Ranveer Brar loves the scientific side of cooking

Mumbai : Celebrity chef Ranveer Brar says cooking is not only about the recipe but also about the art and the craft behind the dish.

"I always say food is not only about the recipe but also the science behind it, the art and the craft behind it. That is what I have always believed in, the science and romance behind food," Brar told IANS.

"These shows pick up the product or the food or recipe and talk about it. That is what piqued by interest," added the chef, who has come in support of food anthology "Secrets Behind Food".

"Secrets Behind Food" is an anthology of three shows -- "Supermarket Secrets", "Food Factory Supersized" and "The Food Detectives". They air on Sony BBC Earth.

Brar took his first step towards the food world in Lucknow through visits to a gurudwara with his grandfather. After working with the Taj group, Radisson and The Claridges, he came out with his own restaurants in Boston, Delhi, Goa and Mumbai.

What are the secrets that you stumbled upon during your journey as a chef?

"It might sound funny but I grew up in Lucknow where there have been a lot of mysteries around cooking. I have heard things like, you can't cook this because it needs a special spice that's only available once a year or you can't cook that because there is a special technique.

"It was very intimidating. But when I started cooking, what I got to know was that there are actually no secrets. The only secret is that cooking is a sum total of basics. You really need to understand the basics, write and break them down in your head. That's essentially what it is."