I am a chef first and a woman later: Kavitha

Chef Kavitha, who made it to the Limca Book of Records, is currently hosting Ungal kitchen Engal Chef on Pudhuyugam channel. She travels across the state and meets people and cooks their favourite recipes at their home. Speaking to DC, she says that she relies on her tongue that connects her taste-buds to her thinking cap. “I am thoroughly enjoying this and I get to meet people and cook for them. I am getting to know more about various traditions, culture etc. I get to mingle with their families and even children eagerly exhibit their cooking skills with passion. From local to international cuisines, the show has it all,” she says.

An ardent lover of south Indian recipes, Kavitha says that on the show she doesn’t use any flavour enhances like Ajinomoto or artificial colours or powders to enhance the taste of the food and according to her, the best South Indian dishes are made with hand-ground spices and shallots. “I make my own masala and add it to the food. You know, our ancestors used to ground all the pastes necessary for the dish by themselves in the ammi (roller stone) and that’s why their delicacies tasted so healthy and yummy. To me, food is medicine and medicine is food. It plays a vital role in keeping one’s health. I give a lot of attention to balance nutrition, flavour and tradition,” she tells us.

Kavitha is keen on reviving forgotten recipes using thinai, kambu, kelvaragu. “I like making dishes out of traditional grains like vadai made from five varieties of dhal and Recently, I made a pizza out of millets. It tasted brilliant,” Kavitha tells us. So, how is it working in a male dominated field? “Cooking is predominantly a woman’s forte and we women can handle kitchen chores better than what any man can. Mostly, mothers cook food at every home, right? I guess it’s not the father. I am a chef first and then a woman,” she says boldly.

So, what’s up next? “I need to spread more awareness about eating the right healthy food in right quantities and going the organic way to the public. I think I am destined to cook and I always think that I am the best chef. I compete with myself, but not with anybody. I am gearing up for my next record," she signs off.