Chai & selfie with Chef Sanjeev Kapoor
When a hall full of people sit in rapt attention and watch kitchenware on ramp for over half an hour, you know you are in a city of foodies. No wonder famous Chef Sanjeev Kapoor decided to launch his kitchenware brand, Wonderchef, in Chandigarh before anywhere else. Bengaluru may be the destination for all start-ups but when it comes to anything related to food, Chandigarh is the hub!
On Tuesday, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor made a quick dash to the tricity bringing the latest offering — Chai Magic, one of the world’s first automatic tea maker designed specifically for Indian-style chai. In a region where chai is not just a beverage but an emotion, this innovation in barsaat is both timely and tailored.
Despite the passing years, the man who made cooking glamorous, hasn’t lost a bit of his charm. If anything, his popularity has only grown. At the event, a massive crowd waited patiently — some for over two hours — for a chance to meet him. And it wasn’t just women swooning and scrambling for selfies. From college-going youth to retired professionals, men of all ages were equally smitten by the humble, ever-smiling chef.
The journey of Chef Sanjeev Kapoor began in the early 90s with the iconic TV show Khana Khazana. Since then, he’s hosted numerous cookery shows, including MasterChef India, Cook Smart, Nutraverse; authored over 200 books, launched a food channel, multiple businesses and opened restaurants across the globe. His latest venture, a social media series, titled Kahani Khazana, is a delightful treasure trove of untold stories from his culinary adventures. Interestingly, Khana Khazana was initially supposed to be called Shriman Bawarchi. Kapoor, however, stood firm and insisted on the now-iconic name change.
Back in the spotlight in Chandigarh, questions came in thick and fast. From ‘Is milk chai harmful?’ to debates on fads, processed food versus home-cooked meals, traditional cooking versus modern appliances — the Padma Shri recipient handled each question with grace, calm and clarity.
“Evolution is the way of life,” he said with a smile. “We all want efficiency. Not many of us are taking a bullock cart to work anymore. Likewise, our kitchens are evolving too.”
Yet, amidst the convenience and speed of modern-day cooking, Kapoor continued to champion the desi ways. His simple mantras are — eat fresh, seasonal, and local; too less of salt is as harmful as too much of it; young people need to sleep more; and, ghar ka khana (home-cooked meals) over restaurant food.
He also warned, “Don’t rely too much on Google — little knowledge is more dangerous than ignorance.”
The world coming together has brought fresher ingredients. “Just like Indian delicacies are taking the world by the storm, India is a huge market, new ingredients are sure making it to our kitchens too," he said. Shaam Savera stays as his iconic dish, avocadoes make it to a chaat!
Born in Ambala, the Chef rarely visits the hometown keeping to his packed schedule. He said, “When I miss something, people fly it to us in Mumbai!”
Chai remained the ‘star’ of the evening. As for the Chef’s favourite — it’s ‘weak’ milk tea: no sugar, with a hint of ginger and cardamom. Calling green tea the ‘garib bahan’ of chai, Chef Kapoor cautioned, “To claim the so called antioxidant benefits of green tea, one needs to have six cups a day!”
As for the Chef, his next project will be a tome on food of India. “New day, new thing,” he walked into the waiting crowd, for more selfies…
Playing favourites
Comfort food: Ghar ka khana, khichri, kadi chawal
Favourite chef: My father
Favourite spice: My wife
Favourite drink: Water
Favourite dessert: Kheer kadam
Favourite restaurant: Khazana at Palo Alto
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