1. Tell us about your background and journey.
I am Chef Nandini Diwakar, I found my passion for cooking at very early age but never dreamed of being a very big culinary expertise, though my passion was only to make new dishes and they should reach to the underprivileged people because I think that they are deprived for quenching the taste buds as I have also suffered from many challenges in my life from getting proper food to get eat to my education.
My father is a real hero in my life he has supported me throughout my journey. While surfing on Facebook I got to know about a contest Lufthansa Cook and Fly. I participated in that contest and luckily won that My dish was served in Lufthansa Airlines for which I got awarded by the Governor of Lucknow. After that I participated in Masterchef India season- 6 and was able to make my place in top 8 in that show. Today I honourably work as consultant chefs for Cafe's and Restaurants, appear in may Television show and do workshops.
2.What led you to take up this career path?
Basically, My interest in cooking is my passion though I thought getting a job in Bank but I always used to get chance to cook for college and many other contest. Finally when i won Lufthansa Cook and Fly Contest so I decided to become a Chef and wanted to upgrade my cooking passion in my profession and started working as consultant chef in restaurants and then I gave my audition for masterchef.
3.What does your typical day looks like?
My day starts with a morning green tea and then with preparations for the breakfast then I get active on social media to reply messages check my mails after completing with this I focus on my cooking classes need to think for new recepies and think about new theme or to give the invention in the food and think about the new color combination for the plating of my food.
I watch Fox traveller because its my favorite show. I write for newspaper and Magazines and yes my day ends with this thinking about how better my food could look in the plate.
4. Does one's approach change when cooking proffesionaly and at home?
Yes, as cooking at home is way different then cooking professionally we make it with our own choice of ingredients we need to put don't look much at the quantity of ingredients we put while cooking at home. There's the difference between the way we cook at home or professionally because in restaurants the food is cooked very slowly we need to look at each and every think from pan to plate need to have a lot of patience while cooking professionally .
5. Is there a dish you particularly associate yourself with?
Yes, I associate myself with a dish named by me "Murg Noorebahara with Mawa Pulao" though this was my Lufthansa Cook and Fly winning dish and this dish was invented by me its my signature dish because for two consecutive years it was served in Lufthansa Airlines Business class with my name.
6. Can cooking be learnt at culinary schools or a natural talent is required?
If you have passion for cooking and want to enhance your cooking skills and make it more sharp you should take help for culinary schools to make your cooking skills more better. By this your hobby can be changed in your passion you can learn many new techniques, skills and how to plate your dish
7. Which is your favourite book and why?
As I follow Chef Vikas Khanna, so personally I like his books and one of my favorite book written by him is "Khana- Sutra" and I also read books by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and Ranveer Brar as I am more in fusion cooking a Chef Vikas Khanna's style is also fusion cooking so I love reading his books.
- MasterChef Nandini Diwakar
Interviewed by - Gurleen Kaur
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