Local couple’s culinary journey

Young, enterprising and armed with a discerning eye for mindful eating; City girl Pallavi Gupta’s easy breezy and lucid approach to life is contagious. It spills over during conversations and makes one want to rethink their lifestyle choices. She’s a focused foodie, whose culinary venture Sante Spa Cuisine with husband Arjun is what she believes is a product of sheer serendipity. In a candid chat with Bengaluru Chronicle, she tells us more…

The NIFT graduate never saw herself being a part of a healthy eating move— even better, frontrunning a venture that focusses on exploring, understanding and celebrating the concept of clean eating with a twist. “I truly had no idea that I was going to be on a culinary journey. This was my husband’s dream. We started our food journey in 2016. I come from a fashion background and did fashion for many years. That part of aesthetics is strongly ingrained in me. Soon, I got involved in this culinary journey. I’ve always been good with recipes. I really enjoyed cooking. We started out really small, but this is where we are. And, hopefully, there’s no looking back!”

Attributing it all to divine will and of course her husband’s indomitable resolve; the ‘food-focused’ entrepreneur believes one must be happy while they eat. “This is the kind of food that Arjun, my husband and I would like to eat. The idea was to curate a menu, which focuses on dietary needs without guilt. From gluten free khakras, spinach dips to vegan sushi, the idea was to promote mindful indulgence.”

While she’s swamped with work and truly following her bliss, there’s always time for traveling and fitness, believes Pallavi. “My journey for fitness has been off and on because I don’t have a regular timeline. My workout has been erratic. For me, I love to read. I really stay far away from my place of work. I’m a huge Pilate fan, I’ve been doing it since 2009. Pilates is what keeps me going. Being an intrepid traveler, my culinary journey has largely been influenced by my travels. I love exploring diverse local cuisines.”

On her success mantra or rather what keeps her going, Pallavi says, “The only rule that we follow is that we have no rules! We don’t go by what’s trending or F&B fashion.  Because they are short-lived and are fads. Beyond the trend, what’s next? is a question I keep asking. As far as the food we want to serve, we are constantly researching and trying to find great produce. Our focus is on flavor and not technique.”