UNCOVERING SANJEEV KAPOOR’S JOURNEY
Sanjeev Kapoor, a skilled Indian chef, began his journey as an aspiring architect but ultimately found his true passion in becoming a chef and an entrepreneur.
Sanjeev Kapoor launched his first television show in 1992, Khana Khazana, which lasted for 18 years. His show achieved a remarkable feat with over 500 million views in 120 countries, cementing his status as a household name. A native of Ambala, he graduated from New Delhi’s Institute of Hotel Management with a diploma in Hotel Management. Back in 1992, this talented chef took on the role of executive chef at the Centaur Hotel in Mumbai, and he was the youngest person ever to do so. As an entrepreneur, Sanjeev Kapoor opened a chain of restaurants called The Yellow Chilli in India and abroad. Khazana, Kapoor’s first Dubai restaurant, was launched in 1998, and since then, he has built his empire through entrepreneurship.
WHAT’S THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT YOU?
There’s a common misconception about me that I’ve always dreamed of becoming a chef. Truth is, my path to becoming a chef was accidental. Initially, I was focused on pursuing a career in architecture. In any case, I’ve always been determined to work hard and achieve my aspirations.
WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF INSPIRATION TO BE RUNNING SO MANY BUSINESSES?
I embarked on this journey with a view to doing something unusual with consistent efforts. My need for experimenting and trying out new things inspired me to explore avenues and keep growing. Fortunately enough, in my case, new opportunities kept coming at the right time and I made sure that I tapped on them. This, and of course, the support and love of my family and audience inspired me and brought me here!
IN YOUR CAREER, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WAS THE BIGGEST RISK YOU EVER TOOK – AND DID IT PAY OFF?
When you decide to go against the norm, you are sure to be hit with criticism, despite that taking that first step is vital. One of the biggest risks would definitely be when I decided to quit my well-paying full-time job as an executive chef of a reputed hotel. Thankfully, there was no resistance from my family, so I took the risk, believed in myself and followed it wholeheartedly. What followed was a lot of hard work, and the success of Khana Khazana so yes it did pay off!
HOW ARE YOU REDEFINING FOOD GIVEN THE CHANGING DYNAMICS OF THE FOOD LANDSCAPE?
We are also evolving with the changing dynamics of the food landscape. More people are now conscious of what they consume, they are leaning more towards healthy options. So while redefining food, I take all this into account and then adapt accordingly. Now through my series of #MilletKhazana I am focusing on bringing our traditional Indian cuisine back into the limelight, but with a modern twist to suit the current trends not just in India but beyond.
“Each ingredient in our pantry has a different role to play as only they can ‘make or break a dish.”
WHEN FACED WITH DIFFICULTIES, WHAT IS YOUR WAY OF HANDLING CHALLENGES?
Challenges are part of every venture. One can either sit back and whine about them or face them head-on with a smile. I always go for the latter and convert challenges into opportunities. I find it fun to face challenges as I’m always curious to know how I will deal with the situation.
CAN YOU SHARE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE INGREDIENTS TO WORK WITH AND WHY?
Each ingredient in our pantry has a different role to play as only they can ‘make or break a dish.’ My current favourite ingredients are ragi, palak and cinnamon. Each of the three has a distinctive feature, is versatile and loaded with health benefits, and inspires me to work with them.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD INDULGENCE?
Due to my love for gastronomy, I typically try out a variety of foods every day rather than just one. But if I have to pick one of my favourite foods, then it will always be my mother’s special, kadhi-chawal. Till date, I can never get enough of it!
WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH TO CREATING NEW RECIPES AND DISHES?
With fresh and seasonal high-quality ingredients, dher saara pyaar and a pinch of innovation, any dish can go from ordinary to extraordinary! So my approach is to keep things simple but explore and play with ingredients, methodology and presentation. Each time, I make sure that the recipe is done differently than the previous time with the much needed tweak required to suit the current trends.
CAN YOU SHARE ANY MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES OR CHALLENGES YOU’VE FACED IN YOUR CAREER?
Throughout my career, there have been various humbling incidents like ranking 34th on the Forbes India Celebrity 100, in 2017 and receiving the fourth highest national honour in India - Padma Shri in 2017. I’ve also been fortunate to have accepted the opportunity to cook for various personalities including world leaders, film stars, cricketers, and even our Indian army on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas in 2019.
But, if I have to share one experience that’s really close to my heart, it would definitely be the experience that I had cooking for our Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi at the dinner hosted by Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) in 2015. Everything was as per plan, however, at the last moment, the hosts requested to completely change the menu to an all-vegetarian, Gujarati-influenced fine-dine menu. Executing this overseas at the last moment was challenging. But the reviews thereafter and the chance to have a one-on-one conversation with him for almost an hour made up for all the hard work and effort.
HOW DO YOU HANDLE CRITICISM AND FEEDBACK FROM CUSTOMERS OR FOOD CRITICS?
Gastronomy is a creative process, with a massive canvas so it is sure to be followed with some feedback and some criticism. I believe that the customers or food critics give their suggestions out of love. So instead of being baffled, I look at them as an opportunity to improvise.
WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?
Throughout my career, my family has been my core support system. They encouraged me to go that extra mile with patience, be grounded and never stop learning. My dad once gave me life-changing advice: “Don’t be too happy when you are happy and too sad when you are sad.”
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT ANY UPCOMING PROJECTS OR COLLABORATIONS YOU’RE WORKING ON?
Recently, I launched an Artificial Intelligent Sanjeev Kapoor Recipe App to make my recipes even more accessible to the audience and have also collaborated with Fast & Up’s Good Eatz to develop a range of plant based products. Another recent addition is ProV Foods where we are working on new and innovative products in the nuts, seeds and dried fruits category. We have been working tirelessly on a range of frozen foods that is due to launch soon.
Besides, as a social responsibility, I associate with Akshay Patra where I not only plan meals for their various programmes but also personally go to the US every year, and travel to new cities every day to raise funds. This activity is coming up in September. Furthermore, I also participate in the annual marathon for an NGO, Forum for Autism, to support and create awareness about autism. To sum up, I have a lot on my plate, but there is still more to come!