Padma Shri awardee Chef Sanjeev Kapoor is renowned globally as a culinary icon. A pioneer in the food industry, he has shaped the way many Indians understand food and approach cooking. The first Indian chef to become a television personality, Kapoor redefined what it means to be a chef - proving that the role extends far beyond just leading a hotel kitchen. From opening restaurants in India and overseas and authoring cookbooks to hosting television shows, launching his own channel and building a kitchen appliances brand, he has consistently broken new ground.
What makes Sanjeev Kapoor the person he is today? What qualities enabled him to think differently and successfully achieve what no Indian chef had done before? We asked him. His humble response said it all.
Reflecting on the journey and personal values that shaped his success, the chef knew exactly whom to credit first - his parents.
"Sanjeev Kapoor was created with a great set of parents, their upbringing, a lot of independence, a lot of freedom, and a great value system," he told NDTV Food in an exclusive interview.
Expressing gratitude for the support he has received throughout his life, he added, "It's the collective wisdom of people around me. No matter where I go, people always give me their best energy and blessings. I've been fortunate to collect this forever."
Chef Sanjeev Kapoor also revealed how he approaches life and the world around him, and how that shapes his decisions and actions.
He said, "Where I am, I just absorb. I listen and see what is best in an environment, whether it is nature, people, food, or anything else. I just observe, and then automatically I start to imbibe that, and that is the expression that Sanjeev Kapoor has. So, I don't work on it, I just live it."
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Sanjeev Kapoor's fans have long admired his warm and gracious smile. When asked about it, he offered a simple answer: "I don't have to make any effort. When life is beautiful, and everyone around you is so generous with whatever they do, what else can you do but smile."