I created this food blog called Cookilicious - Delicious Vegetarian & Vegan recipes to mainly focus 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, and that is what I share on my blog.
Food and cooking is something I've always been interested in, right from my childhood. I would love to watch the elders of the house cook and 'help out' whenever I could. I learned to cook from both my parents and my grandmother.
The fun part about growing up in Mumbai, India is that it is a hodge-podge of cultures and cuisines.
Though I hail from the South of India, I was exposed to cuisines from all over India because my neighbours and friends all hailed from different parts of the country. When I went to college, I chose to study foods and nutrition for four years as part of my undergraduate degree 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 my passion! 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!! Food photography is my new found passion. I enjoy taking food pictures. I created this food blog called Cookilicious to mainly focus 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, and that is what I share on my blog.
2. Which is your favourite cuisine and dish?
I enjoy Indian cuisine the most. But other Asian cuisines like Thai and Chinese come a close second followed by Italian food! Actually, I love anything hot and spicy!
3. Should food blogging be just a passion or can it become a regular career?
It can definitely be a career! You just need to hang in there, be focused, dedicated, and believe in yourself. But it always helps to have passion in whatever you do! 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.
4. Which restaurants/food joints would you recommend to food lovers?
I enjoy all kinds of street food in India. There are also my local restaurants in the place I grew up which is my absolute favorite like Sadguru or Vaishali in Chembur or Bouganvilla in Ghatkopar! In Orlando, I'd recommend Woodlands and Tabla - the food they serve is amazing!
5. What makes you appreciate a particular dish or a restaurant and talk about it on your blog?
I love a visually appetising dish, the colours, the way it's presented, and the wow factor! Obviously, taste is a huge factor. Basically, the dish should not just look good but also taste good.
6. Is there a dish you particularly associate yourself with?
I am all for fusion recipes because I love a mix of different flavors. I think that is why I really love making Indian curry Pasta! It is my most favourite dish! I feel fusion recipes resonate with me because I am a healthy mix of east and west myself!
7. Which is your favourite book and why?
I own and enjoy a collection of 'Chicken Soup for the Soul' books and also love the Harry Potter Books! I also have a fair collection of cookbooks from Tarla Dalal (my favorite chef).
- Interview by - Nishad Kinhikar
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