Unless you’ve been living under a rock, the name Kelvin Cheung will bring to mind some of the most memorable meals you’ve had in Mumbai. One of the best-known names on the Mumbai food scene, Chef Kelvin is constantly pushing the boundaries when it comes to creating delicious, fresh fare. He is currently Corporate Chef and Consultant at Aallia Hospitality, the brand which runs Bandra gastro-pub One Street Over; the recently-opened Arth in Bandra, A Bar Called Life in Juhu and the seafood-focused Bastian, where you will often find lines of people waiting for a table as socialites and celebrities indulge in Kelvin's famous animal burgers, gluten-free chocolate-chip pancakes and cheesecakes. To kick off our Coffee Table series, which is our way of learning more about someone by taking a peek at what's on his or her coffee table, we asked the celebrated Chef about what makes the cut for his table top.





Chef Kelvin Cheung's Coffee Table

Courtesy: Kelvin Cheung

Kelvin:



Heritage by Sean Brock: Based out of Charleston, Sean Brock is one of those chef’s chefs, seen as one of the top North American - if not worldwide - chefs by all of us. He is a pioneer in saving the food industry by doing things like collecting old seed grains of fruit and vegetables in their purest form before they’ve been tainted by the corporations. He is trying to regrow and reproduce things in ways that date back decades or even centuries, which relates to my style of food and philosophy of cooking. I like having his book on my coffee table to remind me of what we as chefs are trying to do on a daily basis, in our kitchens and through our food.

Protein shaker: This relates to my fitness journey, something that I’m very proud of. I didn’t have the healthiest lifestyle until a few years ago when I I consciously started to change the way I live and chose a healthier path.

Atelier Crenn by Dominique Crenn: Dominique Crenn is probably one of the most notable female chefs in the world. The way she treats products and food is just so delicate and beautiful - something I need to remind myself of now and then!

Knives: Here is one of my custom-made Japanese knives that was built to my exact style and specifications. There is a huge difference between this knife and my other knives - it’s a lot more detailed, lighter, has more bounce and makes what I do so much easier.

Cookies: Just because. We all still need to have some fun!

Coffee: Something I can never give up.

Bag: This is a knife kit that I designed - a perfect marriage of function and form.

Two more knives: I’ve had these two knives for over 15 years now and, though they are really old, they work like a charm. Japanese knives use folded Damascus steel, which means they stay sharper for longer.

To learn more about what inspires Chef Kelvin Cheung every day, follow him on Instagram @chefkelvincheung. Discover more design inspiration on the Discern Living App (available on the Google Play Store and the iOS App Store).