East West - The Asian American Lifestyle Magazine

By Mandira Banerjee

He’s known as “the Sadist” in the New York restaurant world.

Jehangir Mehta’s desserts are so delectable that no one can resist their power. “If people see my desserts as challenges, then I accept my nickname,” Mehta says, laughing.

Mehta, who grew up in Bombay, is the pastry chef at Aix, a popular upper-Manhattan restaurant that showcases the cuisine of famous French chef Dider Virot.  Mehta’s innovative desserts at Aix — and prior to that at other leading New York restaurants such as Jean Georges, Union Pacific and Virot — have been called revolutionary and delicious.  One of his best-loved desserts is called province salad, which is made of layers of green tomatoes marinated in sugar, candied celery and galia melon from Israel. It became the talk of diners and food critics from The New York Times to Bon Appetit and made him a star overnight. 

Apart from Aix, Mehta spends his time managing his own business, Partistry, where he creates gourmet handmade chocolates, fresh flower-topped wedding cakes and teas, as well as special orders for occasions such as Mother’s Day.  He soon hopes to provide a physical space for his currently online company.

But the most special of all his endeavors is Candy Camp — a workshop where children ages 5-16 can learn about gourmet food and make their own candy at Aix. “This has been the most rewarding experience of all,” he says.  “We started very small over a year ago, and it has grown in a big way.”  Also he has teamed up with the charity Thinking Inside the Box to provide supplies to public schools with the money Candy Camp generates.

Back in the kitchen, Mehta says that he uses his Indian background and training to dream up desserts that use Eastern spices in creative ways. “I don’t like sweet,” he explains.  “So I try to make my desserts a little different from others where the sweet is balanced with something else.”  He also uses flowers such as jasmine and violets to adorn his creations because “flowers give an idea of sweetness.”

Mehta also knows about the sweetness of success, but he says it hasn’t been easy.  “I work seven days a week at the restaurant and at my business,” he adds.  “But I always did what I wanted. I changed six H-1 B visas in six years. Even my lawyer was surprised.” 

“It has been a lot of learning through these years. Sometimes things worked out, sometimes it didn’t. You have to take it all in your stride,” he says.  “I remember after 9/11, Virot closed down. One day we had a job and the next day, suddenly everybody lost everything.”   But still, when asked where he sees himself in five years, the answer is easy — “definitely in New York.”

Provencal Salad with Mint Sorbet and Pomegranate Molasses

(Serves 8)

Provencal Salad

4 large green tomatoes, sliced

2 pounds sugar

2 cups water

8 stalks celery, julienned

2 cups fresh bay leaves

1 small cantaloupe, sliced

Pomegranate Molasses

8 cups pomegranate juice

2 cups sugar

Mint Sorbet

6 bunches mint

8 cups water

1 cup sugar

Place sliced green tomatoes in a bowl and toss with 4 tablespoons sugar. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate for at least 3 hours in the refrigerator. Place the celery, remaining sugar, water and bay leaves into a pot.  Simmer until candied (at least 2 hours).

Pomegranate Molasses — Bring pomegranate juice to a boil in a pot.  Add sugar and simmer for at least one hour until the liquid reduces to a syrupy consistency (coats the back of a spoon).

Mint Sorbet — Boil water. Add sugar and mint.  Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Cool liquid to room temperature. Strain through a china cap, and place strained mixture in an ice cream maker.

The salad is plated in four layers: 1st layer: 1/2 of the sliced green tomatoes; 2nd layer: candied celery; 3rd layer: sliced cantaloupe; 4th layer: remaining sliced green tomatoes.  Drizzle pomegranate molasses around the plate.  Top salad with the mint sorbet.

*Recipe courtesy of Jehangir Mehta and AIX

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