A journey from traditional to modern food

“If you eat what you like, you should like what you eat". This is called real soul food... a journey from the traditional to the modern era. One thing that is common to  everyone's life is food... Food is the most fascinating thing we experience every day. It is a regular activity that we all look forward to and try to give a different experience to every meal prepared. In today's era of globalization, the whole world is getting closer and each of us is in touch with the global food culture. A lot of research has been done on the concept of fusion food which essentially includes  the recipes from different countries to create a different dining experience.

Today, we can create endless types of food by doing food research. Fusion Food is one such example. In the current scenario, everyone has a personal taste and conclusively each of us is on the lookout for the kind of food what we like to eat. This in turn creates a great need for food research. In simple terms, food research is the application of various principles of research to the original food and the creation of completely different recipes. Such recipes not only help to diversify the cuisine but also reveal the creativity of a chef.

India is a country where a wide diversity of food exists.. It is true that the food culture in India changes every 40 km geographically. Thus, food research can bring unity to the diversity of food cultures in India. Today, each of us has traveled a lot and eaten the local foods  of each region. As a chef, I give a twist to these local dishes and create new recipes that can be adopted everywhere and this is also possible using local ingredients. This is called food research.If you try to remember your childhood, you will remember the delicious food that your grandmother made for you. Today, when I think about it, I wonder how much variety she created in food and that food was full of love and joy. 

I try to bring the same love and joy into my food production. With the help of food research I can give wings to my ideas and creations and so I consider myself very lucky as a chef because, in this way, I can bring happiness in everyone's life. I feel very satisfied with my work when people appreciate my recipe creation. “Annadata Sukhi Bhava”... is not just an expression but a lifetime experience. We respect the food we eat. In the same way, we should respect food producers. It is they who bring so much joy to our lives through our food production. That person could be your mother, your wife, your friend, or the chef of your favorite restaurant. One thing they all have in common is that they have put in a lot of hard work to create some great recipes that you will be delighted to experience.

“Anna He Purnabhramha”!!! This saying is not just created; it is a journey from the stomach to the heart. And therefore, it is  Brahma Yoga. We have to carry on this divine practice. We should not look at food only as a source of energy. It is an experience that can be created to make others happy. Apart from the food ingredients, we just need to add a little love and joy and all this is possible with the help of food research, in which we can preserve the soul of the original food but with a modern twist, we can create miracles. I want to take food research to the next level in which each of you will become a chef. I want to share my journey of food research with you and that is why I have undertaken the task of imparting my knowledge of food to you through these articles.

Happy researching!!

(Writer is the Principal,Dr. D. Y. Patil Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Pune)

(This story has been published under arrangement from Better Kitchen magazine)