Like Cleopatra, age cannot wither Bakul Patel. Coiffured and coutured with understated elegance, she continues to be a diligent working woman. Besides, she's an upright citizen with Bombay’s best interest at heart and has pitched in, time and again, in various capacities.

Bakul's late husband, Rajni Patel, the illustrious lawyer and Congress kingpin, was a force to reckon with and she was his better half, intellectually and otherwise, perfectly complementing his high profile and hosting some of the city's earliest power soirees in their art-filled apartment.

Married to the late Rajni Patel, who was nothing short of a legend in his time, Bakul Patel, former Sheriff of Bombay, and intellectual icon, maintains her balance at the dining table - and off it!

She says she doesn't entertain too much anymore, what with ongoing renovations and the domestic staff in various stages of flux, but dismisses the epithet of hostess-with-the-mostess with modesty. "I have always kept things simple, rather than having parties for show. The idea is always to share a meal with people you enjoy being with, and inviting guests with whom you are relaxed." Sceptical of entertaining for effect, which is the reigning social trend, she admits: "I'm not impressed by scale. I rather prefer intimacy and ambience, and a true spirit of sharing when one is entertaining, as that leads to nicer moments."

Having maintained herself admirably, one is tempted to ask her to share some secrets. "I learnt two basic principles about food very early in life, and have applied them. The first is that humans are the only species who will eat when not hungry. And the second is from my parents, who were Gandhians, and abhorred waste, especially at the table. Today, when I see the food crisis I am humbled by their wisdom and Gandhi's words: There is enough for everyone's need, but not for everyone's greed."

Basically a vegetarian, although she enjoys sea food sometimes, she's an enthusiastic cook - "time permitting". Her guiding instinct is to retain the original flavour of food. "I like condiments to enhance and not overpower," she explains. Her husband, she recalls, loved great food, and that boosted her culinary zest, although she has always been careful about controlling oil and spice. "I detest fried food, and there are lots of Gujarati dishes that are deep fried, which are never made in my house. But there are also lots of dishes that are steamed and baked, and these I certainly eat," Bakul reveals.

Her list of favourite restaurants is small because she confesses, "I am a great lover of home food." Mood and company permitting, she savours her meals at Wasabi, Thai Pavilion, Trishna, Indigo, and Oh! Calcutta. Not particularly fond of sweets, she believes non-denial and sensible eating have stood her in good stead. "Basically, your body tells you what it wants and if you are attuned to that you're fine," she smiles.

But everybody has indulgences. Hers are green chillies. "I need one or two with every meal. There was a time when I used to carry them with me, quietly in my handbag, on trips abroad!"