The Indian Artist-Chef who Sketches his Dishes
Meet Chef Brehadeesh Kumar. At his Japanese restaurant, Ginkgo, in Pune, he makes detailed, artistic sketches of his dishes, available to view on request. He believes that by offering guests an illustration of the dishes, they can juxtapose the sketches against the food, allowing for a deeper and more detailed understanding of the menu. Here, Mradula Hegde talks to him about his creative process, technique, and philosophy.
In the 24th minute of episode 1 of the series Bear, Chef Terry (Olivia Colman) catches Chef Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) with a red Sharpie. Stuck between his thumb and index finger, we see it moving intricately over his sketches, lending finishing touches to his masterpiece. Impressed, she asks him if he has ever been to Copenhagen. What follows is a series of flashbacks, to all the places he trained at, as he captures his final creations on his phone camera — but also of how he first imagines them in a sketch, before he brings them to life.
Indian chef Brehadeesh Kumar has been doing exactly this for a while, at his Japanese noodle and soup bar Ginkgo, in Pune. Brehadeesh is an IHM Mumbai graduate who went to Japan on a MEXT scholarship for a year and a half, working on his Japanese linguistic and confectionery skills. He interned at Kikunoi Honten in Kyoto, a 180-year-old, three Michelin Star restaurant. He started Ginkgo so India could explore the diverse culinary gems that the Land of the Rising Sun has to offer. Brehadeesh is currently working on a book (an encyclopaedia of sorts) about Japanese cuisine that features his artworks extensively.
Here, he talks to us about his process.
Why do you sketch your dishes?
Japanese cuisine, particularly beyond sushi, is relatively new to many people. There is so much to share and so little that most people know about kaiseki cuisine. It has the honour of being recognised as an intangible UNESCO world heritage.
An illustration describing the various kinds of restaurant formats — Kaiseki, Kappō, and Izakaya.
A Oshinagaki (japanese style menu) drawn and handwritten for a Kaiseki meal cooked at the Consul General’s residence in Mumbai.
Kaiseki is an art form that showcases Japanese culture and traditions through food, metaphors, and practices passed down through generations. I believe that visuals can communicate a lot more than text alone. By providing guests with illustrations of the dishes, they can juxtapose the sketches against the food, allowing for a deeper and more detailed understanding. Rather than relying on a lengthy oral explanation, they can absorb the information at their own pace through the illustrations. Moreover, these sketches serve as memorable souvenirs for them to take home.
Is this a practice you picked in your culinary training?
I’ve always been a quiet kid with a deep love for science and all forms of art. From a young age, I believed that creating things from scratch helps one appreciate them in the true sense. I vividly remember, as a ninth grader, condensing an entire biology chapter into a concise illustrated sheet.
This practice of blending art with learning has been a part of me for as long as I can remember, and it naturally extended into my culinary career.
Who is your inspiration?
There isn’t a specific person who inspired me to start this practice. However, during my time living in Japan, I realised the importance of visually displaying the menu in the restaurant business. The use of plastic food samples is a prime example of this practice, allowing guests to see exactly how their food will look and gauge the portion size.
The illustration of the Osechi Ryōri (also below) juxtaposed with the actual Osechi Ryōri
An illustration explaining the different elements of an Osechi Ryōri (New Year’s food)
Menus in Japan, more often than not, include pictures of the food. Inspired by this cultural emphasis on visuals and not leaving guests to generate an image in their heads based on text, I designed the menu at Ginkgo focusing on photographs, all taken by me. This experience led me to combine my artwork with the Japanese concept of ‘omotenashi,’ (roughly thoughtful hospitality), to provide a more eased and engaging dining experience.
What is your process? What do you do with the finished artwork?
The process is quite straightforward, but the execution requires some planning. Unlike digital art, once you’ve sketched and painted, you can’t move or resize elements to fit the text. So, I start by planning what I want to write and what I want to showcase with the sketch, ensuring everything fits together harmoniously.
Next, I create a rough sketch, apply a colour wash, wait for it to dry, and then add the finer details. I finish with the even smaller details and then write the text. I usually improvise the text to ensure a natural flow, but there’s no room for spelling mistakes or rewriting.
Once completed, I get copies of the artwork which I give to guests, staff, and friends as a way to share knowledge about Japanese cuisine and provide a memorable souvenir. These often end up displayed on walls, fridges, or work desks, serving as a lasting memento.
Illustrated menu of Brehadeesh’s Kappō menu at The Conservatory, Bangalore. The theme of the menu was Japanese food with foreign origins made with local produce.
An illustration of Onam Sadhya, that made for a small get together at home.
Any fun incidents with customers when they see sketches?
Most people are surprised to learn that the text is also handwritten. Some guests get so excited about the sketches that they want to collect the entire series. When they come in groups, it’s not uncommon for them to snatch sketches from their friends or family and then ask for more. It always brings a smile to my face to see their enthusiasm and appreciation for the artwork.
There has been an instance where the guest once insisted that I pass on the contact of this artist because they wanted to get in touch. It was funny to break it to them that the person was right in front of them.
It has been a great conversation starter at the local photocopy/print shop too where everyone has become curious about what these are all about and now they even ask me more about Japanese food!
A sketch of a Maharashtrian thali cooked at the Consul General’s residence in Mumbai for a group of Japanese guests.
Mradula Hegde is a self-proclaimed Bollywood junkie, who writes copy for brands and leads walking tours over the weekend. She heads social media communication for Goya.
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