One name in the Indian culinary world that symbolises the soul of regional food is Celebrity Chef Sanjeev Kapoor. From starting his career in the hospitality industry in 1984 to receiving Padma Shri (the fourth-highest civilian award for the Republic of India) in 2017, he is credited for changing the landscape of Indian food and how it is perceived globally.
The chef was recently in Noida for the opening of a new outlet of his restaurant chain - The Yellow Chilli - in Sector 90, Noida, on August 31, 2024, along with Founder Saurabh Goel. It is a part of the SK Restaurants chain founded by Chef Kapoor and it continues to make waves with its dynamic approach to Indian cuisine.
"It is truly gratifying to see our vision for The Yellow Chilli come to life. Our goal has always been to blend traditional Indian flavors with innovative twists, creating a dining experience that is both delightful and memorable,” said Chef Sanjeev Kapoor. From cookbooks to television, has has been at the centre of culinary scenes for more than four decades, and he plans to do more in future.
In times when popularity is frugal and dependent on the number of followers you have on social media or the views an influencer receives on their reels, the chef has always been at the forefront of experimenting, perfecting, and staying connected with his roots. He said, “For a person to be relevant, one must think ahead. It is not about trying but living in the moment and thinking beyond.”
It’s not a life lesson but the trajectory of his life that stands as a testament to his beliefs. Did you know that he secured the 31st position in the Reader’s Digest in 2019 as one among ‘100 of India’s Most Trusted Persons’?
“Definition Of Millet Needs To Change”
Sharing an incident from 2016 when he was attending various shows and people were asking him Hindi words for varieties of millets. When he searched on Google, the Hindi synonym for millet was chara which is referred to as cattle food. “I was furious. Whatever I will do, I will change it,” he added.
He started promoting millets on various platforms wherever he got the chance to speak. In 2017, the first edition of the World Food India was organised by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries for which Chef Sanjeev Kapoor was consulted.
The chef suggested the promotion of millet and that’s how he made 918 kg of millet khichdi which got registered in the Guinness World Record. “With the help of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, we arranged 200-gram packets of various millets in a box and gave them to the world's influencers,” he said. In 2024, the United Nations declared the year as the International Year of Millets (IYOM) to raise awareness of the health benefits of these grains.
“Whatever I Will Learn, I Will Teach”
When Chef Sanjeev Kapoor started his career, he shared that people were apprehensive about teaching recipes and sharing secrets. However, when he became a chef, he vowed to teach. “I will not keep any secrets. Whatever I learn, I will teach,” he added.
His first job was in Benaras (now Varanasi), where as a 20-year-old, he was teaching people who were working not only under him but also outsiders seeking knowledge. When he agreed to do shows on television, he aimed to teach. He said, “I was sharing unconditionally, and I started to create a community.”
“I Spend Hours In The Kitchen”
During the interactive segment at the newest The Yellow Chilli outlet in Noida, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor confessed that he spends hours in the kitchen. He is a restaurateur, and an author, travels around the world, and has many things on his plate to attend to, but his favourite place to be is the kitchen.
He added, “I am a creative person. ‘Ye kaise hota hai’ (how does this happen) excites me more.” It is his nature that drives him to create something new and unique, which is also something that customers will experience at this new restaurant.
Some of the interesting dishes on the menu include golgappa solkadi shots, bharwan mushroom ke sholey, gulab jamun malai, kuti mirch fish finger with mint mayo, chanajor garam croquettes with mint aioli, lasooni dhaniya murgh, and murgh angar bedgi tikka.
Chef Sanjeev Kapoor is striving to bring “Indian food of today and tomorrow” to the tables of customers. His restaurants across the world are known for picking up high-quality ingredients. He added that modern Indian food has a media reach but not a consumption reach. “People will read about it but not consume it that much.” This is where regional food shines. It has a media reach as well as a consumption reach.