Tayunaz Merchant was born to cook. She is the perfect homemaker. And very proud to be one. She is a good cook. Confident of her food that most often has been cooked at the spur of the moment, because inventing dishes is her forte! And she is a gorgeous, graceful and warm host. Those who know Sabira Merchant's talented daughter-in-law, know that if you have a dinner invitation to one of her home-cooked dinner parties, you shouldn't miss is for the world. More because Tayunaz serves the world's best cuisines right there � at her Breach Candy residence in Bombay. �Cooking,� she explains, �is a passion, a hobby with me. I cook when I�m bored. And I can then even poke my nose and make the dal-sabzi for the servants at home. But most of the time I�m cooking because I�m a foodie and I want to eat that particular dish. I enjoy eating my own food. But my family is crazy about my cooking, too. My husband � I�ve spoiled him rotten � is proud of me; my mother says I�m the best cook in the world; and, my kids, friends and father love whatever I make.�

It comes natural to her. Tayunaz does not follow recipes � unless she is attempting an Indian dish, which is seldom. �I just go into the kitchen and do what I like. I don�t know what I�m making. Most of my dishes are thought up just like that. To the point I forget what I did last time. But for Indian food, I follow recipes. Meaning, say, I�m making a Rogan Josh, then I�ll read hundreds of recipes on Rogan Josh till I know it by heart and then do my own thing! I also need to follow recipes when I�m baking because I don�t bake well. Yet, I manage to follow basic tea recipes and do tarts, apple cake, chocolate mousse, banana bread, brownies, these are simple. I cannot do the more fancy stuff, you know, like a strawberry cheesecake or a multi-layered chocolate dessert.� As she shows you around the house, Oreo her Pug follows Tayunaz�s footsteps closely like the Hutch network! It is a beautiful home, tastefully loaded with art, and an attractive mix of heavy intricate furniture and rich furnishings put together in a very contemporary fashion. It is very evident that an art lover lives here. "I kept my eyes on everything I loved. From the paintings to the sculptures and artefacts. And I bought it all as soon as I could afford it," says Tayunaz.  

Tayunaz has designed her kitchen to suit her taste. Peach-pink floral tiles look very English. So do the plants on the window sill. The kitchen gets ample natural light from the big window. And while sipping her afternoon tea, she enjoys the open view from the 14th floor. "I like preparing my own tea. I need to do that every afternoon. I don't enjoy the tea otherwise. It is masala tea with ginger and lots of sugar. And the masala is a home-made one that comes from a friend's house since years," she says. But her morning fix is a cup of hot, strong filter coffee. "That is my breakfast. I collect good coffees from over the world. I love Italian coffee. Some coffees from the South are also very good," she admits.  

The kitchen has everything and more� a huge two-door, well-stocked refrigerator, several cupboards packed with jars of imported foods, a six-burner stove, a ceiling-long cabinet stocking all the 'attas' and other essentials, some large size foreign utensils specially bought for party cooking, all the regular appliances plus a television and air-conditioner! "I need the AC for when I am in the kitchen for long hours. The TV is for my staff and the kids. When the boys are in the kitchen with me, they like to watch TV here," she reveals.

Her two boys � Zarvaan (14) and Azhaan (12), she is proud to say, also cook. "I think it is a genetic thing. They take after my dad. He, too, loves cooking. My oldest memory of Dad is of him, my brother Rohnish and I cooking aloo-palak on a brick of fire at the farm house. The aloo, onions and palak would be fresh from the farm and we would prepare a smoked vegetable of it. My boys now follow this tradition." While most women have a fetish for shoes and bags, Tayunaz has a fetish for sauces! �Every time we travel, which is twice or thrice a year, I shop like crazy for the kitchen. I buy lots of sauces. Especially Oriental sauces. I also like indulging in utensils.� She moves about her kitchen like a pro, showing off the spices, the herbs, flavours and mustards. These jars of sauces and spices, according to her, make cooking quick and easy. �When I am hosting I like to serve a lavish spread. And from all the things I make, at least three or four items of the main course are quickly whipped up just before dinner time. I like the food to be fresh and colourful. Every item is such that it is ready within 15 to 20 minutes.�

For hosting the perfect dinner party, Tayunaz needs two days. She does the food shopping herself. She is also in charge of the menu, the table setting, the crockery 'n' cutlery, the flowers and the d�cor and the cooking. �My husband Saleem takes care of the drinks,� she says, �I need two days so that I can pick my choice of vegetables. Do the cleaning, cutting and marinating the day before. So on the day of the party I just have to put it all together. I don't like to do it all in one day because I don't want to look tired when my guests come in.�

Tayunaz is a proud host. She is proud of her home and she is proud of her cooking. And she is an attentive host. She will even notice if her guests is too cold and the AC temperature needs to be adjusted! �And I will always remember if you don't like a certain thing or you don't eat something for some reason. Even if you've come over for dinner just once, I'll know what to serve you the next time,� she says.

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