{"id":9999,"date":"2017-07-11T14:33:01","date_gmt":"2017-07-11T14:33:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chefreetuudaykugaji.com\/blog\/?p=9999"},"modified":"2022-05-19T09:22:09","modified_gmt":"2022-05-19T03:52:09","slug":"about-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chefreetuudaykugaji.com\/blog\/2017\/07\/11\/about-me\/","title":{"rendered":"About me"},"content":{"rendered":"

‘All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to you my angel mother in Heaven.’<\/h4>\n

I dedicate this blog to my Angel Mother.<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

She was a fantastic cook , she prepared the divine food for the entire family with the secret ingredient called “Love”.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

She is my Inspiration and life.<\/strong><\/p>\n

My Blog\u00a0is my Soul :<\/strong><\/h4>\n

I strongly believe that as a Chef , Mentor and Food Blogger it is my utmost responsibility that the recipes and knowledge that I share with my readers, followers and all are\u00a0authentic as well as my own tadka that is\u00a0 innovative.<\/p>\n

I love to prepare both types of recipes which are out of the box as well as traditional authentic recipes.<\/p>\n

My blog gives my readers a variety, an idea how\u00a0various flavors and ingredients can be blended.<\/p>\n

You will find my recipes with cooking tips that would help you to prepare the dishes with ease.<\/p>\n

Right from the Mise En Place ,Actual Cooking, Food Styling and LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION…. Food Photography I do it all. This means that I put my SOUL into\u00a0my BLOG…..<\/p>\n

I intricately prepare cuisine designed to capture a delicious and exciting range of flavors, textures and aromas.<\/p>\n

I believe that we eat with our eyes first…….<\/p>\n

About Me:<\/strong><\/h4>\n

I believe that the food that I cook \/ prepare should not only touch the hearts but also the souls of the people relishing it. I follow the path\u00a0shown by my Mother\u00a0 , that is bring smiles and spreading Happiness through the food I cook.<\/p>\n

I strongly believe in “Real Chefs Share and Teach.”<\/p>\n

\u201cSecrets, especially with cooking, are best shared so that the cuisine lives on.\u201d\u00a0\u2013 Bo Songvisava<\/p>\n

Food is my Religion.<\/p>\n

My Culinary Journey so far….Risen like a Phoenix….<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

As a Child I have grown up seeing my mother cook the most delectable cuisines for the entire family. That gave the first kick in my mind that, Yes food is such an interesting and enormous art. I guess that I have got it through my genes.<\/p>\n

I remember when almost all my relatives were strictly against my joining Hotel Management. The persons who stood like pillars were and still are my parents. The myth those days was that this profession is just not apt for girls. I owe all my success to my God Almighty, my Angel mother Mrs. Manjit M.S. Arora and my\u00a0father , Mr. M.S.Arora, who supported me right from day one. I made sure to make them proud by receiving the Certificate of Merit. Thus kick-starting my journey into the world of foods.\u201d I am also blessed to have such a supportive and motivating husband, my soulmate Uday B. Kugaji who supports, encourages and motivates me in my growth and success.<\/p>\n

I am presently working as a\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chef, Culinary Expert , Food Blogger, Mentor, Hospitality and Food Consultant at <\/strong><\/em>http:\/\/womenpla.net\/<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>http:\/\/womenpla.net\/author\/reetu-uday-kugaji\/<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0 and <\/strong>\u00a0Food Author with \u00a0www.tanyamunshi.com .<\/strong><\/p>\n

I run a Facebook page \u201cFood For Thought by Chef Mrs Reetu UdayKugaji\u201d\u00a0https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/chefreetuudaykugaji\/<\/strong><\/p>\n

I also have a Facebook group \u201cKnowledge is Wisdom\u201d https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/471652423010057\/<\/a><\/p>\n

wherein my students and I share a lot of Current \/ Latest trends in Hospitality, Food, Food Styling, Food Plating and Food Photography.<\/p>\n

Member of Western India Culinary Association\u00a0(WICA)<\/p>\n

I have worked as as a Grub Panelist<\/strong> with Senhora Magazine<\/strong>, also as a Food Author & Food expert at <\/strong>http:\/\/www.mangobunch.com\/<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

I have worked as a <\/strong>Chef Consultant and Culinary Expert at \u201cFITMAG\u201d <\/strong>http:\/\/www.fitmag.in\/<\/strong><\/a> ,<\/strong>Speciality Chef with <\/strong>www.Percept Knorigin.com , <\/strong>www.cinecurry.com<\/strong><\/a> , Oxygen Infotainment and <\/strong>www.chefsutra.com<\/strong><\/a> and as a Food Author with<\/strong>www.pioneerchef.com<\/strong><\/a> , theurbanspice.com \u00a0<\/strong>and <\/strong>www.pinksworth.com<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

I have also worked as a as a Hospitality and Food Consultant, Speciality Chef and Food Author at <\/strong>www.plattershare.com<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0 <\/strong>from 24th<\/sup> December 2015 to 3rd<\/sup> October 2018.<\/p>\n

Also, I am into writing recipes to suit both Desi and Videshi people and articles for various online and offline publications.<\/p>\n

In the past, I have worked as a Program Head of Culinary Arts, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh at the ITM Institute of Hotel Management at Navi Mumbai.<\/p>\n

Also ,I have worked as an Associate Professor at D.Y. Patil University, School of Hospitality and Tourism Studies, Navi Mumbai. At the D.Y. Patil University and Stadium, I was menu planning and preparing the most delectable and exotic cuisines for the Former Hon. President Of India Her Excellency Smt. Pratibha Tai Patil, \u201cThe God of Cricket\u201d Mr. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, \u201cThe Great Wall of Indian Cricket\u201d Mr. Rahul Dravid and various other dignitaries and eminent personalities.<\/p>\n

I intricately prepared cuisine designed to capture a delicious and exciting range of flavours, textures and aromas. I also handled special food preparations for IPL matches, T 20-20 Matches at the D.Y. Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai. I have cooked the most delectable cuisines for small to very large numbers.<\/p>\n

With 24+ years of experience in the world of culinary academics, I believe that food is like oxygen to me. Food for me is God.<\/strong>\u00a0As my profession demands cooking and tasting Non-Vegetarian foods & in spite of being a pure vegetarian, I perform my duties religiously as I understand the cause behind it is holy and noble. I profoundly believe that food whether vegetarian or non-vegetarian, if cooked with utmost love and positivity touches the heart of a person relishing it. \u00a0I am privileged to be a Chef and a Mentor. If I have to say what my biggest achievements are, they would be shaping the careers and motivating thousands of students. I am indeed blessed to see my students excel in their careers and holding immense respect, gratitude and love for me. I believe that the food that I cook \/ prepare should not only touch the hearts but also the souls of the people relishing it.<\/p>\n

I am a complete foodie; love to experiment with foods, innovations and fusions in foods and beverages; passionate about exploring new places and tasting and knowing about different types of cuisines. I totally adore food styling and food photography. I have an insatiable curiosity for new foods and love pairing flavours, foods and ideas from different parts of the world. It feels great to share my knowledge and skills with everyone.<\/p>\n

\u201cLive as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.\u201d -Mahatma Gandhi<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Learning is an everlasting process, I learn from every one even from my students, from every person I know or I don\u2019t even know. Pick up the Positives and DROP THE NEGATIVES.<\/p>\n

Upgrading oneself must be constant, may it be skills, training, technology or recent trends in Culinary and Hospitality.<\/p>\n

Working on: Sustainable Cooking, Zero-Waste Recipes and Resourceful use of Leftover Food & Bringing Back The Lost Recipes of India.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

As chefs ,bloggers and mentors we owe to the generations coming to create an awareness and follow Sustainable Cooking , Zero-Waste Recipes and to bring back the lost recipes of India.<\/p>\n

I believe that Indian cuisine has gone a long way, may it be creativity, food plating and food presentation.<\/p>\n

In the Past , as a Program Head-Culinary Arts, I have tried my bit of introducing The Lost Recipes of India in our Queen Margaret University , Edinburgh module known as Culinary Concept Development and Production where I\u00a0 had encouraged students to bring back the lost recipes of India.<\/p>\n

This not only creates awareness among the budding chefs but when they go ahead with their extensive research, they are facing mind-boggling facts like what a vast and rich treasure we have in Indian Cuisine.<\/p>\n

Positively the coming generations will bring back the lost recipes of India , the authentic flavor\u2019s and fragrance as India\u2019s colonial legacy is food.<\/p>\n

#FoodisGod<\/p>\n

#FoodismyReligion<\/p>\n

#ProudtobeanIndian<\/p>\n

#UnbeatableIndianCuisine<\/p>\n

#LostRecipesOfIndia<\/p>\n

#SustainableCooking<\/p>\n

#ZeroWasteRecipes<\/p>\n

#ResourcefulUseOfLeftoverFood<\/p>\n

#LocalFarmerIngredients<\/p>\n

#SayYesToFarmers<\/p>\n

#UseSeasonalProduce<\/p>\n

#GoVocalForLocal<\/p>\n

#ShopLocally<\/p>\n

Educational & Professional Qualifications:<\/strong><\/h3>\n