Sanjeev Kapoor: Let’s not talk salads, then eat samosas

Sanjeev Kapoor

Sanjeev Kapoor

Sanjeev Kapoor's journey to success appears to be linked to a series of intricate and internal conversations instead of a quest for answers from the world. Anyone who has achieved smaller victories in a manner that is aligned with his train of thoughts could place themselves in his shoes as he narrates stories of his journey to good health. Tasked with training for a seven-kilometre marathon in 2013 as ambassador for autistic children, Kapoor was aided with a tip that saw
him through.

"Until then, I couldn't jog. The advice that I received was to manage my speed. I was told to jog, and, should I get tired, reduce my speed such that it would be even lesser than the pace at which I walk. I was encouraged to retain the motion of jogging, regardless of the speed. And, as I did that, I realised that I could complete the run in a matter of 45 minutes. It was something I had been training for since only a month. As I navigated the path, I saw familiar faces of fit [celebrities], and I was managing to beat them with my steady pace," says Kapoor.

He admits that once experienced, the benefits of an exercise regimen can no longer be ignored. "I am not a fool to let it go," says the celebrated chef, admitting that he never had to pay heed to his health until the age of 25, because he had always been "lanky, and tall". It was a two-year New Zealand-stint, during which he gained a certain amount of weight, that served as trigger. "It probably had to do with the fact that I was eating too much of restaurant food. In the past, even though I would work at the restaurant, I would eat home-cooked meals. I always tell people that the best way [to manage weight] is to eat at home. Even the ‘healthy food' available outside will be less beneficial than regular home-cooked meals. It was at this point that I began to think about my weight, and thoughts lead to action."

As a chef accustomed to consuming the delicacies of the world, Kapoor admits that a fair share of tweaking was needed to adopt a healthy lifestyle. His job, both, favoured and disadvantaged him. "Of course, we were generous with our meals. And I realised early on that in weight management, the contribution of food was equal, if not more, than that of physical training. But, in large hotels, you get the opportunity to juggle multiple roles, and are inevitably on your feet [for a fair part of the day]. We didn't have smart watches then, but we would have easily been clocking in more than 10,000 steps. But, that wasn't the only factor. I have realised the importance of sleep. And today, I would say that on a rare occasion that you find yourself choosing between sleep and exercise, pick the former. When you are young, you want to change the world. The perception in the past was that it takes a cook 20 years to be an executive chef. I set a target to become one in 10. This implies that if everyone worked for eight hours, [I] did for 16. You eventually compromise on your sleep. But, in weight management sleep is important. I began to address that," says Kapoor, adding that he is "at that stage" where he has also been focusing on yoga, an art form he considered too "slow" for his sensibilities.

"When you ask yourself if you are important to yourself and your loved ones, you are willing to work on your health. In India, we talk salads but eat samosas. Thankfully, this is gradually changing," says the chef, known for encouraging simple changes like taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

Kapoor's tips for healthy eating

. Eat fresh, seasonal and local foods. We had red carrot yesterday, and it was pathetic, because right now, it's not in season. But when it is in season, it's delicious.

. When you are cooking something, do it with a plan instead of approaching it haphazardly. When you plan something, you will purchase food accordingly. And if you've planned it well, you will see better results.

. Fat is what adds to weight. Just cut it down. If you put two tablespoons of oil in your sabzi, cut it down to one. Can you do it? Yes. You just have to be told.

Vicky Ratnani

Having watched his diabetic parents deal with multiple health complications, chef Vicky Ratnani had a moment of realisation, 15 years ago. "I told myself that if I want to be active and healthy in my 50s, I should get a grip on [my health], and address it now. I love working out. That I am surrounded by friends who are fitness enthusiasts too works to my advantage," says the chef, currently displaying his culinary skills on the show, Chef vs Fridge.

Since the lockdown began, he has been clocking in 10 kilometres, five days a week, and has been resorting to body-weight training, with limited access to the gym. An exposure to a healthy lifestyle, he admits, can be addictive, and Ratnani says it has translated to the manner in which he whips up dishes. "We use less oils, good fats and [pink] salt. We focus on the quality of our essentials, and enjoy [consuming] local Indian vegetables," he says, asserting that the trick to staying fit in his line of work is to sample, instead of eat.

Ratnani's kitchen currently serves customised healthy meals to clients, and has also joined hands with fitness centres to create plans for their members. "We make vegetarian meals, and vegetarian protein salads, all of which are likely to roll soon."

Ranveer Brar

Ranveer Brar made a resolution early on in his career to be a "sampler" instead of one who tries to "stuff myself". "Perhaps it's the attitude of people who belong to Lucknow, but we are sensorially driven. I sample and taste a lot. It is something I learnt early on because I want to enjoy a variety of experiences instead of eat a lot," says Brar, asserting that it is essential to segregate habits, not food, as healthy, and unhealthy.

"Food is always healthy. How much we consume, and what we do during the rest of the day, determines how healthy we are." An active proponent of intermittent fasting, Brar practices the eating pattern six times a year, over a three-week bout, each time. "Intermittent fasting enables the body to rest. This is the manner in which our [ancestors] always lived. We've just packaged it and given it a fancier name. When I am on it, I consume my last meal at 8 pm, and a breakfast at 10 am the next day. I also eat small meals at regular intervals and practice 30 minutes of yoga or kalaripayattu. It is an art form that I picked up on my travel to Auroville, and have stuck to it for five years."

Brar asserts that the reason a lot of chefs prefer exercise regimes that can be practiced in smaller spaces is to enable them to stick to it during their travelling sessions. "A lot of the asanas are floor exercises that need no more than a 10x4 gangway. It seems more natural." Training the focus on inclusiveness, instead of excluding things, he says, is essential.

The approach to health is also undergoing an overhaul in the hospitality industry. "Health management has taken preference over weight management. Accepting yourself, and encouraging body positivity is good."