Sustainability isn't a gimmick at Haoma restaurant (fb.com/HaomaBKK) on Sukhumvit 31. The new restaurant by Deepanker "chef DK" Khosla is tucked deep in the soi, but it's worth the effort to get there if you want to try fresh flavours that are picked out of its mini farm. Although we didn't get to do a proper review, judging from a couple of dishes we had, we wouldn't be surprised if Haoma would be in the next edition of The Michelin Guide Bangkok. We spoke to the 28-year-old chef-proprietor about his culinary journey and his green ambition.
When did you realise you want to become a chef?
I wanted to be a fighter pilot but I couldn't because my knock-knee. My mother wanted me to groom myself and work in hospitality so I studied culinary at Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration (WGSHA). My first mentor, a senior, took me to the kitchen. Being an energetic kid, it was natural for me to create things. My mum told me to stay away from chopping vegetables and the fire and now I make a living doing what she told me not to.
How did you end up working in Bangkok?
My corporate chef friend told me about a job opening at Charcoal [on Sukhumvit 11]. I was running a restaurant in Mumbai and the food at Charcoal was on the similar lines of what I was doing. I came here for a trial and they decided to hire me. After I left Charcoal, I travelled from Pai to Phuket, looking for new ingredients and experiences. Cooking within the realm of hotels and their fast-paced kitchens -- which I had been doing for years -- was no longer my calling. I wanted to create some sort of sustainable ecosystem where I can cook and give back as much as I take away from the nature.
When did you realise you want to cook sustainably?
The turning point wasn't the hours that I spent in the kitchen or wanting more success. It's about personal satisfaction. I'm from a small town in India. It's green and natural and my father ran a printing business. Behind his factory, there was a plot of land where he grew vegetables and fruits. We visited the plot once a week to harvest the produce and cooked them over a coal fire. It was something that has always been at the back of my mind. While working at big hotels in India, I learned about initiatives they did to be more sustainable so it was a gradual process.
How did Haoma come about?
I was in Singapore last year with my best friend who's a lead designer at Atkins. They designed MRT stations in KL and SG with an emphasis in sustainable design. He designed Haoma. I told him about my vision of growing what I can and cooking with it. He came up with Haoma's tagline -- grow what we cook and cook what we love. It was our brainchild. We spent 10 months completing the restaurant. I brought all the ingredients and experiences I have had to Haoma's kitchen. It is a passion project -- something semi-commercial that also gives back.
Can you elaborate on how green Haoma is?
All three forms of modern agriculture -- hydroponic, aquaponics and soil culture -- are right here. We grow similar things in three systems to see which plant grows best in what condition. So Haoma acts as a research centre in that sense. We reduce our carbon footprint by the amount of plants we grow from seeds. The seeds left from our cooking will be replanted. We're also creating a seed bank and when we have enough seeds we will give them to a farm in Pathumthani so they can forward quality seeds to the local farmers there. The water from the kitchen goes into a system to be treated before it goes into our fish tanks. They are fed on pellets made of food waste from the kitchen. The fish faeces act as nutrient for the plants. By 2019, we hope to run completely on solar power -- the world's first carbon-negative restaurant. I consider this restaurant a luxury with responsibility. It gives me an extra kick when I work and go to bed at night, knowing that I make some contribution to the society. We're in Sukhumvit with thousands of plants growing all around us. It's like a sanctuary in the middle of a concrete jungle.
What kind of food does Haoma offer?
I devised the menu with my sous chef. He asked me what is the cuisine and I said there's none and told him we were going to cook what we love. One element in a dish or a cocktail comes from the garden. There's no particular cuisine that we stick to but why would we limit ourselves in this beautiful world?
What kind of impact do you wish to create with Haoma?
Just think what if thousands of houses do the same thing we do and how that will improve our environment. Children will learn where their food come from and fully appreciate them. I believe that sustainability isn't a fad. It's us going back to our roots. I also hope to bring all the chefs in Bangkok towards sustainable cooking. Grow our own produce and control what we get. And, most importantly, own up to what we put on the plates. If I use beef from a local farm, I wouldn't have the audacity to call it wagyu. Some restaurants have made untrue claims about their produce.
What advice do you have for those who aspire to be a chef?
You must have passion. It will never go out of fashion. It's what keeps you going and drives you to deliver the best.
