The Mumbai Food Blogger’s form a versatile group of people from different backgrounds sharing a common passion for food.
Mumbai Food Bloggers with Chef Sanjeev Kapoor
Food writing, restaurant/product reviews, food styling, food photography, food consulting, cooking workshops are topics of interest on which you will usually find the members in their element.
6th November, we marked this day as the Mumbai Food Blogger’s Day. Thrilled as we all were to be invited by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and his team to celebrate this day with them. Undeniably, this has been the best ever Food Blogger’s Meet so far.
The Chef is in the Kitchen!
We were in for a cook and chat session. Almost all of us were star stuck and with mounted eagerness to learn form the man who has spent years bringing a modern outlook towards Indian cuisine.
From here on, I summarize my key learnings from our rendezvous.
Creating an aura:
A spectacular dish produced is not just about tasty food. It needs an aura surrounding it, to be presented as a complete package that influences all the senses. The aroma, the flavours, the textures, of the dish together create an experience in itself.
Mushroom Risotto filled Puris with Tomato and Basil soup shots
Science and Art of cooking:
There is an underlying science when it comes to cooking. Like how gluten works in the dough to result in softer chapatis. One may or may not be able to explain the science. One needs to understand the science of cooking to then make it an art.
Focus on ‘art’ or beautifying a dish without understanding the science can have adverse effects on the resulting output.
Understanding ingredients:
Understand the use of ingredients. We have fixed associations in mind and recognise the ingredient by its association with a dish in which it is most commonly used.
For example, cardamom, the first thing that comes to mind will be to create a dessert. However, cardamom in itself has a distinct flavour. It is necessary to distinguish flavours of the ingredients in isolation.
Understand it in depth and detail, its preparation and taste. Learn its impact on the palate. Salt is used to add taste, a little more or less can affect the taste of the dish drastically.
Puris filled with Chocolate pearls with Vanilla coffee shots
Break the rules:
Do something differently, learn something new.
More importantly, to create something, always have an open mind.
Jamun Bhapa Doi
Wrapping up the session, Chef Sanjeev and his team spead out a lavish lunch for us.
A heartfelt ‘Thank You!’ to Rushina for organizing this for us.
Rushina M Ghildiyal with Chef Sanjeev Kapoor
P.S: Wanted to mention a little note stating what Rushina says about Food Blogger’s
Its important to understand that Food bloggers, do what they do out of passion on their time, at their expense & should be recognized as such.
They are not freeloaders who will write for free meals or a way to placate a client when print media does not carry your brand.
Culinary Zeal 
I can’t agree more with Rushina’s observation. I am not an established cook, and the very act of teaching yourself cooking takes much time and commitment, both at a physical and financial level.
That said, the outing seems to have been a phenomenal one. So fabulous that you got to learn from the master of culinary arts.
🙂 Outing was fun, got to learn a lot!