Evolution of a foodie post pandemic

Hey foodie fam! How are you doing? Cant imagine its been more than 1 year since we talked to each other. But like our plans, life has its own plan too which I believe is always in our best interest.

Anyway less to the philosophical and more the logical explanation of why i have been away from blogging is because I have a lot to tell you guys! Like for starters I have made it to my last year in college and am so thrilled to work in the hotel industry especially post my industrial training, and for those of you who do not know about what HOTEL INDUSTRIAL TRAINING  is about, am gonna 

link down a video about the daily working in a hotel from you tube and therefore you can envision it better of what we are taught during this 6 or 4 months of training 

(Image source: Google images) 

You tube link: A day in hotel industry

Apart from this I travelled abroad to Muscat and worked with Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa

as an intern and to my notice, it was one of the most life changing experience of mine.

(Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa )

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque

Never the less with each turn in my life, my connection with  food went on being deeper (sounds much like foodgasm, right 😉 comment down below if you want my next blog to be on my trail to Muscat )

But lately our world has been under very unusual circumstances which has shook us to the roots. YES! you guessed it right, am talking about this global pandemic CORONAVIRUS within which today the whole world is suffering to the core. Industries are shut, economies continue to fall and decline and to even more shock and prudence we are loosing thousands of lives everyday under this SARS virus.

Gone are the days when CORONA was a good word for all are food trails😓 

(GIF source: Tenor)

Post COVID almost every country in the civilization had declared a complete lockdown in their respective geographic area which forced almost everyone (except our health care and essential services workers)  to be confined in their homes.

And ladies and gentlemen it was then when man was forced in cage that he came out with different ways to keep himself active and in his creative head space. Each one of us evolved in every possible art especially cooking. I too started with my very own food page on Instagram RITZEYCOOKING

But oh boy! lets just spill the tea today, us being hotel industry aspirants (not even hoteliers) are still so scared to acquire any designation before our names for we understand the blood, sweat and tears behind it all and that calling ourselves a chef with every food post is certainly not are values and forte! 

It was in my industrial training that I realized that how much our training is alike to that to our soldiers serving our country for peace and safety and us hoteliers serving our nation and guests round the globe with comfort, food and lodging.

Evolution to better has been mankind's initiative to betterment and fulfillment of what future demands from us but lets not forget the difference between evolution within which sometimes can re define the meaning of many things in the world outside and can cause pain to many communities, people and especially people practicing a profession in this particular case.

Food is an emotion that can be expressed in N number of ways but to continue to serving and preaching this art  and emotion is worship and austerity (तपस्या) and it is that bifurcates us foodies from our chefs and people working day and night to serve us with mere passion, love, care and safety.

 Just like no lay man prescribing you a paracetamol for mere fever cannot be a doctor in the same way no one can ever be a chef with a dish or two on their pages.

The love and definition for food is indescribable and hence it should be the sole factor to unite us all, with each day we'll discover its new means, authenticity, fusion and what not but surely we can never discover the blood sweat tears that takes to being a chef, marking differences in life and legacies by continuing with the art of food to serve one and all including several communities.

This blog is a tribute to all my mentors in the industry who have been working selflessly to provide safe livelihood and comfort  in their hotel premises even at the most challenging environment post the COVID OUTBREAK.

RESPECT CHEFS. RESPECT HOTELIERS,

A blog by: Ritika Singh©

Food presentation and interpretation

Before we start with the real content,  here is to what I promised. THE BIG Announcement. To people who have read my blogs before they know that how fanatic was I to join a culinary school and learn further to what I know and love.  So here am I! Finally a proud culinary and hospitality student soon entering in my second year now.  Days have been a bumpy ride though but I don't regret any of it and enjoy my each moment out there.  Shout out if you wanna know about my experiences in my College.
💕
FOOD PRESENTATION
I really don't want this blog to be a picture album looking for at least this topic because I strongly feel it just limits your ideas, creativity and content. Food is the sole art that has continued to enrich love, mood and culture with both its traditional and modern forms since ages.  Abstract art may not be in reach of minds of some people but culinary arts have its richest abundance even in homes back in rural worlds. I was 12 years old when I was introduced to the idea of food art and presentation with only a source for typical Indian house hold back then and that is MasterChef India.  Later with people like Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay, Nigella   Vikas khanna and certain food networks like Tasty,  Hebbar'S Kitchen as I browsed internet  I discovered the beauty of that adrenaline rush and the urge to taste  even when the simplest of dish like Kadhai Paneer (Cottage cheese tossed with petals of onions, capsicums Indian kadhai gravy) that stimulated my taste buds. All thanks to the beautiful presentation and time lapse videos, that now saves hundreds of poor home cooks.

Pic Courtesy:Google Images

So what exactly is Food presentation and how it has become so important that now it clearly  either sets you as top class Michelin  star deserving chef  or just another poor rated restaurant soon on the verge of CLOSING.

According to Google Search food presentation: is the art of modifying, processing, arranging, or decorating food to enhance its aesthetic appeal

If you were to ask a home cook Food presentation is just another way to appeal her husband,kids who were anyways tired of the boring Dal Chawal ( Rice and Lentils) in the same old way.

For a Culinary student its just another way of expression part from flavors.

For a Chef working day and night to enter in the list of the Michelin Guide, food presentation is the way he could appeal those critics.

Emotionally or professionally, take it  anyway but  you find food presentation acting as a soul to the body that is well curated keeping in mind the excellency in taste.

TIPS AND TRICKS TO MAKE YOUR FOOD INSTAGRAM WORTHY

1. CONVEY A STORY 

Long stories can all be conveyed through a picture. Once the picture is done clicked and presented efficiently,one may need no long captions which is otherwise too annoying to read even.

Here are some pics to illustrate:

Pic Courtesy: Google Images

This pic is of Pindi Chana well served with Chana Bhatura which is a street snack from old Delhi. The soul of street food is well captured by the news paper background keeping in mind of the street snacks served on newspaper. The essence of the aromatic spice mix is conveyed with spice jar intelligently placed near the aesthetic spill over of Kabuli Chana which  serves as the  main component of the dish.

Pic courtesy: Google Images

This pic is of Nasi Lemak originated in Malaysia and traditionally served with pandan leaves steamed rice,fried peanuts,fried anchovies,boiled egg, sambhal and fried chicken acting as  the star protein. The beauty of this picture is that the dish presentation  is perfectly encapsulated with both modern and traditional setup denoted by rusted black slate dish and banana leaf accompanied by the side of a slit onion and garlic (probably) denoting the key components of the sambhal chutney served along.  

Pic Courtesy: Google Images

The next dish is Korean Ramyun Bowl (Ramen noodles in Korea is called "Ramyun").

Pretty much packed with every essential taste, flavor and nutrition, Korean Ramyun Noodles is a dish made with flavored broth, fermented kimchi, noodles, any kind of protein (based on the noodle dish kind) and often topped with greens like Bok Choy ( also known as Chinese cabbage) scallions and half boiled egg. The beauty of this  picture and presentation is just like Koreans the picture is well presented capturing to what is required which is well uplifted with the use of black ceramics enhancing the color red of the rich ramyun soup. 

You can also see Kimchi ( Fermented and spiced cabbage) and paprika powder ( main powdered spice in most of the soup based Korean dishes).

2. KEEP IT MINIMAL AND REAL                                          

This pretty much the last point that we will discuss for as stated before FOOD PRESENTATION overly interpreted will only limit your ideas and thoughts. 

So when presenting feel no less than a Michelin Star awarded Chef and try focusing on the  elements rather than adding Curry leave stems on your plate presenting momos >_< (trust me i have seen a person doing that on Instagram). Try adhering  to the idea of Nouvelle cuisine and try serving your audience the best as much as you serve your guest dining with you. Make them go crazy and their taste bud salivate.

Hope you liked my views and interpretation of some food representation that i researched from Google to make it easier for you guys to Understand my Idea of Food presentation and interpretation. 

Till then See you later Alligator ! :D 

   

Shit happened! But am back again!

So honestly it's been almost 2 years that I haven't updated this blog.  Call it a lack of interest in life and food or call it may be a busy lifestyle,  but I surely went a bit off track on this one for sure. 
Food is life and food is soul but over these 24 months I realized that when things are not right you may start hating your food too! Lucky are we to have chance to nurture upon good food and having a ample chances to choose our choice and influence others for more and extend this community. Hence keep growing,  keep moving and keep loving food and cooking
BIG THINGS have surely happened with me and I am so excited to share my experiences with you all. So see you soon with a big announcement. 💕💋
P. S this article is pretty basic but more fun stuff is coming soon.! Dont forget to check my other articles posted earlier. 

My weight loss was a game I hardly understood yet now I am it's strongest player.

AS a writer of this blog, certain times there happens to be a situation wherein I am confused what should I be offering to my readers so that it continues to inspire them and make love with food. There are times when I am pretty confident about my topic chosen but for the times I am not, I prefer speaking own experiences for they can be well rehearsed and well quoted then.
I had been asthmatic for a long time and that because of it there use to happen certain restraints in my physical activities, like it was dreadful to me running, I even use to be scared of climbing mountains and staircase. In everyone's life, there are times when you are totally into figure and then there happens a time when you totally hate your body. Now to bring in the connectivity of my asthmatic situation and figure, I want to tell you that since I had least physical activities in my schedule and that I was more obsessed in exercising the eating exercise, with each passing day or year to be precise I grew fatter. Not that I Say that in today's day I am the fittest but because I choose to uplift my dull meaningless life towards a healthy goal, yes! I can proudly say that yes am active and fit n my own self with regular exercising and proper diet on my everyday lists.
So let's see what I did so far.
It started with
1.NO WORKS ALL CRY                                                                                                                

Believe me when we start or if we are thinking to start our regime there are times or one big thunder bolting situation when we all are all bewildered whether to do it or not. Our goals are those hourglass figures but our minds are more into the losses we may face or the pain or the extra efforts we may have to put than those who are already into a figure yet exercising. IN this situation don't look for sympathy around nor think about the hard work start it slow and increasing the pace with each day will help you to be stable then. Remember only you can help yourself other will just shut the fuck up by making fun of your weight. 

2.THE NAUGHTY FOOD GAME. 

Once you are daily in your exercise (though it will just be ONLY 2 days for others) you are already missing your bae FOOD. What to do then????????????? It's the biggest question. fuck!! When you google it, they say use distractions, chew veggies BLAH BLAH BLA!! but Nah!! It doesn't work. Keep Calm you ain't contesting for Miss Universe the very next day, Have your treats in the limited most portion and continue decreasing the portions for your next craves. Am sure even an inch loss will automatically inspire you to eat right. 

3.Am a fatter than her or him?- HERE STARTS THE COMPARISON GAME.

There's no remedy to this. It economics this is well defined as DEMONSTRATION EFFECT, wherein you get attracted to what others have and compare each aspect your life to get one. This is well defined human psychology. For those who will learn to fight back this thinking will succeed, else will die comparing and will achieve nothing. COMPARE TILL A HEALTHY EXTENT. 

4.THINK POSITIVE- it's not just a lame though to be written on your whiteboard, this SHIT!! is real and scientific. 

When I realized that I was losing weight,I literally felt good even though every second I was the same weight as that I saw on my scale but with each passing second as I walked, ate right and did all the stuff to make my body lighter, I realized I was losing weight(even though it's not possible with each second :D) But you see positive thinking will not only help you to stay motivated but will keep you on the right track. And trust me you I realized it late after I shed some pounds, But if you start doing it from the very first day of your planned regime, you will get faster results for both your conscious and subconscious minds will adhere to it and secrete chemicals that will help you to lose weight faster.

REMEMBER YOU CAN DO IT ONLY YOU CAN DO IT FOR YOURSELF!! And yes Dieting ain't a remedy. 

_ Good Luck to both me and you(even I am not in a perfect shape till now) LOL!

Food Marketing.- Kick Start your Business

As a writer with a dream to aspire mind in both business and in food industry be it a chef or a restaurateur, I feel its very very important to first jot down the points we may want to invest and plan our business accordingly. Correct visualization with a fixed aim always helps and hence may be the world of biggies never fail to say "keep dreaming", when asked about their success.
With correct visualization, I don't ask you to be always realistic but yes when it comes to Food Marketing, keeping track of few things is extremely important.
With the help of some guidance and own MOCK experience here are some points that can help you to kickstart it big.
1. TIME 

Time was never ours and will never ever be. This ideology for some perspectives works the best,

especially when quoted in respect to that of consumer demand. What for us is suitable at a given point of time may not all to be acceptable by your consumers out there. When it comes to food there happens to be a bunch of such groups in our society who will always want the same which is served and happens to be the best for them but in contrast to them, there is a whole NEW universe of consumers(Foodies) who now every day expect a new change for their new experiences. Pleasing them is not an easy task yet it can become the easiest only if we keep in mind their demands with each changing time. Now be it with according to the health parameters, cultural demand etc.

Keep track of each time and the trends in them and you surely secure a step the next level. 

2. TARGETTING 

No doubt marketing is part of targetting your audience for they can buy and get satisfied with your product. But for you the definition should not end here. With targetting you must work and achive those goals which will give your service and product a magnetised shield for next time you consumer comes and buys it again.
Targetting can be done in different ways. They can either be achived with advertisement or sometimes subliminal messages. Subliminal messages are some meassges which are inaudible or un recognisable messages to your conciscious mind but they leave a deep imprint on your subconcisous minds. At some countries for some specific brands they are now banned but they too work wonders and can be creatively used at places, be it a brochure for your company or even an ice cream cup i which you may serve.
Advertisements are same as these but with a clearer out look with each information transparently displayed. The ideas to attract your customers especially for your food marketting through advertisements can be endless. As a customer and viewer people get a lot attracted to -Food presentration
- They way food is being chewed in the ad.
- And last but not the least it's description.
Advertisement should make the viewers feel instant connection with them, so naturality is the best in few things that are quite obvious in life that includes food.

3. LOGO Designing 

As a company owner be it food or commercial product your logo will speak the very first even before the actual product so it's of the ut most importance and I shall place this parallel to that of TIME point mentioned above .Since we are talking about food marketing few things are really important to keep in mind are as follows.

-Clarity

The logo may not speak words but it should certainly shout out the idea why and for which you stand in the market.

-Text

The text should be understable with correct font selection. Simplicity should work for this side of commercial industry since for food customers deserve your creativity in the taste and palate on which you'll serve them your dish on.

-Color

There are very obvious sceintific facts behind the colors you choose to display on your logos.

Colors like yellow,orange and red should be more preferable for they are proved to be increasing appetitte in this field.

4. EXPERIENCE

In the fields with culinary involvement people with high experience are always to be revolved around for they can tell you the current updates and that they will not only specify what the customers need but can beautifully extract the needs for the same. Even if your company is less on food and more on health (Like if you are into healthy food supplements) your Chef will still make it a point to serve the tastiest with all health and other factors in mind. 

These were really ceratin minor points that one must take care while visulaizing for their upcoming ventures. Hope you like it and for more such information you can mail us at ritika.mcs.chd@gmail.com or comment below. 

IMAGES SOURCE:- Google

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When Foodies fell in love.

This is a story of Rahul and Kavita. Two Indians who equally love their culture and adore its diversity and the most they adore it's diversity in food cuisines.
 Both were totally unknown to each other but it was then fate and food that brought them together.
  Kavita worked as a sous Chef in hotel Giant View and dreamt big, for one day she wanted to host her very own food travel show. She believed in the fact that in this industry you got to make networks that were good and helpful , hence she kept herself a lot involved in social food events and made new friends and connections thereafter.


Kavita's birthday was round the corner and she was very excited for it though before that she had to attend a Food event launched in banquet hall just 2 days before her birthday and that was on 26th of December.
                       That day on 26th she set her hair and with minimal make up applied she looked like a princess that day. She sees nothing beyond food not even how beautiful she getting with each passing day. After reaching the hall the first thing she saw was that hall was full and there was no seat left for her to sit nor she could she the Chefs invited there. There she saw Rahul who very calmly stood and offered her sit and a biscuit from the packet he held, though Kavita refused those offers but she was touched by his this attitude. Rahul Was a Charming boy with all qualities that a girl desires in man to be but just that his attitude over his good charms brought down his image. By the way Rahul was a Chef too.
 Kavita Was too annoyed seeing Rahul constantly cracking jokes on the fact that the invited chef guests wasn't able to speak English as fluent as anyone else can. He was as sour as Kaffir Lime to her then but then she didnt understand that same kaffir lime will then be like a sweet pudding to her.
                                             Rahul and Kavita met again after 2 months though. It was a pleasant meet again but Kavita couldn't refuse to accept that, that now she had feelings for Rahul for he was a perfect guy for her but his attitude ahh...
Rahul was a rich man's son, he invited Kavita to flaunt his skills though, that day bought sat together at Rahul's home to make tarts in which Rahul had an expertise. Though to test Kavita and to make her fun then he purposely felt of making especially tarts that day. Kavita as mentioned before was a food enthusiast , it was then when Rahul got surprised of how good were the tarts of Kavita. Even he felt how wrong he was of not respecting other chefs of his category and even higher and how wrong he was in insulting him.
                                 That Day He realized the power of food is not defined anywhere for it is attained by individuals in different way , one should respect all of others ideas and trying improving his or her creations each day.  He proposed Kavita with a Cheesecake and asked her to blend in the way as soft creamy layer of cream cheese blends with hard crispy layer of biscuit though.






Hence Food taught them all. Thank You. 

When Foodies fell in love.

This is a story of Rahul and Kavita. Two Indians who equally love their culture and adore its diversity and the most they adore it's diversity in food cuisines.
 Both were totally unknown to each other but it was then fate and food that brought them together.
  Kavita worked as a sous Chef in hotel Giant View and dreamt big, for one day she wanted to host her very own food travel show. She believed in the fact that in this industry you got to make networks that were good and helpful , hence she kept herself a lot involved in social food events and made new friends and connections thereafter.


Kavita's birthday was round the corner and she was very excited for it though before that she had to attend a Food event launched in banquet hall just 2 days before her birthday and that was on 26th of December.
                       That day on 26th she set her hair and with minimal make up applied she looked like a princess that day. She sees nothing beyond food not even how beautiful she getting with each passing day. After reaching the hall the first thing she saw was that hall was full and there was no seat left for her to sit nor she could she the Chefs invited there. There she saw Rahul who very calmly stood and offered her sit and a biscuit from the packet he held, though Kavita refused those offers but she was touched by his this attitude. Rahul Was a Charming boy with all qualities that a girl desires in man to be but just that his attitude over his good charms brought down his image. By the way Rahul was a Chef too.
 Kavita Was too annoyed seeing Rahul constantly cracking jokes on the fact that the invited chef guests wasn't able to speak English as fluent as anyone else can. He was as sour as Kaffir Lime to her then but then she didnt understand that same kaffir lime will then be like a sweet pudding to her.
                                             Rahul and Kavita met again after 2 months though. It was a pleasant meet again but Kavita couldn't refuse to accept that, that now she had feelings for Rahul for he was a perfect guy for her but his attitude ahh...
Rahul was a rich man's son, he invited Kavita to flaunt his skills though, that day bought sat together at Rahul's home to make tarts in which Rahul had an expertise. Though to test Kavita and to make her fun then he purposely felt of making especially tarts that day. Kavita as mentioned before was a food enthusiast , it was then when Rahul got surprised of how good were the tarts of Kavita. Even he felt how wrong he was of not respecting other chefs of his category and even higher and how wrong he was in insulting him.
                                 That Day He realized the power of food is not defined anywhere for it is attained by individuals in different way , one should respect all of others ideas and trying improving his or her creations each day.  He proposed Kavita with a Cheesecake and asked her to blend in the way as soft creamy layer of cream cheese blends with hard crispy layer of biscuit though.






Hence Food taught them all. Thank You.