1. Tell us more about your background and journey.
Hi Food Lovers, I am Uma Raghuraman. I am basically a Tamil Girl from Chennai. I am a postgraduate in commerce and also a professionally trained teacher. Post my marriage, to support my husband's career, I moved to Bangalore and later to Delhi. Thanks to these movements, I have learned a lot about different Indian cultures, people, habits, languages, and most importantly different types of food. I am comfortable in English, Hindi, and of course, my mother tongue, Tamil. My husband believes in the adage, "Live to Eat" rather than "Eat to Live".
This triggered my culinary journey and my first Guru was my Mother-In-Law. The genes passed on to my kids too and this encouraged me to be open and curious to explore new cuisine, recipes, and techniques from friends and people I met. I have always loved experimenting in my kitchen and it thrills me when my culinary experiments end up tasting great!
2. What led you to start your Instagram page? Is there any interesting story behind it that you would like to share with us?
Starting a blog was not a planned one. It started with me posting pictures of the dishes I cooked at home on a daily basis on Facebook. Friends and family used to ask me for the recipe.
Initially, I was tirelessly messaging each one individually and then it struck me, why not create a repository and just share the link! This way I will also have a reference of all my recipes in a dedicated place. And slowly with Instagram becoming popular, I also started sharing my recipes there.
3. What has been the biggest challenge that you faced in your journey and how did you overcome that?
Challenges in life bring out the best in us. Like most houses today, I too had my share of challenges making both my children eat healthy, especially when they were small. I used to come up with interesting and creative dishes that are both healthy as well as eye appealing that would please my fussy little eaters.
When I quit my job in 2014, to be a stay-at-home mom, I started sharing the dishes I created in my kitchen with the world through social media. It was a huge hit and many wanted me to share detailed recipes, the process, and stories behind the dishes this culminated in me starting my blog ‘Masterchefmom’.
4. What do you think makes Indian cuisine different from other cuisines in the world?
In India, the cuisine changes every ten km. There are so many spices, herbs, and cooking methods that are unique to that particular region.
5. How would you describe your cooking style? How has it evolved over time?
My mantra is simple - Simple, Tasty, and Healthy
6. Can cooking be learned at culinary schools or a natural talent is required?
Cooking is a life skill. All you need is the intent to learn.
7. 3 quick Uma's cooking tips:
1. Stock fresh produce. It will inspire one to cook.
2. Try new recipes in small quantities. This will reduce cooking time and also motivate one to cook more often.
3. Cook over low to medium flame and try to use heavy bottom vessels. It will help avoid burning/overcooking food.
Brief Bio:
Uma Raghuraman aka Masterchefmom is a doting mother and a passionate Chef. Her culinary journey began two decades ago culminating in her becoming one of the Top food bloggers in India, with her blog masterchefmom.blogspot.com
containing more than 1000 recipes from cuisines across the world. To compliment her blog, she shares these recipes through her Instagram, Youtube, and Facebook handles too. She is also the author of the cookbook ‘My Genius Lunch Box’ published by Penguin Random House.
The cookbook features stunning photographs styled and shot by the author herself. The book is divided into six sections: one for each weekday and a bonus section that includes recipes for bite-sized snacks. You can learn to make original, innovative dishes like Paneer Makhani Kulzza, Gnocchi Di Idli, Iyengar Bakery Style Frankie, Vermicelli Pancakes, and much more.
In her Instagram, you will find an amazing repertoire of desserts, snacks, Fusion recipes, Gluten Free, Vegan diets, and traditional Indian foods. She is popular for her real and creative representations of Indian Food and her work has been featured in many esteemed publications.
She won Netflix My Chef’s Table Instagram Contest in 2017 and was chosen as it’s only Indian Food Ambassador. She is also an award-winning Instagrammer for portraying REAL INDIAN FOOD in its true spirit and her Instagram handle @masterchefmom has won the BEST FOOD INSTAGRAM AWARD in the prestigious 2017 SAVBLOGAWARDS, in a glittering ceremony in Charleston, SC. She is also the winner of the LFEGA Best Indian Food Microblogger Award 2020. She has also been identified by Forbes India and INCA as one of India’s Top 100 Digital Stars 2022.
Interviewed By - Nimisha
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