Chef In The Making

If there is a will, there is a way.

This saying fits perfectly when I speak about my love for cooking. In a world where Cooking is generalised as “only meant for women” in our society. I wish to dethrone the idea.

So, when we speak of gender equality then why is it that men as cooks or chefs are limited only to restaurants, hotels, and catering businesses and not at home? In my view, there’s no doubt that cooking is an art but to me, basic cooking is a skill that everyone should learn. I tried it as a skill but now I love it.

How did it all start?

My profession, in the past, allowed me to travel across India. In this process, I learned about the variety of cuisines and food habits, heard from food experts, and tried umpteen delicacies across regions and states. Meeting Royals who are renowned Chefs to food historians. From commoners who started a roadside food stall to earn a living to people who did it just because they were meant to, inspire me. These have made a deep impact on me and have made me restless about the fact that even I can do it.

My love for holding that chopping board and knife to carve out my dream wanted just one chance and the lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic couldn’t be a better opportunity. Watching videos to try my hands on easy-to-prepare recipes gave me much-needed confidence. Plus, an appreciation with the backing of my wife made my dream come true.

Not that I succeeded every time, baking was a weak point and it still is. Deep Frying is what I am scared of. My aim is not to become a celebrity chef, but at least the go-to chef among my loved ones. Yes, I want to turn it into a profession and wish to make a career out of it. I want to see smiles on the faces of the people who taste the food prepared by me.

My favourites

I love preparing Masala Chai and my wife loves Cold Coffee! Being an Indian, I am proud that I can easily prepare basic dishes like Dal (lentil curry), Roti (Indian bread), Pulao (Flavoured Rice), Paratha, and Poha (Flattened rice served as snacks). Apart from these, I have mastered white and red sauce pasts and prepared pizzas, vegetable noodles, and sandwiches.

Beverages and juices are no rocket science, but desserts are the ones that I am trying to learn. My love for fruit-based desserts is not unknown to my family members. I keep trying and experimenting with the different flavours, and keep failing!

Future Plans

As I mentioned, I want to make a career out of my skills, I want to master a handful of recipes. My constant hunger for learning new dishes gives me a lot of confidence. I want to be a chef and a quick-bite café planner and dream of owning one someday!