CHENNAI: Meet Vahitha Jeevanandam, an ardent cook who unleashed her passion for cooking in every way possible. “Most of my cooking journey was self-learnt. I always observed my mother while she cooked and learnt almost 500 dishes. I learnt about 50-60 dishes from professional chefs to expand my knowledge,” says Vahitha.
Equipped with a mind that always questions traditional cooking methods and a heart that is curious to learn and experiment with new techniques, Vahitha learnt the art of cooking innovative dishes. She studied the origin of certain dishes’ names by frequenting her local library and consistently probed her elders as to why certain ingredients need to be added to certain dishes. By learning the secret behind the nutrient values of a plethora of dishes, she now conjures up new dishes by combining ingredients that are in harmonious co-existence with each other. She can also craft new dishes from two completely different dishes that are on the verge of getting spoilt. “I used to test my dishes on my siblings and they named me ‘Remake Rani’,” she says.
Vahitha’s cooking journey began when she was in class 7, when she made a brinjal dish along with her sister for a school contest. She wasn’t very keen on participating in contests herself, fearing failure and the prospect of losing her interest in cooking. But a major turning point in her life was during a contest at Chennaiyil Thiruvaiyaru, which was an Unavu Thiruvizha by Shakthi Masala. “Lakshman from Lakshman Shruthi was the judge and he initially refused to taste my dishes as they were visually unappetising. I was dejected and had left the place. But once he tasted my dishes, he ended up taking my plate to a corner and ate my entire four-course meal. He sent the organiser to call me back, following which he congratulated me profusely and showered me with gifts. I have taken part in nearly 60-70 television shows ever since, especially on Jaya TV. I have also submitted articles to several neighbourhood newspapers, including Mangayar Malar,” she says.
Vahitha has been running a cooking class since 2012, hoping to share her joy for cooking and impart the knowledge she has acquired. Owing to her devotion to Goddess Dharmasamvardhini, the name ‘Sam’s Culinary Art Class’ came into being and has been successful for the past seven years.Her journey as a teacher began when she was an assistant professor at DG Vaishnav College, when she realised her ability to teach difficult concepts while ensuring that there was never a dull moment during her class.
“I initially taught only ladies and kids, as I wasn’t comfortable with men. But I didn’t like this attitude, as cooking is for everyone. So, I began to teach couples together and father-daughter duos. I am now teaching a group of boys, along with my son,” she says.
She has coached nearly 220 students globally from almost eighteen countries. “I once taught a student from Holland — the first among my foreign students — and was deeply touched when she gifted me a Swarovski necklace for my teaching. I have taught even celebrities; be it Vairamuthu’s wife or Jennifer, Vijay TV’s Kitchen Super Stars title winner. I have organised workshops and several online contests through my WhatsApp group, Cooking Queens,” she says, mentioning that her students, some even from her 2013 batch, still keep in touch.
She refuses to teach her students unless they bring pen and paper to her classes, along with three boxes to take the prepared food home. “I cannot live with the knowledge that the people who pay for my students’ classes are going hungry,” she says.
After recently being awarded the Best Entrepreneur of 2019 Award by the Chamber of Indian Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (CIMSME), Vahitha now aims to become a certified cook.
Kashmiri Dum Aloo
Ingredients
Baby potatoes: 15 Nos.
Grind:
Badam (blanched): 5 Nos.
Big plum tomato: 2 Nos.
Ginger garlic paste: 1 tsp,
Dry red pepper: 6 Nos.
Onion (boiled) paste: 1 tbsp,
Onion (chopped): 1 tbsp,
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp,
Cinnamon: 1 inch, Cloves:
4 Nos.
Cardamom: 2 Nos.,
Turmeric: 1/2 tsp,
Garam masala powder: 1/4 tsp,
kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves):
1 tbsp, Yogurt: 1/2 cup,
Water, Salt
Method
Ingredients
Cooked potato: 1 cup (cubed), kasuri methi leaves: 1 tbsp, Peppercorn powder: 1 tsp, Turmeric powder:
1/2 tsp, Onion: 1 Nos., Cumin seeds: 1/4 tsp Salt,Oil
Method