'Cooking is an art'

Veteran actor and director Tariq Anam Khan is soon to be seen as a judge of the second season of Rupchanda - The Daily Star Super Chef, a popular culinary competition.

He opened up to Prothom Alo about his thoughts regarding food and much more.

So, Tariq Anam Khan is the judge of a cooking show now! How do you rate yourself as a cook?
(Smiling) I think I am a pretty good cook. Traditional Bangalee cuisines are my specialty. Rice, bharta, fish, lentil - you name it - I can whip up a good dish.

What is your best dish?

I don't know....probably a dish I learned from my mother. It's a fish curry with brinjal and pumpkin. It's a crowd-pleaser.

Is there any particular reason why you decided to become a culinary show judge?

Of course there is. I am a foodie, and I believe everyone wants to taste good food. I think cooking is an art, and we Bangladeshis are quite good at this art. Where else can you find such verity of flavours and so many traditional dishes? On the other hand, taste and presentation often differs on an individual level. Considering all of these aspects I decided to become a judge.

How different is Rupchanda - The Daily Star Super Chef from other reality shows?

A major difference is, on other reality shows the viewers can see the performance of the participants and make their own assessment. In a cooking show, the viewers cannot have any idea about how the dishes taste or smell. So, it's quite a different scenario. However, Rupchanda - The Daily Star Super Chef has been made with a lot of care and I'm sure the viewers will enjoy it very much.

What are your other ventures?

My theater group Natyadal is about to reach its 25th anniversary, so there are some plans sketched out regarding the celebration. I'm also thinking about doing something new in cinema as well. I'm regular in acting all along.