Three wonderful days with Shaunak, a chef, an entrepreneur and restaurateur at the campus was full of action and compassion.
Cooking our own pasta, Thai curry and Italian thin crust pizza were just not some dishes – but a lot more interaction on food, each ingredient, each cooking step. Each food was created from scratch, kneading, rolling and boiling our own pasta, making own pizza base, soup broth with vegetable peels … enough to bring lot of exploration and connection with food in our kitchen.
He has passion of travelling and learning. He had travelling environment at home, entrepreneur family, food culture at home, various exposure and developed food through environment. During school/ college time no one asked if he wanted to cook. He, first time cooked when went for post graduate course, – to cook for self.
He got the opportunity to open restaurant – observed chef and understood the life of a chef. Traveled to capture the spirit of home cooks. He feels it’s different than commercial cooking. Visited Italy Thailand, Indonesia … and now want to travel to Japan and Korea to learn their cuisine.
Initially worked as banker, in family business (mine and construction) but not happy. But opportunity to share passion through cooking was satisfying.
Started restaurant, with food festival – and joined as a consultant. Reworked on menu, trained chefs. He shared about commercial Kitchen – their work, timings, efforts.
He says “Life in kitchen takes energy. Sometimes forget to eat for two days. People in kitchen work really hard, they have to work on larger burner which cooks food but cooks you also. Cuts and wounds happens. Generally to be with self, work hard to serve and it’s rewarding when customers feel satisfied”.
He shared about working of a hotel and various section. He thinks “Dish washing is a very important section. Often when kids cook at home, cleaning is not considered as part of the cooking. But it is important part of kitchen”.
He suggested “every time you go out to eat, connect with Chef, acknowledge efforts. They work really hard to bring food to you!”
He clarified that “In hotel Management – Sometimes gets stuck that want to work in the kitchen only and not wanting to work in cleaning, reception or on stock – you grow when you understand the overall working of the hotel. When you are in business, you need to understand different aspects of running a business – how electricity works, how hot water machine works…”.
He shared “A lot of planning and efforts goes in making of any profession !”
Imagine Aaorhi – a learning community where learning happens all the time in many ways!