A journey par excellence

This Ambala-born Punjabi had started preparing to be an architect and never had the thought about making a career in the culinary world ever crossed his mind. But then as fate would have it, an unplanned decision saw Sanjeev Kapoor apply for the hotel management course at IHM-Pusa with specialisation in catering and nutrition and getting selected. A firm believer in doing something “out of the ordinary and different” from his childhood days, Kapoor, with his hard work and dedication, became the undisputed king of the F&B world. 

“As I come from a family of foodies, I have been always passionate about gastronomy. My mother who cooks well also had her husband cook too. Though a banker, my father always had keen interest in food and cooking. So, when I started in-depth learning about the culinary world at IHM-Pusa, it felt like there’s a ‘well of knowledge’ which had no end. I enjoyed learning more and more about food, its history, science, creativity and other aspects which made me feel this is what I want to do,” says Chef Kapoor.

BUMPY ROAD TO SUCCESS

After IHM-Pusa, Chef Kapoor moved to India’s finest hotel chain, ITDC, where he cooked for the world’s top leaders and royalty alike. “I started working with ITDC and later joined the Centaur Group of Hotels. The experience gathered at both these hotel chains was immense. I consider myself lucky to have worked in varied and contrasting places including Varanasi and New Zealand. I worked hard to reach the position of Executive Chef very early in my career,” shares Chef Kapoor who was 28 when he was awarded the Best Executive Chef of India. “That felt great but it made me think hard as to how I would plan the rest of my professional life,” he says.

Then, in 1992, arrived the life-changing opportunity, of doing an episode of a new TV show on cooking. This was the period when Chef Kapoor had enrolled in a Masters course in Marketing Management at the Narsee Monjee Institute Management Studies and had started learning about positioning, marketing and consumers. “Even though I had to appear for an episode, I contributed towards the show ideation with great zeal. Little did I realise that I was an exception and most chefs were probably too busy to give their inputs or time. I interacted with the TV channel team and was asked to be the food consultant,” shares Chef Kapoor, adding he quickly understood that the viewers would be the reason for the show and if one could keep them engaged, they would keep watching.

“While whatever complexities of cooking I had learnt were good to have by my side as my strength, for a TV show the same strength was an impediment. I decided to show easy-to-cook recipes with little or no complexity and kept the show conversational. Love started to pour from all sides except from chefs who were big names then. I was often mocked for showing recipes not worthy of a good chef but I knew what I was doing,” says Chef Kapoor who chose to stay away from the industry he had once decided to be a part of. For over a decade, not many in the hotel industry knew what he was up to. “Most were under the impression that I was probably struggling with no job and I kept it like that for as long as I could,” he adds. 

Chef Kapoor recalls that at one of the global forums of professional chefs, he was asked to be the keynote speaker. “But the president of the forum told me that he had received a message that Sanjeev Kapoor should not be invited as he appears on TV and is not a chef. I was disappointed that the world should see this attitude from Indian culinary professionals. But I said nothing and just smiled. As the keynote speaker, I received a stellar response and standing ovation for my presentation,” he reminisces, adding that during this entire period there was only one person from the world of hospitality who stood like a rock with him. “He was my one-time boss and mentor, Mr Anil Bhandari whom we lost to Covid-19 a few months back,” he says.

FROM CHEF SANJEEV KAPOOR TO PADMA SHRI CHEF SANJEEV KAPOOR

“I still remember waking up to a call early in the morning from the Ministry of Home Affairs to say that I have been honoured with the Padma Shri award. At first, I thought it was a prank call but then it turned out to be true. I was overwhelmed as I was expecting it sooner or later. But I believe that all things in life happen as they are destined. Here again, Mr Bhandari’s contribution in getting chefs their due is beyond comparison,” says Chef Kapoor adding that while his parents are his inspiration for life, his brother Rajeev has been his guide and his wife Alyona as well as his daughters Rachita and Kriti have been the pillars of strength. “I learn every day and from anyone and everyone. Learning is important. We should not bother as to where it comes from,” Chef Kapoor avers.

BUSINESS INTERESTS

Chef Kapoor tells us that at SKRPL (Sanjeev Kapoor Restaurants Pvt Ltd), they consider themselves largely as a content and expertise organisation with business interests in cookware and kitchen appliances through Wonderchef. “There are food services through Sanjeev Kapoor Restaurants with brands including Signature by Sanjeev Kapoor, value brand The Yellow Chilli, world cuisine brand Grain of Salt, eclectic Sura Vie and Khazana; audio-video content publishing through FoodFood TV channel, Sanjeev Kapoor Khazana YouTube channel and other social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter; audio-video content production company, Khana Khazana Productions for TV shows, ads and digital films; multimedia content publishing through internet through www.sanjeevkapoor.com and Tinychef using AI-enabled voice platforms like Alexa and Google Assistant,” he shares. Not to forget, offering culinary education through online courses on Sanjeev Kapoor Academy and offline through Symbiosis School of Culinary Arts; endorsements; consulting for food and pharmaceutical companies, India entry strategy, events and appearances.

Sura Vie Punjabi Bagh, New Delhi

Chef Kapoor adds that a range of packaged foods under the brand Kitfresh, in a joint venture with Amazon, is being piloted in Bengaluru while health and nutraceutical products based on the goodness of turmeric has recently been launched. “It is a soft lozenge with a globally patented technology for preventive and curative purposes. More nutraceutical products would be launched by year-end,” says Chef Kapoor whose heart, he says, beats for foods from different parts of India. “It is the best and most exciting. Since my work takes me across the world, it is obvious that my learnings are not restricted to only Indian food. I specialise in bringing finesse to home style food which in my view is the real food for the soul,” he puts in.

The Yellow Chilli, Sharjah

INDIAN FOOD PUSH 2.0

Sharing his views on if there can be an Indian food push 2.0 to claim the rightful share of global food exports and trends, Chef Kapoor says, “I think Indian food speaks for itself. Indian spices are already in demand globally as Indian food is now popular everywhere. Thanks to the power of the Internet and the fact that Indians are travelling more and more, not just as visitors but also to work and settle there. Let’s not forget that every sixth person on this planet is an Indian and each is an ambassador of Indian food. Today more than ever, even non-Indians abroad are starting to realise how magical our ingredients are. Most of our supplies have made quite a debut in the foreign kitchens as they are being famed as ‘superfoods’ all across the world. There has been a rise in vegan restaurants and people choosing plant-based products has led us to be more thankful for our Indian pantries, given that most of our desi supplies fall under the vegan category. I have always been a flag-bearer of Indian cuisine and I always encourage budding and successful chefs to understand that our cuisine is a ‘precious gem’ in the culinary world like no other.” 

MAA AUR KHAANA

No Indian kitchen can be complete without mother’s cooking and the story is no different for Chef Kapoor. “There are no second thoughts that I have learned the basics of cooking from my mother, by just being around in the kitchen. My earliest influence of cooking is definitely from the way she cooks. Simplicity in my recipes is thanks to my mother who is a vegetarian and does not even eat garlic. Being a family of foodies, I have grown up seeing her prepare simple yet exquisite, healthy, nutritious and delicious Indian vegetarian delights. Since I saw my father cook while I was growing up, he taught me one of the most imperative things that the kitchens are not limited to women. Men should equally and willingly be its part as much as women are,” he reminisces.

While he loves the kadhi-chawal his mother cooked, masala dosa it is when his wife Alyona is cooking. When he is home and not travelling, Chef Kapoor enjoys cooking for his family. “My daughters never complained during lockdown. They say they were lucky to get stuck at home as they got food cooked by SANJEEV KAPOOR every day,” shares Chef Kapoor. 

FUTURE OF HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

“It is no secret that times have been tough in recent past. Going forward, it will get better. Domestic tourism will flourish and will help in resurgence of Indian culture. To offer authenticity, the industry will bring traditional to the fore and innovate to bring relevance to rich Indian traditions,” he feels.

Fresh, seasonal, local, authentic, relevant traditional and wholesome healthy should be the buzzwords for the Indian F&B sector, he says. “Unheralded yet, Indian food, be it spices or the cuisine per se are the biggest exports from India to the world. We have not made the best of this opportunity as yet which is rightfully ours to such an extent that the Japanese have laid claim to it. If you can, please set the record straight on the latter. We gave pepper to the world and adopted chilli!!!” he explains.

However, the good news is that medicinal value of Indian spices is being understood fast. “Turmeric is one of the most researched plants of our times in the world. We may have been slow in reaching out to the world with our goodness but the world is quickly understanding and seeking all the wisdom from us. Japanese curry is an aberration and let us not brood over it. Foods from India are much beyond than just the curry,” says Chef Kapoor.

That the culinary world has reached new heights makes Chef Kapoor happy. “When I look back, I realise that I have come far from where I started but there’s still loads to do. I have a lot of hope from today’s youth and the coming generations. I’d like to say that never be afraid to try something new! Get out of your comfort zone and go that extra mile with patience, you might tumble in the beginning but the ‘fruits of your labour’ will be really sweet and bring you happiness along with laurels. Take challenges head on, with a smile on your face. Never cease to work hard. Follow your dream and believe in yourself – the world is your oyster! Also, never stop being a student — the more you learn, the more you share and the more you grow,” he says, adding, “The day I cease to learn, I’ll cease to exist.”