Reetu Uday Kugaji wears many hats. Apart from being a reputed chef and mentor, she is a leading food expert and author as well as a hospitality and food consultant. FoodService India spoke to her about the unfolding food scenario in India, foodservice trends for the future and about her stellar culinary journey and achievements so far. “As a chef and a teacher, I am passionate about exploring new places and learning about local cuisines. I love tasting and knowing about different types of cuisines. I am driven by an insatiable curiosity for discovering new foods and love pairing flavors, foods and ideas from different parts of the world. It feels great to share my knowledge and skills with everyone,” says Reetu Uday Kugaji, who is as passionate about her role as a culinary mentor as she is about confecting gastronomic delights.
How did you come into the culinary profession and who were the people to have shaped your career?
All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother. I remember when almost all my relatives were strictly against my joining Hotel Management. The only ones to stand up for me like pillars were my parents. The myth those days was that this profession is just not apt for girls. I owe all my success to God almighty and to my mother and dad. They supported me in my choice of this profession, right from day one. In turn, I made sure to make them proud by winning the certificate of merit from my institution, which kick-started my journey in the world of foods. I am also blessed to have a husband who has supported, encouraged and motivated me in my growth and success.
What are you currently engaged in and which are the career milestones you most cherish?
Currently, I am working as a specialty chef with companies such as Chef Sutra, Percept Knorigin, Cine Curry and Oxygen Infotainment. As a food author, I write articles on food for various online and offline publications. I contribute regularly for online chef and food magazines like Pioneer Chef and Urban Spice, for blogging site Pinksworth and Tanya Munshi’s lifestyle portal. Also, I am into writing recipes to suit both domestic and international palates. I work as a hospitality and food consultant, specialty chef and food author at Platter Share besides being a member of Western India Culinary Association (WICA). I have my own website www.chefreetuudaykugaji.com and my Facebook page ‘Food For Thought by Chef Mrs Reetu Uday Kugaji’, www.facebook.com/chefreetuudaykugaji/
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Denne historien er fra September - October 2017-utgaven av foodService India.
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How Smart Technology Can Lead The Way For Safe Eating Environments
As many forms of consumption drivers come together to fuel the growth of Indian food and beverage service retail industry, there is an increased focus on food safety, especially in terms of food preparation, packaging and distribution.
Thinking out of the box
Benjamín Calleja is the founder and CEO of Livit, one of the world’s top restaurant design firms. He shares his views with us on the role of design and technology in creating restaurants that are profitable and efficient as well as great on guest experience.
Zomato acquires UberEats India for approx Rs. 2,500 crore
Zomato has acquired Uber’s Food Delivery Business in India in an all-stock deal. Uber will have 9.99 percent stake in the Deepinder Goyalled food delivery platform.
Millennials are looking for food that goes back to the roots
The millennials are very much aware of the benefits of healthy food; so the farm-to-table approach is growing and there is a boom in the demand for organic food cooked with sustainable methods. Chef Raji Gupta, in a conversation with FoodService India, throws light on the future of the food industry, changing trends and choices of people and the importance of catering to the evolving demands of customers.
Survey reveals that breakfast is not a favourite cooking moment for Indian moms
If making breakfast is an art, more often than not, the mother in the family happens to be the artist. It is regularly pegged as the most important meal of the day. But in the madness of rushed mornings, is it even possible for the artist to give it its due? To gain deeper insights into it, V-Guard, country’s leading electrical appliance brand partnered with Momspresso. com, India’s largest user-generated content platform that allows women to express themselves through different formats including text, audio and video across ten languages, to conduct a nationwide survey with 500 Indian moms.
Burger Singh to open 66 franchise outlets in the next 2 years
Burger Singh, the burger chain popular for its big burgers with an Indian twist, has become a name that’s on the favourite burgers list of every foodie. With an appetite as big as that of its customers, the famed burger chain is now heading for aggressive expansion across the country.
Éminences grises of foodservice industry ring down the curtain on India Food Forum 2020
India Food Forum returned for its 13th edition at the Renaissance Convention Centre at hotel Renaissance Mumbai on 5-6 February where the crème de la crème of India foodservice industry came together on Day 2 of the event to offer insightful takeaways on the innovations in food retailing, HoReCa and food technology, and also ensuring that all those attending the day’s deliberations were empowered with the products and insights that would help to maximise the opportunities offered by India’s vast consumer universe.
“People look for quirky things and innovative concepts in summers”
Amit Johari, Co-Founder, House Of Commons, which is located at Connaught Place, Central Delhi, talks to FoodService India about how summer trends differ from the other seasons in terms of the choice of beverages & appetisers, and on the profitability prospects for restaurants during the season.
A bar that does not burn a hole in your pocket
Yudhveer Singh, Founder of Delhi-NCR based The Beer House Café, in a conversation with the FoodServcie India, highlights the unique features of his establishment and the market strategy it has adopted to stay relevant in a competitive market.
A childhood passion becomes a profession
A childhood passion turned into a full-blown career for Chef Shaurya Veer Kapoor, Head Chef, Gola Sizzlers (A Naresh Gola Group). In a conversation with FoodService India, he discusses the changing tastes of Indian consumers and how he has created the themes for the diners at Delhi-based Gola Sizzlers and Cafe Hawkers.
