Chef Joseph's Points of View: Rapid Fire Q&A

Q: After 40 years, how have you evolved?

A: I don't think I've ever stopped evolving. Everyday in the kitchen brings something new. Every cut of meat teaches me something different. Even a capsicum, I never look at it the same way twice. I never take anything for granted.

Q: If you could only keep one cooking principle, what would it be?

A: My principles are honesty towards ingredients and not taking shortcuts. To me, honesty means no waste — respecting every ingredient. We don’t take shortcuts — we do things the right way, every time.

Q: What kind of ingredient excites you most?

A: Something that I've never touched before. The sense of the unknown is what gets me going. When I handle a new ingredient, my mind immediately starts asking: What does it taste like? What spices will it work with? That exploration is the best part of being a chef.

Q: What's the biggest misconception about Indian food?

A: That it's all curry, or all vegetarian. India is a huge subcontinent — every region has its own completely different food culture. The south has coconut and seafood, Goa has sour and spicy Portuguese influences, and Bengal has its own spice logic. "Curry" doesn't even begin to cover it.

Q: For a first-time guest, what do you hope they take away?

A: The festival of flavors. Indian food isn't just about heat — it's about how many spices come together to create layers of flavor. I want the new sensory experience that our menu offers to leave a lasting impression on them.

Q: How has Taiwan influenced your cooking?

A: For sure the influence is there. Most of my guests are Taiwanese, so I'm always observing how they eat. I've noticed they relate to sauces differently, so I'm shifting toward more dry and semi-dry curries — finding ways to make dishes more relatable for the Taiwanese palate.

Q: Which Taiwanese ingredient made you rethink Indian cuisine?

A: Hands-down, tofu. We've made tofu sambar, tofu-skin samosas, and tofu pumpkin curry. Fusing new ingredients has taught me that cooking isn't about inventing from scratch — it's about completely understanding an ingredient and figuring out how to fit it into a flavor framework that you already know.

Q: What do you want guests to remember after dining at Summer Flowers?

A: I feel guests should not only remember the food, but the whole experience — from the conversations and the stories behind the menu to the regional dishes they've never heard of. Our purpose is to let guests gain new understandings of India, I feel that's enough, one meal at a time.

The real answer was never in words. It lives on the plate, in the moment where food and guest finally meet.