Kiwi-Indian chef Gurujodh Singh is well on his way to achieving his dreams as a star chef in the culinary world. Taking him a step closer to that journey is the fact he has garnered recognition and applause at the prestigious Australasia Tapas Competition.

Held on September 5 at Ignite Colleges in Manukau, the culinary cook-off saw 29 chefs from both sides of the Tasman battle it out to represent Australasia at World Tapas Competition in Spain later this year.

While Cordis Auckland chef Eda Tunc won the title of 2023 Australasia Tapas Champion, Singh’s creation–snapper olive egg with aged chorizo and romesco gel garnished with furikake potato paper–secured him the coveted title of Best Tapa Concept.

Hailing from a small town in the northern Indian state of Haryana, Singh embarked on his culinary journey in 2013 when he moved to New Zealand.

Despite his aspirations to enter the medical field in India, his unwavering passion for cooking led him to explore the world of culinary arts in his new home after being persuaded by his sister, who was already in New Zealand.

Talking to The Indian Weekender, Gurujodh says, "I was aspiring to pursue medicine  in India, wanting to be a doctor, but cooking was always my passion. I never thought I would choose it as my profession, but things changed, and I became a chef in New Zealand."

Singh's dedication to his craft saw him complete a diploma in cookery and patisserie, and he gained experience working in various culinary settings, including cafes, restaurants, airport lounges, and hotels.

“My mother is a big inspiration for me in choosing this career. I had been cooking with her since childhood, and this career also offered an easy path to residency, which was an added incentive," says the 29-year-old.

Participating in Australasia Tapas Competition was a significant step for Gurujodh, who works at Good Home Howick as a senior sous chef, as it marked his first individual competition.

He says his inspiration behind the dish that won him accolades was to make something simple but at the same time also unique and easy to prepare.

“As I want my dish to be sold as tapas in all restaurants, I picked up olive, which is already an all-time favourite as a bar snack. I could envision myself playing innovatively with it. That's how I came up with the idea of my dish.”

Reflecting on his victory, he says, “I never expected to win the competition. I participated to gauge where my culinary ideas stood among other talented chefs. I learned a lot, especially about presentation at the competition level. I was thrilled and proud of myself as a chef, but I aspire to be in the top three next time."

Shifting the topic to Indian cuisine and its global appeal, Singh believes the rich flavours of Indian cuisine have the potential to be recognised by everyone. He noted that fusion cuisine incorporating elements of Indian flavours into diverse ethnic dishes is on the rise.

"Indian cuisine is everywhere nowadays only if you look closely. I believe that these days, most of the restaurants doing fusion food are taking some elements of Indian cuisine and fusing other Asian or European cuisines to give a modern twist to the diverse ethnicity of NZ. 

“We need to keep introducing Indian cuisine globally because it's a flavorful cuisine with the potential to be loved by everyone. The globalisation of Indian food reflects the growing appreciation for its complexity," says Gurujodh.

When not busy in the kitchen, he enjoys reading and watching food-related content, which keeps him motivated. He also has hobbies like painting and playing chess whenever he can find time.