Bengali chefs feeding Indian and Pakistani teams

Believe it or not, the best Indian cuisine on offer in Barbados is prepared by a Bengali, one Swapan Bose from Ranaghat. It is Bose and his restaurant Apsara who will supply food to the Indians and the Pakistanis when they are in Barbados for three of their crucial super eight games and once again if they make it to the final on April 28.

It was not Bose who started the journey. Rather, it was his brother Tapas Bose who first made the leap across the Atlantic. Tapas is currently the head chef of the Apsara branch in Trinidad, their flagship and first of the Apsara chain.

Recalls Mary Cavaner, the owner, “My husband is an East Indian and we had always felt the need for an Indian restaurant in Trinidad. Accordingly, we decided to start Apsara almost ten years ago.” Cavaner explained how Apsara managed to rope in Tapas.

“We had travelled to Delhi and were checking out local chefs. In fact, my husband was determined to employ someone from India to make sure that what we serve is real authentic Indian cuisine. And when Tapas came and cooked for us we were floored. “I can say that he won the contest hands down. We immediately offered him the job and he readily accepted.”

With the Trinidad Apsara a raging success, Mary and her husband decided to go on an expansion spree on the eve of the World Cup.

The decision was further prompted by the shutdown of another well-known Indian restaurant in Barbados, Zafran. Once they had made up their minds on the project it was a natural decision to ask Tapas if he had someone in mind.

Bose, the elder brother, made the cut and is now the crowning jewel of the talented Cavaner brigade. When asked what he plans to feed Saurav Ganguly, Swapan was gushing. “If dada wants shukto I will make it for him. I can also make some very good biryani, which he loves. In fact, whatever he wants will be ready. He just needs to win us the cup.”

Will he make it to the Kensington Oval?

“No, if I go, who will make the food to be served at lunch break on the April 28?” It is expected that most South Asians — Indians, Bangladeshis and Pakistanis — will be in Barbados between April 8-21 for the super eight stage games. It is also well-known that Bengalis love to have their supply of fish even when away from their homes. To cater to the visitors’ palette the Barbadian government is organising the Oistins Fish Festival between April 7-10.

The festival is intended to celebrate the life and contribution made by the fishing town to the overall development of the island. The festival will include fishing, boat racing, fish boning competitions and a coast guard exhibition.

This also offers an opportunity for the entire fishing community to come together irrespective of class barriers and is a major forum to reap some rewards for the hard work put in by the fishermen.