Blazing Barbecue Bashes

I have to share this, because, by far, it has been the most exciting emotional experience ever (I know, too many ‘e’ words). Last week we were shooting at Millers 46, which I would like to call as “Bangalore’s Best Steakhouse”. I got to meet the very young and enthusiastic Jude Koshy, and believe me when I say; this is one restaurateur who is truly passionate about his food (more about him and Millers 46 in another blog). During an interesting conversation (from Cheesecakes to World Cuisine to Steaks to Sizzlers to Wines), Jude gave me directions to where I could pick up a good Barbecue Grill.

With the fresh changes to my terrace space, I really wanted a good Barbecue set. Two days back we had a small terrace-warming party with close friends and relatives. This is when ‘I’ got to barbecue - chicken, cottage cheese (paneer), baby corn, capsicum, and mushrooms. The barbecuing experience was truly rewarding and even more satisfying, when you get to taste the final chunks in your mouth. Freshly barbecued food is the best thing you could ever put in your mouth ;-)

My Verb: Put barbecued food in mouth, stand still for 15 seconds, absorb this ‘soft-wet-juicy-crispy’ experience and cherish it until your next barbecue.

But for all those of you who want to barbecue but don’t know how to; following are few steps (Jude, thank you for all the specific instructions; couldn’t have done it without you dude) you need to adhere to before taking the plunge:



Step 0: Pick up a good quality (read, no-frill) metal barbecue grill made of high gauge sheet metal. I picked up mine from Richard’s Square (near Russell Market, Bangalore) and along with the stand it cost me 2,500 INR (money well spent I would say). Make sure the barbecue grill set comes with wood-handle metal skewers, metal-striped top (for flat sliced meet) and a slide tray (to collect burnt ash). While you are there, you also need to pick up Charcoal (10 kilos may cost anywhere between 75-100 INR), Kerosene (2 litres), Barbecue Sauces, Wooden Skewers, Brushes (for applying Sauce as well as a large one for cleaning), Wood Handled Tongs, Black Apron, and Black Barbecue Gloves (Mittens). With this small kit, you are all set to become a ‘Barbecue Master’.

Step 1: Spread the charcoal to cover the pit of your barbecue grill and keep it in an open dry warm place. Do this at least 2 hours before you plan to start your barbecue. Meanwhile remember to oil your metal skewers and get your marinated food ready. I got my marinated chicken cubes from Millers 46 (you could contact them on +91 80 4113 1746) and the final output was simply fantastic. The cottage cheese was marinated at home, but whichever way you choose to go, remember that the food needs to be well marinated (a minimum of 4 hours).

Step 2: One hour before you plan to start barbecuing, make a mountain of your spread out charcoal with a small radial base. Now, pour kerosene to the tip of the barbecue to wet the charcoal. Leave it for about 30 min.

Step 3: After 30 min. light a long matchstick and throw it on the top of this mountain. The kerosene will light up slowly but surely. Allow the entire mountain to catch fire. Wait for the blaze to settle down, this might take about 20-30 min.

Step 4: Put on your apron and gloves. Cover the barbecue pit with the striped top. Place your meat or fish slices on this top. Meanwhile, cubed-food could be inserted through the skewers and placed on the barbecue grill. Use the tongs to flip the flat food. When the food starts to turn black or very dark brown, it time to rotate of flip. You might burn your food in the beginning but don’t fret, you’ll only bound to get better. Serve blazing hot.

Barbecued food goes well with Virgin Mary, Beer, Whisky, Scotch, and Wine. The best part about barbecuing food in a charcoal grill is that it tastes very ‘full’ as compared to grilling it in a gas or electric grill. It’s as though the flavours emanating from the charcoal get added to the finished food. It’s an experience never to be missed and moreover the process is just so fulfilling that you would want to do it every week. And I would say, go ahead, every week has a Sunday to kill.



The above is a collage of my roof-covered open terrace. I tried to maintain a very Mediterranean look-and-feel and the results are satisfying. But then you guys do let me know how your experience with the barbecue was. All the best and keep it HOT.

Oh come on! Drink the Pepsi

Pepsi Ad: Starring Rajeev Bakshi, Lab Analyst, Model, and the Pepsi Bottling Plant.
Rating: 1.0/5.0 (Only because the media planner chose the right spots to place the ad.)

Let me start this blog with a strong background of branding, which I constantly advocate. Though I try to live the brand, I most often fail to be as calculative or manipulative. Sometime back, I was producing a 5 minute video segment on the Jain College Management Fest (Sri Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain College – Centre for Management Studies). As work demanded, I was forced to attend this particular event which was on the lines of a Mock Press.

In the mock press, participants (BBM graduates) were the HR Managers who represented a major Cola Brand. They had to hold their own during a press conference (press was being represented by the audience members and a panel of judges). Press members were expected to do what they do best – criticize, blame and sensationalize (on the latest pesticide controversy). This particular event was more a test of metal. Six teams with two-members in each team participated. And all of them walked into the conference and debated with the press while drinking to their mineral water (in this case Manikchand Oxyrich) bottles.

Once the event got done with, I couldn’t resist myself from taking the mike and addressing these young students. “You need to learn to live the brand. Cola is not bottled coloured water. It is a Brand. Walk in with your bottles of the cola instead of mineral water and you’ve won 60% of the battle. The press will automatically become believers. Even if they do criticize, somewhere, they would give you credibility for living the brand” I said. And that is the key lesson here. The lessons are not how to answer (or deny) the press, instead how to give a certain impression of confidence to the press. Walk in with your bottles of Cola to a Press Conference and drink that stuff. I would assure you, you’ve won the battle.



Going on the same terms, I was shocked to see the latest Pepsi ad. The ad shows, Rajeev Bakshi (Chairman, Pepsi India) giving a monologue on how Pepsi is safe for everyone (including his family, friends etc.). As a friend pointed out, not once does he include himself in the script. But there was something graver to the ad. In my eagerness, it dawned to me that not one person drank the liquid from the bottle. Every cast member kept passing the bottle to each other, but nobody drank from it. If you want the public to believe, make the Chairman drink from the bottle. Shoot him in various situations during the day (breakfast, lunch, tea-time, meetings, in the car etc.) and show him drinking Pepsi wherever he goes. This would make the public buy into your argument (no matter how fake). I am obviously quite shocked how brands such as Pepsi or Coca Cola have gotten it all wrong. * I think they need to get in touch with me for suggestions on a serious image makeover – they seem to be doing an awful job of it. :-) *

So guys (and gals), if you ever plan to present an image of yourself or the brand you represent, make sure you are:

Consistent
Believable and
Live 'the' Brand

Don’t let the consumer catch you with your lips sealed.