I don't consider myself a chef. I just love to cook. Cooking gives me happiness, and the best part is that I love what I am doing. Learn from your failures, always be positive, always dream big, it's all in your hand, take full responsibility for your goods and bads specially the bad ones.
Be confident, don't underestimate yourself, believe in yourself. You can do it. Today what I have become it's only because of my Maa. She is the one who believed in me, supported me in every situation, and all my cooking skills come from her because she cooks food a hundred times better than me.
1. Tell us about your background and journey.
Wanted to pursue my career in sports and that to from a typical middle-class Bengali family believe me it's very tough. Graduated from Calcutta University when I was struggling to find out what to do next in life than cooking comes to my life as a breath of fresh air.
I remember those days when I was preparing for a government exam and had to live alone from my parents, and while I was living alone I had to cook for myself since that day I am cooking, and right now people are buying my handmade food and enjoying that, believe me, that gives me happiness.
2. What led you to take up this career path?
Believe me, I never thought it would be my profession one day because I don't have any professional background or neither have I done any courses in hotel management. But when I have started to found that my friends and family are enjoying the food I am making then I thought just give it a try.
So I opened a Facebook page named Flavours of বেঙ্গল, where I posted pictures of the dishes I made in my house with detailed recipes and history. After a certain time came the first opportunity. I came across a man who had given me the opportunity to work in a commercial kitchen.
He started a cafe name Ek Cup Chaa at College Street, where I had been given the opportunity to run the kitchen on my own, the recipes, the menu, the food everything had been prepared by me. But the journey not continued for longer due to covid 19.
3. What does your typical day looks like?
Right now I am working in a cafe called Bong Belly Cafe at Baghajatin in South Kolkata. This cafe is also opened by me like the previous one the whole kitchen is under my control. When you are making food for your guests in the cafe it's a great responsibility. So I had to make sure I never miss out on the smallest of details.
I spent my maximum hours at the cafe where the preparation of all dishes on the menu, then the actual cooking process, then when the cafe is closed then the plan what has to be done tomorrow, and in this era of Social Media you have to be updated what you are doing if not from a personal point but from a business or professional perspective you just can't ignore that. So basically it's a hectic day apart from the weekend where it's super hectic.
4. Does one's approach change when cooking professionally and at home?
Yes definitely yes. When you are cooking for your guests you have to be more attentive, more focused because the stakes are high and it's your responsibility don't miss out on any of those things. The love, care and affection towards cooking should reflect on the plates you are serving. Whereas at home it's kind of relax.
5. Is there a dish you particularly associate yourself with?
My favourite all-time go to dish is Bengali Chicken Kosha, the recipe is my mother's. I can relate to this dish the most. I just love this recipe whether I am making it or having it.
6. Can cooking be learned at culinary schools or natural talent is required?
Actually in my opinion both are required. Though I have not been to Culinary school I would love to go one day and learn things from the experts in this industry because learning has no age limits and I am learning day by day. If you want to be more efficient then you need to work hard with your talent.
7. Which is your favorite book and why?
I am not a book lover though I like to read books on food history. Food Kahini from Indrajit Lahiri ( Our Beloved Foodka ) is the first of its kind, which I had loved the most. I like this book because the history of food which has been told here is not at all boring unlike school history books, there is humor, interesting facts, and story and for that, I like it the most.
Jaydeep Das - Chef of Bong Belly Cafe, Owner of Facebook Page Flavours of Bengal)
Interviewed By: Nishad Kinhikar
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