASK and Zizzi Group Nottingham and The Casamia Italian Restaurant Chain - Leeds). I was the co-founder and the brain child behind the Cilantro restaurant in Paignton. Up until late 2015, I was the proprietor of the Lavani restaurant in Wellswood, Torquay which was the first Indian restaurant to win the prestigious Gold Award by the 'Taste of the West' three years in a row for promoting local Devon produce with an Indo-Devon menu.

In 2015 I appeared in an English movie (Bad Education-The Movie) alongside comedy legend Harry Enfield and Jack Whitehall.

In 2016 I diversified into the food manufacturing sector with 'India in a Jar' – Made in Devon in an effort to realise my childhood dream of sharing some of my unique family recipes. These products are creating a culinary storm at various local farmer’s markets, farm shops and has very good following on social media. I have also exhibited my culinary skills at various cookery shows, Food festivals and on YouTube.

A treat to the senses! Dig in! Be Thrilled! Let the spirit of 'India in a Jar' enliven your taste buds!
And so it went till both stoves faded into history! Tastefully Yours, Om Santi Santi Santi !
www.indiainajar.com