Remembering Jiggs Kalra

DOWN MEMORY LANE WITH MY DEAR FRIEND

- Habib Rehman

In passing away of Jiggs Kalra, India has indeed lost one of its most prized chefs who laid the arithmetic for cuisine. My friendship with Jiggs dates back to the late Eighties when I first met him following the successful launch of his book Prashad – Cooking with Indian Masters where he managed to solicit recipes from leading chefs and craftsmen from well-established hotel chains and restaurants. Its soaring sales and popularity brought him to the attention of an established hospitality chain which offered him a high-profile opening.

However, the promised assignment was taking time to materialise and Jiggs was an impatient man. We met and our paths converged as I was in the midst of situating Dum Pukht, Dakshin and Peshawri restaurants along with converting coffee shops as 24-hour dining restaurants.