NEW DELHI: “Being a celebrity chef and food entrepreneur is not necessarily the same thing but when you combine these two things in the right proportion, you create a successful recipe for yourself,” says Sanjeev Kapoor, India’s most celebrated chef, whose food journey has alternated between being a chef and being a food entrepreneur.Kapoor started his success journey in 1992 with his TV show Khana Khazana, which ran for 18 years and created a brand value for himself with over 10 million recipe and cookery books sold. He has about 70 successful restaurant chains across the globe, an appliance brand Wonderchef and as many as 10 commercial endorsements in his kitty, making him a brand valued at over a thousand crore.
As he is ready with his new series VEEBA COOK OFF, a cooking show on FOODFOOD channel which is purely ‘By the Professionals and For the Professionals’. He believes there is a lot more he can accomplish as there is a lot of potential in the food space, which is still untapped. “To become a successful food entrepreneur, it is important to understand the market dynamics and requirement. You have to give customers what they demand. Most of the time, people assume that they will create a demand, which takes a lot of time and grit. For me, the secret ingredient is to keep it simple and honest,” Kapoor reveals.
And it is this honesty, which inspires him to cook in US homes to raise fund for the Akshayapatra scheme, despite his busy schedule.This year, he is going to open a food chain in Saudi Arabia. This will make his presence in West Asia complete. Apart from that, North America is another target market for him, where he feels there is great demand for Indian food.
Speaking about the new series, Kapoor said, “This show has professionally trained trainee chefs competing with each other. The series will test skill, commitment and their ability to cook and innovate the very best food at the highest end of the culinary spectrum in a limited time. These chefs would be absorbed soon by the industry.”
“The twist is secret ingredients, innovative recipes, quick action and a heart filled with desire to beat the challenge. Cooking, for me, is definitely more than a job; it’s a way of life,” he adds. The objective is to find the best chefs for India’s hotel and restaurant industry. The contestants will have to beat their peers in an extremely tough competition by sheer creativity, skills and a determination that seriously tests their culinary talent. The winner will be selected on the basis of talent, technique and taste, where he will be joined by Amrita Raichand, host of Mummy Ka Magic show.