Govindha Govardhan: Perth food guru fuelling Virat Kohli, Indian cricket team ahead of Border-Gavaskar series

He’s the Perth chef that’s been endorsed by Sachin Tendulkar, fed Pakistan hero Wasim Akram and celebrated the 2006/07 Ashes whitewash in the rooms with the victorious Australians.

And now, Govindha Govardhan, aka Gogo, is the man fuelling Virat Kohli and the Indian cricket team ahead of their current cutthroat Border-Gavaskar series.

Kohli trained for a second straight day with his teammates at the WACA Ground on Thursday as a fog of intrigue again descended on Perth ahead of The West Test.

Cricket Australia has been informed a three-day intra-squad workout on the WACA centre wicket starting on Friday will be closed to the public and while media and photographers will be permitted to watch, no TV cameras will be allowed inside the venue.

That is contrary to reports in the Indian media on Thursday stating team management would allow the public to watch the training sessions from Friday to Sunday when they would do match simulation and play a warm-up game against India A.

Govardhan spent two decades catering for the biggest names in cricket during matches in Western Australia, providing the meals behind the legends.

He became so popular players started coming to his restaurant Gogos, now located on Mends Street in South Perth.

Former Indian megastar MS Dhoni even unofficially started the trend of ordering Govardhan’s creations straight to the teams’ hotel.

And while the food guru said he hadn’t had the chance to catch up with the current Indian crop just yet, with the last of the touring party arriving in Perth on Tuesday, he was ready for the orders to start flowing in.

“I’ve yet to meet the boys, but I’m going to host a dinner here, but I just want them to come back and settle down,” he told The West Australian.

“It’ll be discreet. I’ll be very happy to catch up with (Rohit) Sharma and Virat (Kohli), who have become very high-profile players in India. They are heroes in India.

“They give so much to Indian cricket.”

Govardhan even revealed what could be on the menu and said phenomenon Kohli was one of his favourites, alongside Rohit Sharma.

“Virat was pretty much open to all the food when I was cooking, but in recent times I believe he’s become a vegan,” he said.

“The players have started liking Japanese food, and I think it’s become huge. Fortunately, I think I can do some Japanese food. Hopefully, a combination of Indian and Japanese (will be on the menu).”

There’s no doubt regardless of any special orders, Govardhan will be up for challenge, having balanced the demands of the world’s cricket teams.

“I’ve basically done the whole world’s cricket teams,” he said.

“There’s special requirements for every team. Some are very traditional, but it was easy for us to do the catering for Australians because the dietician’s requirements are very clean and clear.

“There’s a white meat, there’s a seafood and there’s a red meat, and then you have some carbohydrates which is pasta and potatoes and the vegetables.

“But the reason I got attracted was because of Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer and a few of the boys like Punter (Ricky Ponting) and Pup (Michael Clarke). I was working with the best of the best of the best of the Australian cricket team.

“So when I made the dishes, I made them more interesting and tasty.

“Visiting team’s requirements would be like halal, no beef, no pork, so there’s quite a lot there, but somehow I managed to put it all together.”