Date:05/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/05/stories/2008010561571100.htm

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Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Tennis star prepares some palak paneer

Krishna Velupillai

Maybe I’ll become a chef after tennis: Florent Serra

“This is my first attempt at
trying to cook professionally”

— PHOTO: M. Vedhan

LATENT TALENT: French tennis player Florent Serra switches roles at the Park Hotel on Thursday.

CHENNAI: Tennis player Florent Serra might have inadvertently stumbled upon a new career as gourmet chef as he whipped up some palak paneer and cheese naan at the Park Hotel on Thursday.

Coming from the land of fine Bordeaux wines and exquisite continental cuisine, French player Serra seemed quite at home with the tandoor. “Maybe I’ll become a chef after tennis,” he said with a wide grin.

No fancy footwork, but Serra displayed the same level of concentration on his face as he stirred the spinach gravy to get the consistency just right with just a few directions from the head chef of the restaurant. After meticulously adding some crème to the sauce, he looked up with smile of satisfaction. Voila!

“I hardly cook at home. My girl friend cooks very well and I just enjoy sitting at the table and eating what she makes…emmm…just kidding, I help her of course, but this is my first attempt at trying to cook professionally,” he said, seeming to enjoy every moment of it.

“I like Indian food. The food we have had at the hotel has not been so spicy so I like it a lot. I love the cheese naan,” he said.

Excitement written all over his face, Serra said the experience inside the kitchen of a restaurant was a lot of fun. Serra and the other players have not had much time to go around the city during the tournament.

“I have heard there are a few really good Italian restaurants in the city. I would love to visit them in my free time…let’s see…,” he said.