India, March 16 -- Q. What made you choose the path of culinary arts?

A. My father's side is from Kolkata and my mother's side is from Bangladesh, so I was blessed to be born in a family of two distinct Bengali cuisines. My mother's cooking had a lot of influence of green chili and mustard oil. My father's cooking was rich in cream, butter and coconut milk. Now if I trace back when did I decide to become a cook, I think that it was in my DNA and it was my destiny.

Q. You wanted to join the army initially, why did you end up enrolling yourself in Hotel Management?

A. I did my Hotel Management because it was different, it was unique and difficult. Life was never easy for me and I don't like anything that's easy for me. It was a lucrative...