Words I love to hear are, “Mom, What’s for dinner?”……
I was born and raised in India eating my mom’s scrumptious food. She’s a talented chef and food enthusiast. Her food not only tastes amazing but it’s also a feast for the eyes. Growing up, I remember her cooking with the freshest ingredients and experimenting with delicious recipes. Even though I grew up in a Maharashtrian family, flavors and spices from all over India influenced our meals.
I moved to the US in 1997, over 8000 miles away from my mother’s gourmet cooking. Yet the flavors and aromas of her cooking are still a distinct memory. I didn’t cook while I was in India so as my cravings set in I had to quickly learn with phone calls to my mom. The taste of her food was so vivid in my memory that it was fairly easy to adjust the flavors to be just like hers. With her guidance and precise techniques I was able to recreate her recipes and her methods also helped me to develop my own as well.
Before I knew it, I was spending more and more time in the kitchen, experimenting with different ingredients, cuisines and presentations. My husband, my biggest supporter, is my sous-chef and master taster. He is constantly encouraging me to try new recipes and he is also the driving force behind my new cooking blog and class venture.
I have come full circle since leaving India and I now love cooking for my boys. Words I love to hear are, “Mom, What’s for dinner?” The same words I still say to my mom every time we speak. My boys look forward to our home cooked feasts. It’s what brings us together so many times in one day. We love to try different cuisines and have many family favorites. I am proud to see that my children are growing up eating and appreciating the same food I do.
I may be a software engineer by trade but I am chef mom by heart.