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Know the land and you’ll know the food. If you believe this to be true, then Chef Alex Dias is one of the best people to talk to about Goan cuisine and the land that gave birth to it. Born and brought up in Goa, Chef Dias’ mother comes from Parra and father from Candolim, so the land and its bounty—and the need to stick to sustainable practices to enhance it—are foremost in his mind. As the Executive Chef at Novotel Hotels and Resorts, Goa, and as the man behind the brand’s new Goan-Italian restaurant, Forno Tinto, Chef Dias is doing nothing short of keeping the spirit of age-old Goan food culture alive.
A Farm To Fine-Dining Table Chef’s Story
“I came from a family of farmers, and my mother was really into farming,” he explains during an exclusive interview with Slurrp. “We had big fields. So, it all started with our watermelon and chilli farms in Parra. We used to pick fresh chillies, sweet potatoes, watermelons and other produce. This bounty was taken to the kitchen and everything was created fresh. What really caught my attention were dry beans, which we kids used to drop in the fields. In summer, they would grow and we would cook them over bonfires in earthen pots. Those moments fascinated me.”
Given these experiences, Chef Dias credits a lot of what he has learnt over the years not only to culinary schools and restaurants where he has worked, but also to the homely Goan kitchens where he grew up. “I have learnt a lot in local kitchens. This has given me the opportunity to understand local culture, be a good chef and be a good human,” he says.
Goa: The Happy Place Where Food Sustainability Always Thrived
When asked what inspired him to incorporate sustainable food values to his restaurants at Novotel, he explains the seeds have always been there, but the picture people have of Goa has actually helped it. “When it comes to Goa, people come with happy minds and happy spirits,” he explains. “It’s because people really want a break, or really want to celebrate. Being in Goa, that really enhances your opportunity to engage with local food and culture. And this gives us chefs opportunities too.” The opportunity to put local ingredients on the plate, he says, is always welcome.
“Nowadays travelling has changed everything. People now have global exposure, so when it comes to Goan cuisine, everyone wants to try it out,” he says, adding that ideas of food have also changed. “The consumers nowadays really need something fresh, and they need local produce. Goan cuisine has all of this to offer because we have fresh seafood, lots of agricultural produce, and some of it is even vegan because we use coconuts exclusively. People should not think that Goan is only non-vegetarian. Goan is also vegetarian and even vegan because of Saraswat influences. So, there are plenty of good options with a balance of vegetarian and non-vegetarian.”
The Tinto Salad at Forno Tinto is prepared with local sustainable ingredients.
When Sustainability Meets A Fine-Dining Goan Experience
Chef Dias believes that the sustainability movement and increase in global cuisines’ knowledge is paving the way for a food revivalist movement. “See, in Goa, we used to have all these bakers called Poder who used the locally grown toddy in their bakeries. Now people are flocking to the markets to get their hands on their original goodies, but it’s so difficult. So, the demand change is reviving age-old processes,” he explains. “And age-old products are emerging in the markets with eco-friendly sustainable farming methods. Even in Forno Tinto, we are growing our own herbs, age-old grains, wild honey because their demand on the table has increased. The consumer’s palate is also changing, and they’re ready to older ingredients and cuisines, which is also supporting the environment and creating awareness.”
“I think getting these sustainable products, age-old products in the commercial kitchen is very good because it will also educate our young chefs. At the same time, we will be the ambassadors of change because as chefs we can deliver local, sustainable products to the customers who come from all around the world to our hotels, restaurants and families,” he quips, adding that the new addition to Novotel Goa, Forno Tinto, is certainly doing that.
The Concept Of A Goan-Italian Sustainable Restaurant
“At Forno Tinto we wanted to do something for the local culture with a modern touch. So, the amalgamation of Italian and Goan was a perfect note,” he says, explaining the concept behind the restaurant. “In Goa, Tinto is basically a small platform where all the local farmers used to get their daily fresh produce to sell. They would start at 6am in the morning and by 12pm all the fresh produce would be over. So, we wanted to represent that interactive platform so that communications could take place about the menu and the cuisine. Tinto was also the place where marriages would take place, people would discuss everything from football to politics.”
He adds that the way they go about doing the hard work of fusion is steeped in Goan methods and ingredients. “For example, for our signature Tinto Salad, we make a kokum-based vinaigrette instead of vinegar and merge it with the local jaggery. We also use the locally-grown red spinach in the salad,” he says. “We bake our own local Poi bread, which we serve with a fresh salsa. We get fresh coconuts from the Novotel coconut garden. We use local seasonal fruits like watermelon and mango to make gelato. Everything is sourced from the immediate diameter of 30 kilometres.” A truly eco-friendly venture indeed!
But does the guest get it? Chef Dias says yes, and that, in fact, the guests are adding to the tapestry. “Whenever a guest arrives, we explain the concept to them and explain where our ingredients are coming from. So, the storytelling itself attracts them. Then we serve them the freshly baked Poi and coconuts from the garden. So far, the vibe has been really positive,” he explains. “For the guests, it’s not easy to accept certain fusion flavours in the beginning. But we try to take any feedback they have in a very positive way. I still remember, we introduced a Chicken Cafreal Pizza, and the guest said they could only taste the chicken Cafreal, not the cheese. So then, we lightened the spices and serve the Cafreal sauce on the side so guests can balance it according to their palate. This is important because people are travelling around the world, and we can’t say that the guest doesn’t know. So that feedback is very important for us.’
