A passionate affair

Dear Diary

I was talking to Sonu today, and he asked me a question out of the blue... He was like 'what do u want to do in life? Whats your one dream?' then he was like 'Get married, have a happy family, support ur family...right?' and I was like ,'Nope, Yes I do want all that, but thats my desire, my need, my want, but definitely not my dream.. My dream is too serve you that dish, which can make u go feel hungry, even after having a Gourmet cuisine... My dream is to make your food, an experience, not a fancy... My dream is to make you Live to Eat, and not Eat to Live... So jaan, its my restaurant...' and he was like, ' Ahhh!!! so thats what you doing, making your passion your work, so that u never work again...' God!! when will my baby use his original dialogues...Sonu will always copy my dialogues, and will say, 'am learning from the great, consider it my lesson well learnt...' Then very suddenly he was like, 'Why do u love cooking so much?'

And right then he had to hang up, but he gave me fodder for thought...'Yeah I had told you, thinking is such a waste of time, but what to do, an empty brain is devil's workshop, and am the devils advocate, so I can't let my employer stray, can I?

I have been cooking since I was 5...Before that, I remember when Ma used to go in the kitchen to make dinner, I always tagged behind her like an uncute chimp, or an assistant... I distinctly remember Ma hauling me up on the kitchen counter and then cooking... Watching my mom cook, is more than just an experience, you get introduced to a new concept, which is called creating tangible love... Ma's a Bible for cooking...the way she'd cook was mechanical, perfect to a fault, with every ingredient knowing its work, like when you have a party at home, and invite people over, the entire family has their task divided...and everyone performs to the best of their ability, why to make the party a success, and why that? well to have that sense of deja` vu, that feeling of accomplishment, that benchmark which u need to break to climb higher... Well that was just the conspiracy hatched by Ma and her ingredients...

For me it was a more than just a hobby or passion...It meant heritage...I dont strange that I call it heritage, but somehow I feel this is what my Ma passed on to me, that this my tribute to her skills, my homage...
Apart from that, (u know am a little emotional when it comes to Ma, and my relation with her :), so am scared nazar na lag jaaye, isiliye I dont discuss it a lot..), just the thought of creating a dish which essentially makes u forgt all your stress, bring u back alive, ignite a want, make u feel something is what good food is all about.. Its not about exotic dishes from unknown, far fetched places, its not about new cuisines, its not about signature dishes, its about recreating the magic of food... We have forgotten that down the line, why we all work so hard is for food... Its what drives to everything...and somehow we take that for granted... grabbing a bite on our way out, checking for the calorie list, finding things to do at the dinner table... etc etc...but if u notice, the day the food is really to your liking, for that short period of 15 mins or so, till u consume that bit u are lost in a world of sensory pleasures, of sheer delight, away from any coherent thought...Well that's because God made us to enjoy his blessing food... And thats where I step in too cook...I dont want u to recognise that ok this is a trademark my dish, or its the best, its new, its different...I just want u too get so lost in the food u don't acknowledge it, to make it a passion u are guilty about discussing, to be a sense of pleasure which gels in the background of your brain, only to be remembered, when you truly remember happiness and joy..

So I ended up blowing up his cell bill, coz we spoke for nearly one hour on this (ok ok I spoke for an hour), and then we ended up discussing the interiors of my restaurant, my first client would be him, how he'd like me to serve etc etc...It was special...All conversations with him are... but during this conversation one thing was born, his dream project, which touch wood he'll implement..:)

And that dear diary, is the wonder of good food and romancing the food my hobby... I love cooking, it makes me - me...I set myself free, be the true me, for the true to be...:) hence if I have to work then why not cook, I'll make myself happy while spreading the joy....