Original Beans interviewed Aneesh to give you a glimpse into his kitchen. Discover the behind-the-scenes secrets of how he serves you the best pralines for Valentine's Day and the rest of the year.
Can you tell us a little about your background and how you became a chef?
I
am born in London and Indian by heritage. I have a degree in
Mathematics and studied Philosophy in India post graduating. I fell in
love with chocolate because of its unique ability to be all of;
delicious as an ingredient, scientific by nature and also versatile in
its functionality as a material for art and sculpting. I am self-taught
and have spent years perfecting my chocolate making skills and am very
much a student today striving for that perfection. I love learning and
spend almost all of my free time researching chocolate, techniques and
skills to further advance my craft. I have had the privilege to spend
time with a MOF Chocolatier who guided me in the art of sculpting in
chocolate and the industry at large has been incredibly supportive and
generous with its knowledge. My greatest inspiration has been my
grandmother who I grew up around – she is a master cook and has an
intuitive understanding of spices and even to do this day she
experiments in her small kitchen, fusing eastern flavours with
chocolate.
How do you approach truffle creation and ingredient selection?
The
French chemist ‘Herve This’ inspired me to use water with chocolate
instead of cream and butter as described in his book “Molecular
Gastronomy”. I have been in touch with him since and he as generous as
ever with his knowledge. Using water instead of cream and butter for my
chocolates was a natural step for the reasons that firstly it gave
transparency in flavor and opened up the nuances and notes in the origin
chocolates that we use, and secondly it gave a great health benefit as
there is significantly less fat and calories in the chocolate truffle.
The genius in Herve This’s method is that we are making an emulsion
between the fat in chocolate and with water, and so the ganache will
feel creamy. Water being flavourless means that all there is to taste is
chocolate and the ingredients paired with it and therefore, it is
imperative to use fine chocolate which boasts an abundance of natural,
complex and delicate flavours.
Can you tell us about a particularly memorable dish or experience
from your career as a chef?
A
memorable project from my career was creating a selection of chocolates
inspired by flavours from Queen Elizabeth II’s British Isles in
partnership with Fortnum & Mason to celebrate Her Majesty’s Platinum
Jubilee. We sourced ingredients such as Tayberry, British roses,
Kentish cobnuts, Welsh Honey and Jersey cream to create chocolate fit
for a Queen!
How do you incorporate sustainable and/or ethically sourced ingredients into your truffle creations?
By
using original beans! It is really important to The Chocolatier company
mission: “Changing the World one chocolate a time”, that simply by
eating our chocolates, collectively we are improving our impact to 100%
regenerative cacao, improving the strength of the wild where the cacao
comes from and in doing so supporting the wildlife and people who depend
upon it.
Why do you enjoy working with Original Beans chocolate?
What
I love most about working with Original Beans chocolates are the
incredible flavour profiles whilst having a positive impact towards 100%
regenerative cacao. When I open a bag of Original Beans chocolate, the
intense aroma of chocolate reminds me of the distant lands where the
cacao grows in the wild jungles and gardens, and the benefit the
wildlife and nature enjoy from the sincere efforts of preservation.
Can you share a cooking tip you wish you knew when you started working with chocolate?
I
am glad that I did not have the benefit of any knowledge before
starting working with chocolate. Being self-taught means my methods are
rogue and natural. I have not followed conventional methods entirely and
I have had to learn through trial and error which has allowed me to
truly understand the characteristics and behaviours of chocolate in
various environments and situations. I think it is important to not be
overwhelmed by the books out there teaching about chocolate making as
they can seem very academic and also make working with chocolate seem
far too complicated and unapproachable. The best tip I suppose is to buy
some chocolate, start melting and just have fun experimenting!
Can you tell us about any upcoming projects or events that you're excited about?
I am excited to have launched the new 9 chocolate boxes range this year, offering a great gifting and self-indulgence chocolate range. We have everything from the finest single origin milk and dark chocolate truffles to the ultimate snacking caramel rocher pralines and seasonal treats too such as strawberry and vanilla ganache hearts, gananche filled Easter eggs and a Christmas inspired chocolate truffle collection.
