Chef Enrico Derflingher On Cooking For Princess Diana And India's Love For Italian Food
The Italian chef talks about cooking for the British Royal Family as well as the White House
Enrico Derflingher walks into Tonino Ristorante, in Mehruali, New Delhi, accoutred in chef's whites, accompanied by an entourage of Italian ingredients. He's in India to mark 20 years of the restaurant, and he has cooked up his signature classics, infusing royal favourites along with four different pairings of wines.
Looking back, he says he couldn't have imagined as a 10-year-old boy working in a restaurant in Italy’s Lake Como, that he would go on to become a two-time Michelin Star chef who became the first Italian personal chef in the Royal English at just 26 years of age. He has also served as the chef at the White House for George Bush, and been a part of the G7 Summit since.
He talks to us about his love for his roots, shared culture and how food connects India and Italy in a special way.
Esquire India: How has it been in India?
Enrico Derflingher: I came down to India once with Princess Diana. She loved eating pizzas, especially margheritas. This is my fourth or fifth visit. I have been to Mumbai, Delhi and tried the chicken here. I haven’t had much time to pick up Indian recipes but would love to try.
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ESQ: Why are you carrying your own ingredients from Italy?
ED: I have always been working with local Italian ingredients and know how to use them well. I infuse some local ingredients, like I used Indian tomatoes while cooking here. Flavour is very important in Italian food. From cheese to rice, everything changes the taste and the aroma of the food. There are thousands of types of olive oils in Italy, and each dish requires a different type of olive oil to be used. People must understand the difference between authentic Italian food and Italian food prepared outside Italy.
ESQ: A number of Italian restaurants are opening in India, especially in the capital city almost every other month. What makes Italian food so popular in India?
ED: You tell me (laughs)! For us, Italian culture and the way we eat is very important. Food brings us together, we celebrate food in family get-togethers with long course menus, our mothers cook very well at home and so, there’s a deep-rooted culture of eating together at home. In some countries, people don’t care about food. I think Indians are very similar to Italians when it comes to food and family.
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ESQ: What was cooking in the royal kitchen and the White House like?
ED: During my tenure in the royal household, I observed that there was a lot of focus on ingredients and the diet. They grew their own fresh vegetables. Prince Charles’ favourite was risotto. It becomes a favourite wherever I cook it. I worked at the White House during the tenure of George Bush, he liked a lot of meat because he’s from Texas.
ESQ: When did you realise you want to become a chef?
ED: I started working at the age of 10 in a small restaurant in Lake Como, Italy. My mother was a great cook and had a lot of influence on me. I later went to cooking school and worked in top hotels around the world. The rest is history!