101 And Happily Marching On...
so now we start another set of innings. InShaAllah it will go as beautifully as the past 100 issues and 25 years did. I have always worked hard and then left it to the Grace of God.
“Relax, turn off your mind and float downstream,” is something I learnt from Ian, a ‘building boy’ when we were all growing up in Byculla. Which honestly was a lovely place, just 18 flats, full of fun-loving neighbours, of every community. And we were all buddies in the building. Ian, who was always in this haze surrounding him was a guitarist, an introvert who lived in his own world. Whenever I am stressed or overworked I turn off my mind and float downstream and it works. The secret to my healthy living.
Healthy living, hmm... It all starts in your mind, you agree? Your thoughts and beliefs influence your mind, your choices, your habits. So much stems from a mind out of control. We neglect our emotional well-being as well. A positive mindset helps us to stay motivated, eat nutritious food, stay physically active, manage stress, and more than anything else, sleep well. On the whole, I am an indifferent eater, I don’t have any physical schedule charted out, I don’t sleep as much as I should, but guess what, I intend to change all this in the year 2025. For starters I want to rise and shine early every morning, if you read my Wabi Sabi column on page 72 you will get the drift.
Coming to what we offer you, our dear readers in our 101st issue...
Starting with Sanjeev Kapoor. Who doesn’t know our cover boy, please put your hands up! Right, nobody! I thought so. How can anyone not know India’s most renowned and celebrated chef? The man responsible for bringing Indian cuisine to the world stage through his dynamism, aided and abetted by television, hundreds of books authored by him, digital platforms and what not. Sanjeev is as much a chef as he is an entrepreneur. Go ahead, read his story. Since I have known him for four decades you might get insights into him that you weren’t aware of.
On the subject of health, I thought of starting this New Year issue talking about the Rainbow Diet. It’s a good way forward to understand that fruits and vegetables of different colours offer different vitamins and health benefits.
What is trending these days is Indian food which is ‘progressive’. So when I went to Avartana at ITC Maratha, I wondered what their South Indian menu would be like. I am not one for ‘twists’ in food, but I must admit I was so pleasantly taken aback to find how cleverly they have crafted each little dish to make it so worthy of going through an entire 13-course meal.
Likewise, my meal at Loya, Taj Mahal’s newest offering, the brainchild of Taljinder Singh, the previous GM of the grand hotel. I was quite floored and have in fact selected two dishes for my Editor’s Choice, this quarter.
This issue also has three of my fave ingredients; truffles, garlic and water chestnuts. Along with some brilliant recipes. Do try them.
Travel includes an unusual jungle destination, Tipai near Nagpur. And Vietnam, where I am yearning to return. There is also Prakriti Shakti, a holistic destination in Kerala.
Last but not the least, enjoy going through the 25th anniversary party pictures in the Guest List at the back. It was hailed as the party of the year, notwithstanding that the year had just begun!
And oh, please note the change in our Advisory Board. While I would like to thank the outgoing members, Stanley Pinto, Chef Hemant Oberoi and Ajit Singh for their precious contributions, I would like to warmly welcome Swati Piramal, Ashwini Kakkar and Neelam Seolekar on board.
So, enjoy it all. And thank you for being the most wonderful and loyal readers any editor could dream of.