Lokal Babes | Vivek Bhatia of Big Trouble
Look out - Vivek Bhatia is one to look out for on the local food front. By day he dances through the kitchen as Jeff Beltran’s right hand man and sous chef at Low Down but by night, he’s testing recipes and building his hot sauce empire also known as Big Trouble. Vivek has a very sweet nature to him. He isn’t the loudest voice in the room but will gladly share his life’s adventures if you ask. He has a lot of great ideas and an obvious passion for cooking, pulling loads of inspiration from his mother and upbringing in India.
The best part about Lokal Digs and the work that I do is learning about all kinds of people and the experiences that ultimately direct them to the dreams they are chasing or currently basking in. Prior to meeting Vivek, I knew nothing about his story and the things that bring him joy. After you read the q+a below, you’ll feel like you had a front row seat (I did!) into some of the key moments in Vivek’s life that brought him to this dot on the map and that have inspired him to start thinking about his hot sauce biz.
In the meantime, Vivek will be popping up at Low Down on Sunday January 22 for an Indian take-out experience. There will be a vegetarian and non-vegetarian option so GET READY.
Read on to learn more about Vivek, his story and how to get your hands on some of Vivek’s Indian food.
What is your favourite ingredient to cook with and why?
Vivek: I am madly in love with garlic and I give credit to my mom for that one. Garlic was not always my favourite growing up as my taste buds hadn’t had a lot of exposure. One day, mom made a Paneer vegetable dish at home and the main aroma that came through was garlic. I loved it. From that day on, I started putting garlic in almost every single thing I eat. It’s a staple in my kitchen.
Why do you love cooking? What ignites the spark to create, master, indulge, and continue on?
Vivek: I believe that cooking is magic. I had my first experience of this magic I speak of at home back in India. When I used to cry for food, I remember my mom would just scurry off into the kitchen and make me something really delicious in about 2 minutes – no word of a lie! She really inspired me to learn more about cooking and how to make yummy appetizers, tea and mains at home. My parents were quite impressed. I went on to pursue my undergrad in hotel management and was enrolled for 3 years. It wasn’t an easy ride by any means. I had moments of struggle and during those low times I had a few students/mentors questioning my passion for cooking and dream of being a chef.
“You want to become a chef? You have zero skills and I don’t think that you’ll be able to cook”
That’s what they said. It wasn’t easy hearing that comment, especially from a mentor. Luckily the flame didn’t completely fizzle and I made the move here to Canada for further studies and self-development. I attended Centennial College for baking and pastry arts and practiced a lot on my techniques and abilities.
My eagerness to learn more about flavours, textures, plating, and all things cuisine ignites the spark within to continue on. Continue creating new and interesting dishes for our community to enjoy.
What can we expect from your next pop-up at Low Down?
Vivek: In my next upcoming pop-up at Low Down, I will be serving a vegetarian and one non-vegetarian dish. This pop-up will be takeout only and one you won’t want to miss! You’ll have to stay tuned for the menu drop.
What were some staple meals/ingredients in your household as a child?
Vivek: There are so many yummy dishes and ingredients on my list but here are few standouts from my childhood that my mom would make on a regular basis.
RAJMA CHAWAL (Red kidney beans + cumin rice)
PANEER BHURJI (scrambled cottage cheese tossed with some spices, onions, tomatoes and cilantro+ roti (Indian bread) or cumin rice)
DAAL CHAWAL (black lentils+cumin rice)
CHOLE CHAWAL (chickpeas+cumin rice or roti)
ALOO GOBHI (potatoes & cauliflower+ roti)
My favourite ingredient was and still is garlic and coriander seeds.
VIVEK BHATIA // BIG TROUBLE
If you could have lunch with any famous chef, who would it be?
Vivek: If granted this opportunity, I would love to spend my time with Chef Vikas Khanna because I am simply amazed at his life experiences as an Indian Master and Michelin star chef. He has restaurants all around the globe and has cooked for world icons like Queen Elizabeth and the Prime Minister of India.
Tell us a bit about how you ended up in Collingwood and your journey to becoming a sous chef/foodie:
I was born in 1996 in a small city of Punjab called Phagwara, and completed my basic education in the same region. My father owns a bakery back home and I used to help him a lot with deliveries and orders. In 2014, I moved to different city in another province to complete my undergrad. Following that, in 2018 I moved to Canada to pursue my second certificate in baking and pastry arts followed by securing my first part time job as a line cook at Lavelle in Toronto. I obtained a few other jobs in Toronto before making my way up to South Georgian Bay where I worked as a line cook at Blue Mountain for a few years. Flash forward a few years…
I am currently a Sous Chef at Low Down working alongside Jeff Beltran and Cassie Mackell. When I was first offered the new position, I didn’t believe them. I thought they were pulling my leg. Turns out they were very serious. I’m very grateful to have met these two individuals and for the opportunity to grow and work alongside an amazing team.
What are your hopes and dreams for Big Trouble in the next 3 years?
I want to share the food I make with everyone! I’ve always really liked hot sauces and after making many recipes and trying new combos, I think that I found the recipe I was searching for. Hopefully, it’ll be bottled in the next 3 years and you’ll be enjoying it on anything and everything.
What makes the perfect hot sauce?
Vivek: In my opinion, the key to making the perfect sauce is finding the balance of flavour and heat. The heat which you can’t bare but also can’t get enough of. My hot sauce recipe goes with everything. Like literally, everything: pasta, burgers, sandwiches, fried chicken, bbq pork belly, fried rice, vegetables, fries etc.
What was the best party you went to and what made it special?
Vivek: The best party that still feels like yesterday was my college farewell party, where I enjoyed some final moments with my buddies The fear of not seeing friends for a long time made it all SO special.
Describe the perfect sandwich:
Vivek: A perfect sandwich combines textures in all the right places. I live by less is more. I love good quality bread layered with lettuce, onion, green pepper, spicy crispy chicken topped with Big Trouble hot sauce. My day is usually made if I’ve found myself consuming the above handheld.
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Follow Vivek on Instagram: @who_bigtrouble + stay tuned on Low Down’s page for pop-up details. SECURE YOUR TAKE OUT SLOT. THANK ME LATER.