IT IS a long way from growing up on a hobby farm in the north of England to running the kitchen at Deville’s Pad, but new head chef Desh Kapur is relishing the role.
Kapur was head chef at the Criterion Hotel in Perth when Deville’s – pronounced De-ville’s – approached him to conduct interviews for the head chef position.
After going through eight or nine unsuitable applicants, it was suggested he put his hand up for the job… and the rest is history.
Deville’s Pad is, as the name suggests, a hellish-themed venue with dining tables set up inside makeshift grottos, red lighting in abundance and statues that would turn theme park owners green with envy.
Kapur describes the venue as a “late night, Las Vegas-style 1950s and 60s supper bar.”
His new menu, which is inspired by food from all over the United States, involved extensive research. Despite the release of the new menu, Kapur’s research does not stop there, with a trip to the US planned for the New Year.
“The main attraction was the fact that I did not know anything about American cooking before I started,” he said.
“After 20 years of cooking I just wanted to see if I could do it.”
Kapur said he tried to mix things up a bit when putting the menu together. “I’ve tried to put together modern recipes as well as traditional recipes from the 1800s,” he said.
“Having it come out in the taste of the food and getting compliments from customers is really rewarding.”
He said the dishes that excited him most included the jalapeno poppers and the Cajun fish, the latter which was cooked on cedar plank, a style used by North American Indians.
Other dishes on the menu include Chesapeake “Old Bay” crab cakes, Kansas City baby back ribs and New York’s “Delmonico’s” steak.
Growing up in a house with six siblings meant Kapur was cooking from an early age.
“I had two choices – work on the farm or do some cooking,” he said.
“At the age of 14 I was making cakes and pies, and cooking for my mum and six brothers and sisters.
“It was either that or become a lumberjack.”