Chef Liu Zhijun brings a bit of his homeland here

Food brings everyone together, and Chinese cuisine is a favourite for many people. From kids to grown ups, everyone is delighted at the mention of spring rolls, hakka noodles, chilly chicken, Schezwan chicken, prawn curry, American choupsey or chicken dimsum dipped in Schezwan sauce. I couldn't stop myself from fantasising about these dishes during my entire conversation with Chef Liu Zhijun—the Master Chef at Radisson Blu Hotel MBD Ludhiana. Chef Zhijun had read a lot on India and on arriving found it to be exactly like those descriptions that he had in mind. Excited, he started his India journey on January 1, 2013—the perfect day for a new plan, a new experience—an amazing opportunity to explore a land of friendly people and delicious food. One of his plans for his time in India includes introducing the authentic Chinese flavour to Indians, as he feels the so-called Chinese dishes served in this country is too spicy and oily—something to suit and please the local palate. “What is made here, is not authentic at all. The Chilly Chicken served in Ludhiana is Punjabi Chilly Chicken, not Chinese,” he feels. But otherwise he is a huge fan of Indian food, among his top favourites are tandoori chicken, tandoori fish and chicken tikka. And Ludhiana serves him the best of the tandoori chicken and chicken tikka—rich in taste and spices and he’s completely loving it. He enjoys making Indian curries and experiments with rice and vegetables to create innovative dishes that are only known to him—even tries to make the Indian tandoori dishes that he loves so much. French crab in XO sauce and chicken with Schezwan sauce are some of his popular dishes at Radisson Blu Hotel MBD Ludhiana. He not only makes his colleagues in India eat authentic Chinese cuisine, but also convinces the vegetarians to eat non-vegetarian dishes once in a while. “You should eat non-veg once or twice a week, non-veg is good” are his exact words. Chef Zhijun has a remarkable and varied 27 years’ experience in the industry and plans to satisfy people with his food both Oriental and Indian. In 1988, he graduated from the HEFEI Academy of Cooking Association and Probation Jinjiang Hotel in Shanghai and was immediately taken on as a Sous Chef at the Sapphire Hotel in China at the age of 18. This marked the beginning for this fun-loving, accommodating, simple Kitchen King. Chef Zhijun has worked in several hotels in China, Egypt and Saudi Arabia—the Marriott Hotel, The Grand Hotel, The Great Wall Hotel, TY Lounge Restaurant, Lemon Cuisine Restaurant and Helnan Palestine Hotel. In 2004, he also studied Food and Beverage Management at the American University of Cairo. Now he finds himself at Radisson Blu Hotel MBD Ludhiana which replicates the popular restaurant concept, R.E.D., present in Radisson Blu MBD hotels (the Noida R.E.D. has been awarded the Times Food Guide Awards four times). in Ludhiana, R.E.D. serves a rich variety of global cuisine and is situated on the banks of the Sutlej—a choice for guests and locals to indulge in amazingly delicious food and enjoy the tranquility. Chef Zhijun takes time to proudly tell me how happy he felt when his food was praised and appreciated by Egyptian ministers. After all, appreciation is something that makes every effort and hard work, worth it. It was the encouragement that he received from his parents at the age of 12 that motivated him to become a chef. He was so absolutely thrilled when his parents loved the dinner he had prepared for them, that he immediately made a commitment to cooking. He also vividly remembers the first dish he made as a professional chef—prawns with Schezwan sauce—and the praise he was showered with from the guests and his colleagues. When asked to share stories of his childhood and mischief, Chef Liu insisted that as a hard-working boy, he had no such experiences. That mild manner of his has carried through to his adulthood, and Chef Liu has never had a fight or an argument in his life, though he warns that he would resort to one if anyone were to touch his woks. According to him, woks play a major role in Chinese cooking. When not using those woks to produce delicious and mouth-watering dishes for others, he enjoys eating with others as well. Outside the kitchen he keeps himself busy with reading, swimming, surfing the internet and playing basketball. His journey here in India has just begun and he is enjoying every bit of it. The first thing he was successful at was making a lot of new friends. “My colleagues are very friendly, the atmosphere here is good and the management is amazing. They make me feel comfortable and at home.” One thing he really likes about India is the culture and diversity— there is so much to see, feel and observe in India. It has only been six weeks in Ludhiana but he is already in love with the food, people and place. He is excited just at the thought of travelling in India and the first name he blurts out is the magical city of Mumbai—tempted to try the sea food there. While here in India he will indulge in local diners with the authentic Chinese cuisine that he intends to introduce, and in return he will get something unforgettable—the flavour of the Indian culture, its people, diversity and hospitality. This, combined with his passion for cooking and emphasis on eating healthy food, will make his dream of becoming one the greatest chef come to life very soon.