CHEFS IN CARS GETTING TAKE OUT | Episode 5 | Chef Joshna Maharaj | Fidel Gastro
The fifth episode of Chefs in Cars getting Takeout features Chef Joshna Maharaj from the well-known Gladstone Hotel in the Toronto area. They discuss the interesting tale of how Joshna came to be a chef and share some delicious fried chicken.
Joshna graduated from McMaster University with a degree in Religious Studies and Women’s Studies but found herself jobless after completing her degree. She convinced her parents that she needed some time to really figure out what her calling was and they agreed for her to go stay in a monastery in India for year with the condition that she would come back with a plan. Upon arriving at the monastery she was put to work in the kitchen, which was a bit overwhelming at first as at the time she didn't know how to cook anything at all. The interesting thing about their reasoning behind putting her to work in the kitchen is that they did it because they were concerned she would never find a husband if she couldn't cook.
The first thing she learned to make were chapattis. After spending some time cooking at the monastery she found herself falling head over heels in love with the art of cooking. Something she noticed while cooking there is that when the head chef was upset he would make food with a bad attitude, snarling and crashing as he went. That food would in turn get served to all the residents of the monastery often times resulting in indigestion. This was clear evidence to her that food made with love was the only kind of food she ever wanted to make.
After discussing her experience at the monastery they decide on fried chicken as the food for this episode. They head to a restaurant called The Stockyards and pick up what they claim is in fact the best fried chicken in Toronto. Matt had recently given up white flour so he unfortunately could not eat any of the epic looking crispy fried crust on the chicken but did enjoy a fair amount of the chicken meat itself. This led to a discussion between the two regarding how the major role food is supposed to play in your life is to nourish you, noting that the very place food should be at its best, the hospital, it is often barely edible.
This spiraled into a discussion about the difference between American healthcare and Canadian healthcare, which is massive without question. Each system is however not without fault. Joshna went on to talk about the time she spent working at a hospital and the resistance she faced trying to get better food made for the patients. Interestingly enough she faced no only resistance from the kitchen staff but the rest of the hospital staff as well. Her mission was simply to get better food into the hands of people that needed it the most, and at that mission she was successful.
Keeping with the program Matt opts for jerked chicken instead of fried chicken and heads to Rasta Pasta noting that he only eats jerk chicken from establishments with the barbeques out front. Rasta Pasta is an interesting combination of Italian food and Jamaican food. It has quickly become a local favorite and oddly enough the mix of the two foods works together quite well. As the two enjoy their cuisine from Rasta Pasta they note how tender and juicy the chicken is, as well as the excellent overall flavoring of the dish.
As they wrap up this episode of Chefs in Cars Getting Takeout Matt tells Joshna that he has always known her as the chef of change. She talks briefly about her time working at The Stop where she cooked lunch twice a week for people who would likely only have that one meal for the entire day. This was the first place she was really able to focus on putting her good, loving energy into the meals she made and see firsthand how much of an effect it had on those eating it.
Much thanks to Chef Joshna Maharaj for appearing on this episode. Her positive outlook and unique take on how much of an effect a chef's energy can have on a meal will not be easily forgotten.
That concludes this episode of Chefs in Cars Getting Takeout. A very warm thank you to special guest Rob Gentile for sharing his thoughts on cooking, eating, and what it really takes to be a chef.
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