WHAT'S ?COOKING?

Suvir Saran, trained in New Delhi, Bombay and New York in graphic design and fine arts, uses his creative talents to make food a visual and tasty experience. Classes are instructed at his financial district studio and through NYU's Food and Nutrition school. At his studio in downtown Manhattan, classes are held as private tutorials or in groups of two or three people. Classes are hands-on and menus are made after taking into account each students dietary needs. The private tutorials are just as interesting to the novice as they are to a professional cook. In his classes all aspects of Indian food are indulged. The role of spices is explored beyond just taste. Saran demonstrates how to identify when certain vegetables are in season, what makes them taste special, how they can be medicinal, and how to cook with them in ways that seem as familiar to a western palate as they would to a seasoned Indian palate. Saran extends a very flexible and yet structured flow to his classes. Most students are able to cook basic home recipes from the sub-continent to very elaborate recipes after taking four to six lessons. There are others that come back for more focused and detailed studies. Classes that focus on region-specific foods, medicinal foods or healing foods can also be arranged. To learn more about current and future classes, please e-mail Saran at chef@suvir.com.