Q. What made you shift from a 10-year corporate career to becoming a home chef and content creator?
For over ten years, I was in the corporate world, and on paper, it was all fine stable job, growth, and prestige. But inwardly, I felt unfulfilled. My heart was always most content in the kitchen trying out flavors, re-creating childhood recipes, or cooking for friends and family. Cooking was my stress-reliever, my outlet for creativity.
Deep inside my heart I was certain that I could influence lives, and the breakthrough occurred amidst COVID when I began posting little bits of my food life on social media, expecting nothing. But how everyone related to my recipes, anecdotes, and tone encouraged me to consider it beyond a “hobby”. I learned food wasn't merely something I adored, but also a medium through which to connect, inspire, and heal.
Q. After becoming a mother of twins, how did the kitchen turn into something more meaningful for you?
Having children changed my life, and having twins doubled the love, and the responsibility! Food was no longer simply about taste or appearance; it was about establishing a foundation of health and ethics for my children. I needed each bite they ever ate to bring not only sustenance but also the comfort of home.Cooking became an act of mindfulness. I started thinking about daily meals from a new angle: how to make classic recipes lighter, healthier, but still divine. The kitchen was a space where I could imbue my love, creativity, and intentions into meals that would nourish my family.
That's when I really grasped the power of food. It's not fuel, it's a language of care, connection, and memory-making.
Q. Your philosophy treats food as medicine. Can you share an example of a recipe you developed out of care for health, family, or tradition?
I strongly believe in the age-old saying, “Food is the first medicine.” One of the recipes that reflects this for me is my immunity-enhancing turmeric and cinnamon kadha. It's a very straightforward preparation but deeply rooted in Indian tradition.
I started preparing this for my family during seasonal changes when coughs, colds, and lethargy were prevalent. Over time, I balanced it and made it more suitable for kids and everyday consumption by including ingredients such as tulsi, ginger, and honey for both flavor and medicinal value.
It was no longer just a beverage; it became an act of nurturing in our home. Recipes like this show us that our kitchens are medicine chests of old, taking the knowledge of our elders and adapting it to the needs of this era.
Q. You won the “Best Everyday Chef – Jury Choice” at the Power Creator Awards 2025. What does this recognition mean for someone who focuses on simple, home-cooked meals?
Winning that award was incredibly emotional. Too often in food and content creation, glamour, exotic food, and sophisticated presentation get all the attention. My style has never been that way, I honor everyday cooking, the type that feeds families day in and day out.
So, when the jury gave me the award of "Best Everyday Chef," it was as much a recognition for me as it was for each home cook who serves love in plain food. It reassured me that simplicity is powerful, that ordinary food has its own extraordinary value.
It also encouraged me to remain committed to my origins, displaying home-type recipes with authenticity, without needing to pursue trends or sophistication.
Q. You also co-run Studio ‘What Nxt’ with your husband. How do you balance both roles: food creator and media producer, and how has that helped grow your brand?
Balancing both roles is certainly tough, but it's also one of the greatest blessings in my journey. Studio What Nxt is something my husband created, and I later joined. It provided me with a solid base in the world of media and production. That has taught me the power of good voicing, storytelling, visuals, and how crucial good content is.
When I entered the field of food content creation, I already had the benefit of mixing authenticity with professional production. My husband and I complement each other well — he does the technical side, while I provide the creative direction and food stories.
This synergy not only helps us balance our personal and professional lives but also strengthens both our ventures. It's shown me that collaboration, trust, and shared vision can actually take a brand to the next level.
Q. Finally, what’s the one message you want your audience to take from your journey?
The biggest message I want to share is that it’s never too late to listen to your heart. We tend to get trapped into what society says is “success,” but success is actually doing what makes you feel alive. Be it cooking, writing, or any other vocation that your path can take at any given time in life.
Through my culinary journey, I also want others to realize that you don't have to cook elaborate meals to work magic in the kitchen. Even plain daal-chawal made with love can heal and comfort people.
My journey is a testament to the fact that if you remain true and real to what you believe in, the world will take notice and come to your support. Pursue your passion, cultivate it, and believe in the process — everything else will fall into place in time.
Bio
Rupam Sehtya is a home chef, mother of two, entrepreneur, and the face behind Cook With Rupam Sehtya, a platform that celebrates the art of everyday cooking. Hailing from Meerut, she began her career in the corporate world but found her true passion in food. Her culinary journey deepened after becoming a mother of twins, when she began exploring healthy, mindful cooking as a way of caring for her family.
Her Instagram and YouTube channels, followed by millions, have inspired countless women to embrace home cooking not as a burden but as an act of joy and love. Through her recipes — often simple, accessible, and rooted in tradition — she helps her audience rediscover the comfort of homemade meals in a fast-paced, delivery-driven world.
Her work not only empowers homemakers but also comforts students and professionals living away from home, offering them a taste of warmth through her food stories. Today, Rupam continues to inspire with her unique blend of creativity, authenticity, and storytelling, proving that everyday food is extraordinary when made with love.
Follow Rupam Sehtya on Instagram
Interviewed by Monika Bhardwaj
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