Anindita Ghosh - Always Keep Going (Food Blogger From India)

I have always been immensely passionate about food because the love for food runs in my blood. 

1. Tell us about your background and journey. 

Hello there, I am Anindita. I am a CA student and currently undergoing my internship/articleship training. I have always been immensely passionate about food because the love for food runs in my blood. My family is flooded with food connoisseurs and great cooks! I was in 11th standard when I discovered a way to express my love for food to others, around the globe.

I was thoroughly inspired by YUMMRAJ whose blog was the only thing I read very patiently. I started writing too, on Zomato until I came across Instagram and realised that posting food pictures are so much better along with writing. That’s when Me and my biggest supporter, my father came up with the name “The.Gastronomical.Voyage” i.e. The magical journey of good food and started my page on IG. I ain’t a professional photographer, but I enjoy clicking pictures of food a lot. 

2. What is your favourite cuisine and dish?

 

As an admirer of food, I cannot really choose just one cuisine that is close to my heart because there are dishes from almost every cuisine that I can die for. A very tough question to answer.

3. Should food blogging be just a passion or can it become a regular career?

This is just my personal opinion, but food blogging isn’t a career option for me because of what the blogging industry has become lately - It’s more of negative publicity that people run after for the sake of follows, likes and monetary gain. Honesty isn’t something that I appreciated. And also, there are too many people doing stuff on a barter basis as a result of which even good content creators do not get the deserved pay.

I created this page out of my passion and would love it to bloom as a career one day but maybe it’s not meant for me. I am not very comfortable becoming a full-time blogger. It’s hazardous and uncertain. Kudos to people who could follow their dreams and have landed in this industry. By the way, I do have other plans related to food and let's hope they materialise soon. 

4. Which restaurants/food joints would you recommend to food lovers?

I won't just name the restaurants but also the dishes you must try from there. My current favourites are (The list is never ending but here are just a few that I can recollect at the moment),

• Chicken Tandoori Butter Masala from Chef Alladin and Zam Zam. 

• Fish Diamond Fry from Apanjan. 

• Chicken Afghani Butter Masala, mutton tikiya roll and Mutton Biryani from Shimla Biryani

• Char Siu Bao from Fatty Bao. 

• Bibimbap and Toast Skagen from Mise En Place

• Mutton Keema from Punjab Hindu Hotel, Shyambazaar. 

5. What makes you appreciate a particular dish or a restaurant and talk about it on your blog?

I talk about everything on my blog be it good or bad. When I visit an eatery 3 things play a role in me judging it well. They are,

• Food
• Staff Behaviour 
• Hygiene 

Food is of utmost importance. It should taste good enough to touch your soul and make your belly happy. The presentation doesn’t really bother me. What bothers me is the fancy presentation at a few restaurants - they overdo it. The food also needs to be value for money. Also, I would never want to visit a restaurant where the staff members are ignorant and rude. Next, Hygiene is a very hit-or-miss thing. It’s not always possible to be sure that the place is maintaining hygiene at the level you want them to but yeah, some sort of it must be ensured. 

6. Is there a dish you particularly associate yourself with?

Yes! I associate myself with Lucchi (Poori made with white flour) because I am as chubby and fluffy as it is and also loved by almost everyone. 

7. Which is your favourite book and why?

I loved reading books as a kid but now, I am actually very tired of books since I am mostly studying or working all day long. So at the end of the day, If I get time, I just enjoy watching movies or sleeping or hanging out with my loved ones.

- Anindita Ghosh (Instagram)

- Interviewed by Deshna Jain