Celebrity
chef Tony Khan wants to promote traditional Bangladeshi food through
regional food festivals
Tall,
jolly and always carrying
a charming smile on his face, Tony
Khan, General Manager at Grand Sultan Tea
Resort & Golf, Sreemangal, Sylhet, is a
man of versatile talents. His experiences
in the world of culinary art is manifold, which
makes him a master in his line of
work.
Chef
Khan was born in the
Khulna district of Bangladesh. But he was
not too much into food until he came to Singapore at the age of 16.
"When I went to Singapore at the age of 16
for study that was the first time I came to know
about professional chef as a career," says Khan. His liking for
food got a boost when he went to Australia
few years later.
Khan
began his training in Singapore before working some of the most
prestigious hotels and restaurants across the
world. He later moved to Australia where he
had spent about 30
years, learning and gathering experience from some of the most
reputable institutions.
The journey
Before
joining the Grand Sultan, Khan has worked for King Faisal,
Saudi Arabia, as Corporate Executive Chef for Marriott and
Continental Hotels and few five-star hotels
in Pakistan. On
returning to Bangladesh, he has worked with
Radisson Water Garden Hotel, Dhaka, and The
Westin Dhaka. "Bangladeshi food
is yummy, but we need to
be cautious in maintaining proper food hygiene,"
he adds.
The
most important thing about Khan is that his
expertise is not limited only to the art of
cookery. He has a fair
bit of knowledge about nutritioin too. Having a degree in
Human Nutrition from Sydney University and HACCP studies in RMIT,
Melbourne, is an added advantage of the chef.
Known
for his eclectic style of cuisine, Khan
was one of the recipients of “10 Best Chefs in the World”
in 1998. In 1991,
he was awarded "Chef
of The Year" by South Pacific Turism
Board, Papua New Guinea. With his
background in nutrition, Chef Khan always strives
to cater to every individual guest in his hotel,
by customising their meals according to their age and taste
preferences.
Chef's menu
The
chef's dynamic collection of recipies
varies from French, Mediterranean, Modern Australian, Middle
Eastern, Caribbean, African, Pacific Rim and Pan Asian cuisine.
However, his favourite is Teriyaki
Salmon,
with Salmon being very healthy and good for heart.
Apart
from cooking, Khan loves to spend time with his friends. "I
love dinning out with my friends, visiting
food market, listening music and interacting
with people in free time," shares Khan.
Way
forward
Now
that Khan is in Bangladesh, he wants to promote Bengali dishes and
bring Bangladeshi dishes on the foodies
list over the world. He also has plans to
start a training institute in Bangladesh.
"I
am planning to establish a training
institute here at Grand Sultan where people will learn
to become a cook. I also want to promote the food of Bangladesh
through regional food festivals
highlighting traditional foods in world
food atlas," shares Khan.
Method
Marinade
the salmon in teriyaki sauce, batter and
deep fry the baby squid. (Battered
fried baby squid)
Steam
the marinated aborigine (soya, sake and
honey) and place it in the middle of
the plate.
Sear
the salmon fillet medium to rare in a
non-stick pan and balance on the aborigine.
Place
a small amount of the onion marmalade on the salmon and put the baby
squid on top.
To
make the dressing, mix the salmon roe and
half the chopped chives.
Garnish
with green spring onion tips, slice red
radish, lemon wedges.
With
the grilled baby squid on top of teriyaki salmon serve on white
square plate,
(Or
green onion) with the miso sauce and spoon
around.
