It's not just about the food

When you come face to face with celebrity Michelin Chef Vikas Khanna you cannot expect the interaction to be about anything but cuisines and recipes. But the very moment he said recipes are just for cook books - you know it is a whole different ballgame! 

As a part of the Culinary Club initiative, Khanna was in the Capital to host a delightful cooking session at The Imperial and also launch his latest cook book - Savour Mumbai. 

Mumbai is a unique juxtaposition of modern and traditional Indian experiences that is captured in Khanna’s book which is a collection of Maharastrian, Parsi, Gujarati, Konkani, street food and more. 

Carefully selected delicious options handpicked from distinct cuisines which find their popularity in Mumbai and were chosen for the live cook out including the  Kaju Kothambir Vadi from Maharashtra, Khubani Ka Shahi Tukda from Lucknow, Guava and cottage Cheese salad from Allahabad, Kacche kele ki Asharfi from Hyderabad and Chicken Cafreal from Goa. 

The best part of the session was perhaps not the recipes which Khanna made look so incredibly easy, it was the stories he entertained the audience with. Dished out right from the experiences of a child growing up in Chandigarh to the star chef with his own signature restaurant in New York City, Khanna has come a long way. And what he said impressed just one simple logic - good food cannot be made without love. 

Food, across the world carries more stories than books itself. Each recipe, each taste comes loaded with tales that make us laugh, cry and reminisce. As Khanna cooked, he opened up his own life stories for us. From an over-whelmed client in his restaurant who started crying because a certain dish he cooked reminded her of her grandmother to recalling how dry fruits were a luxury in his childhood.  The afternoon gave way to early evening and more stories as the people gathered at the event moved out with copies of the book and plans to make some of their own stories. It was never just about the food.