Turns out there are no Michelin starred restaurants in India. Not even one. Some people argue that Michelin inspectors have not yet reached India or that they don’t understand Indian cuisine. That’s the typical Indian talking, displaying stubborn faith in their own greatness. Michelin inspectors know what they’re talking about- why else would they award 3-stars to more restaurants in Japan than in France? This is not about east-west distinctions; this is about how food is consumed. Every Michelin starred chef I have heard says the same thing: respect the food, don’t overshadow it; celebrate its original flavour. Marco Pierre White says, “The more you do to food, the more you take away from it.” I don’t remember Indian food this way at all. I only remember spices; dozens piled on vegetables- hiding the vegetables, losing original flavours. Are we eating spices or are we eating vegetables? Can you distinguish between two vegetable curries if the vegetables used are different? I don’t think so. Hot food is different from spicy; and doing something for five thousand years does not make it the right thing to do. Ground conditions today are different from those many centuries ago, and we need a revival. Let’s start with a poached carrot.

I’m such an ageist. How old one is, I have realized, is a very important indicator of the quality & quantity of time I want to give to the relationship. I am certainly losing patience with teenagers – I have no time for arrogance and petty talk. This makes me wonder if people in their 40s today feel the same way about my behaviour. I’m sure they do. Does it matter, and to whom? Ala told me very wisely a long time ago: “When you’re younger, you’re trying to talk about you and what you’ve achieved, but when you get older, you start talking about what’s happening and what’s around. Opinions matter, not achievements.” I understand that now.

“When you come on MasterChef, you come here for a reason: you want to be the next MasterChef. But along the way, you get sidetracked by the people you meet, the experiences you have, the stories you can tell, and the person this competition helps you become.”