Every February, Canadians celebrate Black History Month which consists of festivities and events to honor the legacy of Black Canadians and their communities. The theme for 2022 Black History Month is: ‘February and Forever: Celebrating Black History today and every day,’ which focuses on the daily contributions that Black Canadians make to Canada.

I am a big fan of farm-to-table or farm to fork. I believe in food security, proximity, self-reliance, and sustainability. It is important for us to have a healthy relationship with food. Food is important for us as human beings.

A family that eats together stays together. Eating together allows conversations to happen, it sets a routine, it helps with assigning tasks and allows parents to influence what their children eat. I have known Michelle Marshall for more than a quarter-century. I am proud when my friends do well. Michelle Marshall has raised 5 children, continues to work full time, and runs an amazing catering business. I want to know a little bit more about her and her philosophy. I strongly recommend her for any of your parties.

Michelle, an honor to have a chef, mother, wife, and a woman of faith on my blog. Tell my audience something important about you?

I love listening to people’s stories, especially over a great meal. I also love rainstorms.

What inspired you to become a chef?

To be honest for a long time I did not consider myself a chef. That is a title that others have given me for the work I have done. My first choice of career was to become a psychologist, but at the time my family couldn’t afford that education. Instead, I went to school for Culinary Management because I really enjoyed cooking. I cook because that is my expression of love and care for others.

Name three ingredients you consciously avoid or eliminate even when the recipe calls for it?

Margarine, all vegetable oils, and flour. These ingredients each cause inflammatory responses in the body, and there are natural health-supporting alternatives.

Name three things you have to use in most recipes?

Coconut oil, scotch bonnet pepper, and lemon zest (and juice). A heart-healthy fat; flavor and fire; and that added ingredient to brighten up the flavors in most dishes.

How important is eating meals together as a family to you?

Eating together as a family is a key to helping us stay connected. Our meal times are very loud with lots of teasing and joking. The challenge that we face is making time with all our different schedules. But we are fighting to make it happen as often as we can.

What are your favorite regional cuisines or specific foods?

Indian food certainly, followed by Hakka. The love and care that go into Indian food flavors are beautiful. Similarly, the combination of Indian and Chinese influences in Hakka is addictive.

I should also mention that I love Caribbean food – especially Jamaican food because of my roots.

Over the years, I have catered events that have required me to prepare Ukrainian, Korean, Chinese, Canadian, Trinidadian, Jamaican, Portuguese, Italian Greek, and Ecuadorean dishes for very discerning audiences.

One of my new pursuits is to learn traditional cultural dishes from various elders. This summer I had a great education in Indian cooking from a mother and daughter team. I recently blogged about that exciting experience. 

If you could have any four people, from anywhere over for dinner, who would they be and why?

Firstly, my Grandmother has passed. She was the best cook and the kindest person.

Maya Angelou, because I would love to cook with – and listen to – her.

Michelle Obama, because she is a great mother and I would love to learn from her.

Nelson Mandela, because of his humility and forgiveness of others were so inspiring.

If you could just banish any one food, from the earth, what would it be?

I would banish hydrogenated fats because they have no redeeming nutritional qualities. They mainly exist because factory-produced foods require cheap fats to extend their shelf-life.

What’s the one superpower wish you had?

The ability to heal.  Of course, that would lead to lineups around the corner and very little sleep. I have also always wanted to be able to sing well.

I have been dying to ask you this one question. How did you manage five kids in the home?

I would like to say that we are super-organized and it is easy, but the truth is that it is really hard to meet the ever-changing needs of 5 very different people. We do our best, but the pressures of raising children in the digital age (where everything is available to them on their cell phones) is challenging. We try to be vigilant, present, and open with our kids. On the practical side, they all have their responsibilities around the house, and everyone cooks and can help with meals. That helps a great deal with the daily tasks because both my husband and I work full-time. We are grateful for the 5 beautiful souls that we have gotten to grow alongside for the past 18 years.

I want you to give my audience three tips on how to be a great loving mother, an awesome humble wife, how to cook a quick meal for a family?

My new goals, because they have changed over the years, are to learn to give unconditional respect, communicate openly (even if I have to write in a journal to get my thoughts across), and seek ways to be lovely to my husband.

3 quick meal tips:

• Start with what you have
• Reinvent leftovers
• Use fresh vegetables, not meat, as the star of your meal

How did you have time for yourself?

Time for myself is best spent in the company of good friends. Whether it is a walk or a cup of tea, being with people who I love fills up my emotional cup.

What was your greatest failure and what did you learn from that?

My greatest failure has always been trying to be what people want me to be, instead of being who I really am. No one wins in those situations. People deserve the choice to love me for who I am, rather than the person I think they want me to be.

Walk me through something challenging you have been through in life and what did you do to overcome it and thrive on the other side of the tunnel?

18 months ago, my father-in-law had a life-altering stroke. During his recovery, I felt helpless to do anything to support both him and my mother-in-law. Calling to check in on them, or suggesting snow removal services wasn’t enough.

At that time, I started to explore the healing properties of food. That began my journey into the field of culinary nutrition. With the support and encouragement of my husband I researched and signed up for an intensive culinary nutrition course. In the 18 months since my father-in-law’s stroke, we have moved them into a condo from their home of 35 years, and I have gone back to (and finished) school. We then renovated our home and moved 3 times in 6 weeks. That renovation was to allow me to teach culinary nutrition cooking classes. I will also be doing catering from the new space with a focus on using whole foods to promote better health.

The learning curve to begin this new endeavor is huge, but it has been worth it. What once was a situation that felt hopeless is now filled with possibilities. I can now help people to find food solutions for their health challenges.

Although I have been in the food industry for decades, coming through this challenging period is the story behind Michelle Marshall’s Food Solutions.

If I want you to cater to 20 guests who are vegans, have allergies, and are on the Atkins diet, can you pull it off for me?

[Laughs] Admittedly, you might want to have them over on separate nights! Yes, I can pull it off, but that dinner party would be a tough one. The vegans might be offended by all the meat the Atkins guests are eating, and nuts would be out of the question if some guests are allergic.

Personally, I would start by excluding everything that causes an allergic reaction, and then find out what foods people love. It would probably be a vegan menu, but it certainly can be done.

We have covered food; the family now let’s talk about faith. I believe we need more unconditional love in this world and less judgment. Do we have something in common?

Unconditional love in practice is a beautiful thing. We all need it, but it is hard to give. It is the one thing that is able to cross every boundary and bring peace both to the giver and the receiver.

Forgiveness and gratitude go a long way in this life and being joyful. Please comment?

Forgiveness frees us from the bondage that is always threatening to enslave us. Around every corner, hate is trying to grab a hold of us, but forgiveness is freedom.

At the heart of every truly joyful soul is gratitude. The amazing thing is that gratitude goes beyond our circumstances and sees the beauty in even the smallest kindnesses and gestures.

Peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, compassion…. universal qualities. What does your faith say about these things?

My faith says that peace, patience, kindness, gentleness are all attributes of love. Not a feeling, but actions that we take into our daily lives to protect our hearts – and the hearts of those we encounter. Love is a choice we make to treat others as we would desire to be treated.

The post Michelle Marshall: Chef listening to People’s Stories appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

Gordon Ramsay the British chef, television personality, and restaurateur has been awarded 16 Michelin stars. Ramsay is the most influential chef in the UK. His reality television is sprinkled with his temper, sauteed with profanity, garnished with an eccentric demeanor, and finished with his sense of humor. The personality behind Hell’s Kitchen, Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares, The F Word, and 24 Hours to Hell and Back has a vast presence in Vegas.

Gordon Ramsay brings his magic, pizzazz, and fiery personality to Las Vegas with Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill, Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips, Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen, Gordon Ramsay Burger, and Gordon Ramsay Steak.

I want to try the ultimate restaurant in Ramsay’s chain The Gordon Ramsay Steak, Las Vegas located at the Paris hotel. The restaurant has a dining environment that is set in the Paris casino which is modern and high-powered. The fine dining experience of London is transported to Las Vegas’s Paris Hotel mixed with Ramsay’s signature dishes.

As you enter Gordon Ramsay’s  Steak Restaurant, located at the Paris hotel, you are guided through an architectural depiction of the Chunnel station in London, symbolic of crossing over from France to England. The Union Jack flag and the red neon sculpture portray the dim of Ramsay’s hand movements when making his trademark Beef Wellington.

The roofing of the trendy steakhouse is smothered with the Union Jack Flag.  The bar is seductive and magnetic. The lounge is enticing and captivating. The two-story dining area is beguiling but allows you to sit back and relax. The high rollers can book a private dining room or book a chef’s table and see the chefs practicing their art.

The waiters and busboys leave you alone. They give you space. They are decked. However, I like the ambiance. It is not snooty. The busboy pours you water and brings an amazing assortment of bread.

The waiter takes our drink orders. I tell him to choose a red, rose, and a virgin cocktail of his choice. I get a glass of the 2015 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Debbie gets the rose and Jean gets the virgin cocktail.

The red with the bread tastes like Manna.

For starters Debbie tries the oysters, I order the Ceasar Salad and Jean orders the vegetable soup.

Finally what the carnivores like Debbie and Jean have been waiting for. The meat trolley arrives. Every cut imaginable is available. Debbie points to the tomahawk. They want it medium with vegetables and macaroni and cheese. The steak is perfect.

I am full after the meal. The waiter insists I try the sticky toffee pudding cake. I am like OK.

The dessert was worth flying all the way to Las Vegas. It was extraordinary.

I was impressed with the ambiance. The service blew me away. The drinks were out of this world. The food was delicious. I pay for experiences. Gordon Ramsay’s Steak Restaurant in Las Vegas delivered.

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Julia is the Pastry Chef at Eden at the Rimrock Resort in Banff Alberta Canada, 5 Diamond BCAA rating, one of three 5 diamond restaurants in Canada. She grew up in Victoria, British Columbia, and started cooking at 19 years old. She did a 4-year apprenticeship while completing her Culinary Certification at the Hotel Grand Pacific in Victoria’s downtown core.  She has lived in 3 different provinces and worked in luxury hotels across Canada, as well as training under a Michelin star pastry chef in Ontario.  When not in the kitchen, you can find her at the CrossFit gym, or at home working on whatever project that she is momentarily obsessed with. At the moment she is taking some online courses in food journalism and Adobe Photoshop to build her skills and improve a baking blog she started last year.  To honor all the employees who have lost their jobs in the hospitality sector due to COVID, I want to highlight some of these talented people.

Julia welcome, what made you decide to become a pastry chef?

I started my career as a cook. I spent 5 years working my way up through the ranks of the restaurant – prep cook, garde mangier, entremetier, and saucier. I finished my culinary red seal and did a few competitions – Chaine de Rotisseurs and Hawksworth Young Chefs scholarship. I decided to leave the line and switch to pastry because I liked the creativity it offered. Generally, a pastry chef gets to create their own menus, whereas line cooks and sous chefs do not. It is also a totally different skill set in regards to technique and that was something I wanted to learn. 

As a pastry chef, where do you get your inspiration from when making desserts?

I get a lot of my ideas from memories – things I would make with my family as a kid, a dessert a person I know loves, or a place I have been and I try to recreate that memory with flavors. I made one dessert entirely out of corn when I was in Ontario to reflect the farmland that was near the restaurant. Another example is a chestnut mont blanc with gingerbread ice cream because we always play “the Christmas song” while making gingerbread cookies as children. I also get ideas for recipes and presentations from the previous chefs I have worked with and books like “The Elements of Dessert” and “So good magazine”. And there is always Instagram. Instagram is a stellar tool to get some ideas going. 

Name me some of your favorite ingredients you like to work with as a pastry chef?

At the moment my favorite ingredient to work with is Ruby Chocolate – It is quite unique as it is a newly discovered chocolate that is naturally pink with a light, fruity flavor profile. It is relatively new to the Canadian market and I am quite excited about this new type of chocolate to play with. 

Walk me through a day in the pastry kitchen?

The first thing I do is get bread going. I pull any dough made the previous day and let it rise for service. I feed the sourdough culture and make the starter for our sough dough and multigrain bread that needs a 24 hr fermentation period. Then I make raisin bread that will rise for at least 8 hours before continuing the fermentation in the fridge overnight. After that, the sourdough and whole wheat doughs are kneaded from the previous days’ starter for the next day’s service. 

Next, I check our take-home gifts – a hand-made Twix bar made with shortbread & salted caramel and enrobed in chocolate. I usually make 60 – 120 bars at a time depending on business levels. 

After that, I start topping up our desserts and make any components that will be needed before assembly. This includes a hazelnut cake, praline caramel and hazelnut mousse for the hazelnut entremets, lemon fluid gel and honey parfait, sweet pastry, cheesecake, mirror glaze all need to be made before assembly. I make ice cream and sorbet a day in advance as it needs to freeze solid before being put through the paco jet. 

Next is petite fours – we serve each guest 3 petite fours at the end of their meal and I like to have a rotating, seasonal menu for this that changes often. Sometimes I make hand-painted bonbons, a variety of pat de fruit, fudge in rotating flavors, toffee, and other confections. We also serve a selection of coffee service items that I rotate as well. Gingerbread and mincemeat tarts for Christmas, ruby chocolate dipped shortbread, Financier, and other treats. 

Lastly, I top up the garnishes for each dessert as these take the least amount of time. Poached fruit, fluid gels, tempered chocolate work, creams, and crumbs. 

On days that I have a bit of extra time, I sort out and test ideas for upcoming menus. 

In short, pastry takes a lot of planning. Start with the jobs that take the most time, like bread, then anything with a multi-step process. Next are items that need time to set overnight before being processed or cut, and lastly, jobs that are quick. 

Help me understand how the mentality is changing toward women in the kitchen?

Honestly, it really depends on who you’re working with and how you decide to present yourself. I believe it is both parties’ responsibility to influence change. I find with the younger generation of chefs, there is equal opportunity for men and women, hard work is rewarded and promotions are given to those putting in effort regardless of gender. But in saying that I have also worked with some older chefs that refuse to put a woman on the hotline, touch meat or move out of a commis position. There was one chef that called me “sweetheart” instead of learning my name, but even then, I still had every opportunity to advance if I worked hard. I think some of the certain behavior is used to test people, see what they are made of. The boys get yelled at, and the girls are underestimated. Kitchens are high-stress environments and if you can’t take being treated poorly sometimes it probably isn’t for you, and that goes for both men and women.  At the end of the day, the kitchen needs hands, and nobody cares what gender those hands are attached to. 

Talk to me about what women empowerment means to you?

Empowerment is allowing yourself and others to pursue what is meaningful for personal success.

To empower another person is to encourage them to try new things, make mistakes, learn something and celebrate their success. It is a process of trying, failing, refining, and trying again. 

What are your future goals?

This is a tough one, there are a lot of things I would like to do. For now, I want to continue building my skills as a pastry chef, as well as working on my food writing and photography skills through Instagram and blogging. I would love to work abroad, and maybe write a book down the road.  

How do you cope with the long hours in the kitchen?

There was one job I worked at last year, it was a brand new hotel opening with a full-service restaurant. That was probably the hardest job I have had when it came to long hours. In my first few weeks, I worked from 9 am to 11 or 12 pm for 13 days straight. When things settled down we all continued to work 12 hour days 5 days a week. I learned a lot about myself and others, and we really bonded as a team. A good team definitely makes the long days easier. Right now I am at a new restaurant and the hours are much better, still long days here and there but not every day. I think the most important thing for me when it comes to dealing with long stretches is making time for myself. I do my best to stick to a weekly schedule of going to CrossFit a few days a week before work as well as having a project or two on the side so I feel like I still have a life, and that I am working towards my personal goals as well. Over time, a person gets used to the long days in some respect. There is a flow to the season; work hard in the summer and chill in the winter. 

Can you also talk about something challenging you have been through and how you dealt with it?

I think my biggest challenge was dealing with my own lack of self-confidence and the depression that went with it. It controlled my life for quite a few years and stopped me from doing what I wanted and experiencing life in a happy way. At that time my life was just working (5 am shifts) coming home in the afternoon and sleeping, I basically did nothing with my life outside of work for like, 3 or 4 years. Its probably going to sound silly, but I started watching youtube videos with themes around living your best life, and Jordan Petersons 12 rules for life and started applying those principles to mine, one at a time. Eventually, I started setting goals and actually accomplishing them and over time it has completely changed my views. 

If you had a choice to get rid of a few ingredients in the pastry kitchen what would those be and why?

As a pastry chef, I make everything from scratch, so each ingredient serves a purpose in a recipe and to simply omit one would yield a different product. The trend these days leans to vegan and gluten-free baking, and if thoughtful swaps are made to replace eggs, butter, and flour, a product can be made, but it will never be the same as the original. Baking is a series of formulas and each ingredient is there for a reason because someone has tested it and found that this recipe was the best way to make it. 

If I had to get rid of something, it would probably be convenience products like fake flavored syrups. It is easy enough to make your own infusions. 

Any special music you listen to you while working?

I don’t usually listen to music when I am working – sometimes I’ll listen to chill step, electronic music and sometimes I listen to podcasts. 

Some Rapid Fire Questions:

Favorite food – Any type of fresh seafood – oysters, scallops, salmon, and sushi. Sushi is the best. 

Favorite drink – A latte from discovery coffee.

Favorite dessert – Cheesecake, but I think most people love cheesecake. 

Tequila in dessert – I’m not really a tequila person, If I use alcohol in desserts I usually go for rum or Grand Marnier.  

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Janak Bhawnani, Vice President of Operations at Easton Group of Hotels talks about the hotel business and what to look for when you eat in a restaurant.

Janak, whenever I ask you about the hotel business, you tell me you are in the business of hotels not in the hotel business please explain?

At hotel school, it was all about being the maître d’maison, giving service, treating guests with care. It was never driven by the bottom line, but about guest satisfaction first and money second.   In the past, hotels were owned by the brands or by families that were proud to own the assets and they passed on the know-how and reputation from one generation to another.

Today, we have schools teaching students the “business” of hotels earning them the BBA & MBA designations.  It is all driven by the institutionalization of our trade. More and more REITs and pension funds are buying up the assets and are keeping them for a shorter period of time only to extract value and then sell to the next highest bidder.  The Joie the Vivre, maitre d’maison concept is less existent as it is all driven by the bottom line.

At your hotel you run a big food and beverage department, how important is food to your business?

Food is a very important component of our business at my current hotel. We are a big box; convention hotel and the food is about 30% of our overall revenues.  With people becoming world travelers, it is important that we cater to varying palates, hence our offering has to be geared seasonally to inspire our guests to dine with us consistently and use our catering facilities regularly.

As you enter your fourth decade in hospitality how has food changed?

Food is no longer just for eating and surviving.  It is now an experience! Chefs today are getting younger and more experimental.  We have a huge number of restaurants that serve “inspired”, “fusion” or “trendy” cuisine from around the globe. With human movement around the world increasing, so has the dynamism in the culinary world.  Gen X and the millenniums are so well-traveled and well versed with food and are internet savvy that they can make or break a restaurant’s reputation.

When you design a menu and source food do you keep local purveyors in mind?

Absolutely! We think global but also use most local purveyors. This is to keep the local economy strong. It also helps with consistency & freshness.  Examples: – tomatoes from Leamington, meat from Bruce County, foods and fruits from Foodland Ontario.

Fads come and go in food, what is something that will always be consistent?

I strongly believe that good quality fresh comfort food will always be in demand. In this part of the world, steak, salad, Chinese food, pizzas, and pasta will always remain in demand.

As a GM what do you eat daily to stay healthy and have the energy to work the long hours?

I eat a small breakfast of coffee and whole-wheat toast, a cup of soup and salad or a sandwich for lunch and an early dinner freshly prepared by my wife keeps me going for a 12-14-hour day.

You have bought and sold a few restaurants, what are the advantage of a franchise rather than starting on your own?

A franchise has a higher success rate as it is a proven system. They train you about the product, marketing, how to deal with staff, other aspects of their daily activities and give ongoing support to the business for success.

Franchises bring brand awareness with their names from day one. The customer knows what they are getting which will help increase sales. By buying a franchise, you are actually buying a turnkey business that is ready and waiting for you to start. Negatives are:  Fees for buying the franchise and ongoing fees that you need to pay to a franchiser. The entrance fees are usually very high and there are fixed costs every month/year for using the brand name. Also, you have no freedom to change the product line, the decoration of the store or anything else in a franchise system. It is very restrictive and you need to follow certain rules in order to protect your franchise license.

To start one’s own, you need innovation and creativity. Do it if you are a highly creative person full of different ideas and you want to make these ideas a reality. This will allow you professional freedom and growth. When you have your own business, you can work anytime you want. Also, depending on your business, you can work anywhere you want. You don’t need to report to other people.

Be careful of a higher failure rate, unfortunately, startups have a higher failure rate compared to franchise businesses. One in four fails within their first year, half of the remaining fail within five years and approximately 30 percent of the remaining in the last ten years. Therefore, it is very risky to launch a startup.

How you find balance with your job and your family?

Over the years I have learned that both have to be in harmony to be successful. I as a rule do not talk about work with family and family at work. This helps me focus and make sure that I give 100% to each. Also, I use my outlook calendar to its fullest as I schedule my days and try not to change so that I do not miss any milestones in both.

One of my readers wants to know what to look for in a restaurant when they go out to eat?

When trying new restaurants look for harmony; in the décor, ambiance, service, food quality, presentation and of course imagination of the chef. Did it deliver what it promised!

Photo Credits: Kristian Angelo Nick Fewings Elle Hughes bantersnaps Monika Grabkowska Eugene Stephanie McCabe Alessandro Cavestro

The post What to Look for in a Restaurant When You Go Out to Eat appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

Introduction

After the COVID restrictions are lifted, we will all be dining out more often. I have outlined a few rules that will help you have an amazing restaurant experience.

Customer service is the main ingredient of an amazing restaurant experience. As customers, we expect the service to be friendly, personalized, be given suggestions based on our preferences, amazing food, out of this world presentation, dynamic ambiance, and great decor. However, as a customer, if you follow these strategies you will have a killer restaurant experience no matter what happens.

Make a reservation

A restaurant plans staffing, food preparation and everything else based on reservations. If you show up on a busy night without a reservation, chances are you will not get a seat. If you make a reservation and do not want to go, please cancel the reservation. Through reservations, the workflow is managed more efficiently and you get better service.

Check the menu online before visiting

It is important to check the menu online. In other words, you know if it has gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian or other options. As a result, you do not spend a whole bunch of time looking at the menu and are not sure what you want.

Be on time

Arrive on time. The manager has scheduled the reservations so that the service and kitchen have enough time to give you the best service.

The waiter is not your servant

It is important to know that the waiter is not there to meet your every whim and fancy. The waiter is there to make sure you have a great dining experience. Treat them with respect and you will get great service.

Go with a positive attitude

This is the most important aspect of going to a restaurant. Be positive. Go out there to have fun. Therefore, if you are looking to fill your Yelp or Trip Advisor review, you will not have a great experience. Do not go to the restaurant to take out your frustration on the waiter.

Do not ask to change the food

The menu is designed by the chef for maximum flavor. Do not ask to change the dish completely. Some modifications might be possible.

Spend money

Never go to a restaurant and be a scrooge. You see if a waiter is working from 5 to 9 pm, he is depending on having a guest from 5 to 7 and another from 7 to 9. Waiters work for tips. Waiters make below minimum wages. As a result, if you are just having a drink or a slight snack go to the bar instead.

If there is an issue let the server know

It is possible that many things can go wrong. If the food was not good or something is wrong, let the server know right away. The issue can be resolved. You will probably not be charged for the food, get a discount, get a free dessert or get a gift certificate for your next visit. But please do communicate.

The server and chef are human

The chef and waiter are human. Most chefs work sixty to eighty-hour weeks. The waiter is on his feet for eight hours and has probably not had a meal. Be patient, kind, gentle and considerate.

Tip well

I recommend fifteen percent to start with. The waiter has to give anywhere from five to seven percent of the total bill to the back house to be shared. Remember, waiters have good memories. Tip them well and they will go a mile to make your restaurant experience amazing.

Enjoy your visit to the restaurant, follow these strategies and you will have an amazing restaurant experience.

Photo Credits: Mojo Jojo  Louis Hansel  Persnickety Prints  Brooke Cagle Sasha • Stories Pablo Merchán Montes Adam Jaime Clay Banks Priscilla Du Preez Jonathan Borba Crew

The post 10 Strategies to a Killer Restaurant Experience appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

Priya a pleasure to talk to a foodie. What got you into food?

My life has always revolved around food. In my growing up years, I would love to observe people around me cook food. Be it my grandmom, mom, dad, and even my neighbors. I would just be observing them and taking it all in. Then my college helped me get into the science of food. I studied Foods and Nutrition as part of my curriculum for 4 years during my graduation in Home Science. There has been no looking back since then. Initially, it was all about playing host and making new and different dishes for my family and friends. However, the last 4 years have also been about how to make a living out of it!

I love your IG handle. How do you get your inspiration?

Instagram and Pinterest are my go-to social media channels for inspiration.

I enjoy coming up with ways to adapt dishes into a vegetarian/vegan format.

I love watching cooking shows. Learning cooking techniques from experts and learning about food from other cultures is so much fun!

Another thing I love doing is talking to elderly people and getting to know the stories behind certain dishes/recipes that have been in the family for generations. It can be quite fascinating!!

Also, there are so many wonderful food bloggers out there who inspire me to do better every single day.

Food photography is my new found passion.

In my case, I have chosen my hobby and passion to be my profession – but burnout is a real thing! So, I try to keep it interesting by doing all of the things mentioned above to make sure I don’t lose my interest and creativity.

Do you focus on vegetarian food only from the south or the entire part of India?  

Cookilicious focusses on vegetarian and vegan food from across the world. It is not just limited to (South) Indian cooking. My roots lie in Indian cuisine, but I love eating and cooking multi-cultural cuisine.

Name me five ingredients that you cannot do without? On the other hand, five ingredients or vegetables that you could do without?

I cannot do without Instant noodles, but since they don’t count as vegetables or ingredients, here are my top 5 pantry staples in no particular order –

Potatoes, turmeric, paprika or chilly powder, garam masala, and garlic.

I can’t seem to think of anything I can do without it.

Can Indian vegetarian food become vegan without the ghee or its not the same flavor?

Yes, it very well can. In fact, many of our foods are naturally vegan. But, I feel, these swaps are a minor differentiating factor when you are making a big lifestyle change. Coconut oil or sesame oil (depending on the recipe) works as a great substitute for ghee in Indian dishes.

Priya, what does women empowerment mean to you? 

That is a loaded question.

Female empowerment to me means the power (and freedom) of choice!

A woman should have the choice to make her own decisions without being judged by society.

Be it a choice of education, career, consent, a life partner, or even children, a woman must have the power to choose for herself!

If a woman can take a stand for herself without any fear of society, that’s empowerment.

How is the modern Indian woman different from her mother and grandmother?

In my opinion, the modern Indian woman is okay with not doing it all and accepting there are things she can’t or even won’t do.

There’s a different thought process gaining traction now. It’s okay for a woman to focus on herself and her career.

The idea that it is the woman’s job to manage the house and raise the children, and that her career comes after is slowly going away.

I think that’s a key difference. There’s more freedom of choice for women these days.

Talk to me about some of the things you want seeing changed in the Indian culture? 

Over the years, there have been a lot of positive changes happening in Indian culture. But misogyny, discrimination, and inequality still exist and that is a harsh reality.

I would really like to see any kind of discrimination (based on gender/religion/caste) go away. Equality is the way forward – for every man, woman, and child.

Talk to me a little about your faith, the special feasts, and how you celebrate them?

While I am not very religious – I have inherited a sense of tradition from my parents. I do celebrate most Indian festivals.  I see every Indian festival like Christmas or Thanksgiving –  a time to create special memories with family and strengthen familial bonds.

Since our families live in India – here in the United States, my husband and I celebrate these festivals with our closest friends. On these special days, I tend to cook dishes that are more traditional in nature – those that I’ve seen my mother prepare when I was a child.

To give you an example, Diwali is a very famous Indian festival. It is called the Festival of Lights. As with other Indian festivals, Diwali has a religious connotation and signifies the triumph of light over darkness, It is an official holiday in India. On this day, people wear new clothes specially purchased for this festival. Delicious food is cooked and families will usually meet up with each other. The festival is also associated with fireworks, so children and adults alike will wake up at the crack of dawn to set off fireworks.

On this day, I will clean the house, prepare a traditional Indian meal, go to the temple, and in the evening, have friends over so everyone can set off fireworks and then have dinner. By doing this, it gives everyone a chance to relive their childhood memories and to connect with each other.

For the children especially, it is an opportunity to get to know their culture and roots.

You have been chosen to cook vegetarian food for the four living US presidents. I want to know a soup, starter, main course, and dessert you will cook for them?

It would be such an honor if this really happens someday. I would probably serve them the following dishes, one from each corner of India.

Soup – Rasam Soup Shots – Rasam is a dish from the South of India. It’s a hot and spicy lentil soup made with tomatoes, curry leaves, and tamarind.

Starter – Mini Vada Pav Sliders – Vada Pav is a famous street-food from Mumbai (West India). It’s a bite-sized fried potato pattie wedged between mini burger buns that are smeared with a mix of sweet, spicy, and tangy chutneys.

Main Course – Kadai Paneer – Kadai Paneer is a dish from the North of India. It features paneer cubes marinated in a rich and creamy onion-tomato gravy. This dish is served with Naan – Indian flatbread, and Jeera Rice – an aromatic side dish made with Basmati rice, cumin seeds, and ghee.

Dessert – Rose flavored Sandesh  – A famous dessert from Eastern India made with paneer and rose syrup.

The post Cookilicious All the Way appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

Shagun Mehra was named as one of the top 5 craftspeople in India in the luxury edition of Fortune Magazine. Shagun is a fifth-generation hotelier, a game-changer female chef, and a trailblazer.  A graduate of Switzerland’s renowned Ecole Les Roches, she fine-tuned her culinary skills at Paris’ Le Cordon Bleu.

Shagun recently cooked with Xavier Pellicer in Spain at his Restaurant Xavier Pellicer, which was named the Best Vegetable Restaurant in the World.

Shagun is presently a full-time director at Surya Palace Hotel Vadodara – the flagship property of the Jindal Group of Hotels – having taken the baton from her father. She is also Director of Cuisine at the luxury award-winning resort Coco Shambhala.

Shagun, I consider it an honor and privilege to have you on my blog.  Help me understand your love for food, wine and joie de vivre. How did it all start?

I’m a hotelier’s daughter. I’m a 5th generation in the business of food. So, I guess it runs in my veins. I’m naturally drawn to it and I feel like ingredients and wine speak to me. The complexity intrigues me in the most natural ways. So, I studied Hotel Management at Ecole Les Roches, Switzerland, and then polished my culinary skills at Le Cordon Bleu, Paris.

I have traveled to more than 30 countries and people always link Indian food to a Balti curry or Butter Chicken. Please elaborate that Indian food is a lot more than that?

Indian food is one of the most diverse cuisines on this planet. Every 100 kilometers is a new cuisine. Hence its complexity lies in the many regional dishes that span across India. So, I think it’s greatly unfair to just narrow it down to a few dishes like Butter Chicken & Balti Curry.

Let’s talk about organic food. What is your take on it and do you use it in your kitchen?

India is a land of villages and agriculture. We grow our own grains, vegetables, and fruits. It is only the bulk supermarket-sourced stuff that is full of fertilizers and pesticides. I serve and eat what the farmer grows for himself and his family. I do my best to source my produce from the farms. I know it may not be certified organic, but India is still heading slowly towards this trend, whereas it is easiest to source fresh produce in villages of Goa and Maharashtra where I live and work.

In Indian culture, becoming a chef is not the first choice. Is that attitude changing?

What you say is true. Especially for a woman. We are expected to be domestic cooks, but the idea of a woman heading a kitchen is still rare. This is changing but still quite slow. Not many well-educated people opt for cooking as a professional chef, because in the past it was a job associated with menial labor. Today you will find a good few chefs going towards a culinary career because it is an exciting space, but there is so much more room for many more.

I want to know three ingredients you do not like to use in your kitchen and three that you love?

Ingredients I don’t like:

Broiler Chicken

Canned or Processed Foods

Free Flowing Processed Bleached Salt & Sugar

Ingredients I love:

Homegrown micro-greens

Seasonal Vegetables & Fruits, indigenous to the area

Fresh Fish & Seafood that come alive into the kitchen

What does women empowerment mean to you?

When a woman can make decisions for herself that are true to herself. When she is not obliged to cultural and social barriers. Women empowerment is when a woman can stand equal to a man in having ambition and seeing it through. When she can decide exactly what is right for her.

How have marriage and motherhood changed you?

It has made me more sensitive towards the immense inner strength I carry. I have learned to prioritize family and work simultaneously, juggling with them both while living my dream. It is quite a feat. Most men miss this opportunity because pregnancy and motherhood are great lessons on sacrifice but also stealth. This is a big gift that we women are bestowed with.

What advantage does a female chef bring into a commercial kitchen?

Women are natural cooks. We are instinctive by nature. We naturally multi-task hence we can manage better. We are better organized and systematic and because of the years of struggle before us, we are deeply self-driven and motivated to prove a point most to ourselves and then to the others. This makes women great chefs.

You were in Spain recently, cooking. Walk me through that experience what did you learn, what did they learn from you?

I realized how evolved Spanish Gastronomy and philosophy truly is. I learned the importance of respecting the simplest of ingredients and allowing their flavor to shine. I learned to not chase exotic expensive ingredients and take pride in the rich bounty of my own surroundings. I learned about respecting most the people that work for me, and how important they are to my success. I understood that social media is a platform of the future and that it will be crucial for chefs like myself to get the word out through this medium. I learned the art of using restraint in cooking when I want to overpower my food with flavor and multi ingredients. I learned the art of finesse in plating. I learned a world of important food language.

The Spanish learned the beauty of Indian Spices and ancient cooking techniques. They realized the diversity of plates we offer in one meal. They found Indian food a kaleidoscope of robust and delicate flavors marrying together. Most of all they learned how exciting vegetarian food can be!

How important is eating meals together as a family to you?

I love it when my family and friends sit around the table and share food and stories. As a child, I learned most about food by listening to my parents discuss the nuances of a perfect ‘phulka roti’ and how the cumin seeds in the ‘Jeera Aloo’ shouldn’t have been burnt. Its a time of learning, enjoyment, and bonding. It must be done, even if not daily.

Rapid Fire:

Favorite city – Barcelona

Favorite food -Indian Regional

Favorite dish- Khichdi, kadhi, homemade pickle, eggplant potato bhaji, Rajasthani papad & home-made curds

Best wine pairing with chicken curry – Palo Cortado Sherry

Best wine pairing with Indian veg food – German Riesling

Given a choice to cook for four favorite people who would you pick and why?

Chef Alain Passard – He loves Indian Regional Food and gained 3 Michelin stars mastering vegetables

Leonardo di Caprio – He is a passionate wildlife activist and through my food, I can tell him my story of my Foundation – Ear to the Wild Foundation www.eartothewild.in

Chef Andoni Luiz Aduriz – He is sensitive to serving food that is eaten with fingers. He has an innovative approach to food

Matt Preston – I love his passion for food, his eloquence, and most of all his wardrobe!

You are chosen to go to Mars and can take only 5 things what would those be?

Incense sticks to always keep things smelling good

Meditation Beads because I guess I won’t be having much company there

Binoculars to look for company!

Thepla because I love them any given day and I’m almost Gujarati!

Magic bottle of water that keeps refilling itself

The post Shagun Mehra: Trailblazer in the Kitchen appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.