About me: https://chefreetuudaykugaji.com/blog/2017/07/11/about-me/

I strongly believe that as a Chef , Mentor, Culinary Expert and Food Blogger it is my utmost responsibility that the recipes and knowledge that I share with my readers, followers and all are authentic as well as my own tadka that is  innovative.

I love to prepare both types of recipes which are out of the box as well as traditional authentic recipes.

My blog gives my readers a variety, an idea how various flavors and ingredients can be blended.

You will find my recipes with cooking tips that would help you to prepare the dishes with ease.

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 my BLOG…..

I intricately prepare cuisine designed to capture a delicious and exciting range of flavors, textures and aromas.

I believe that we eat with our eyes first…….

About 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. I follow the path shown by my Mother  , that is bring smiles and spreading Happiness through the food I cook.

I strongly believe in “Real Chefs Share and Teach.”

“Secrets, especially with cooking, are best shared so that the cuisine lives on.” – Bo Songvisava

Food is my Religion.

My Culinary Journey so far….Risen like a Phoenix….

As a Kid 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.

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 father , 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.” 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.

I am presently working as a Grub Panelist with Senhora Magazine,

Chef, Culinary Expert , Food Blogger, Mentor, Hospitality and Food Consultant at http://womenpla.net/

 http://womenpla.net/author/reetu-uday-kugaji/ , Food Author with  www.tanyamunshi.com,

 My Blog:

https://chefreetuudaykugaji.com/blog/ 

I run a Facebook page “Food For Thought by Chef Mrs Reetu UdayKugaji” https://www.facebook.com/chefreetuudaykugaji/

I also have a Facebook group “Knowledge is Wisdom” https://www.facebook.com/groups/471652423010057/

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

Member of Western India Culinary Association (WICA)

Member of Indian Women in Hospitality (IWH)

I have also worked as a as a Hospitality and Food Consultant, Speciality Chef and Food Author at www.plattershare.com from 24^th December 2015 to 3^rd October 2018.

Also, I am into writing recipes to suit both Desi and Videshi people and articles for various online and offline publications.

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.

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, “The God of Cricket” Mr. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, “The Great Wall of Indian Cricket” Mr. Rahul Dravid and various other dignitaries and eminent personalities.

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, International Cricket Matches at the D.Y. Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai. I have cooked the most delectable cuisines for small to very large numbers.

With 20+ years of experience in the world of culinary, I believe that food is like oxygen to me. Food for me is God. As 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.  I 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.

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.

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” -Mahatma Gandhi
Learning is an everlasting process, I learn from every one even from my students, from every person I know or I don’t even know. Pick up the Positives and DROP THE NEGATIVES.

Upgrading oneself must be constant, may it be skills, training, technology or recent trends in Culinary and Hospitality.

Working on: Sustainable Cooking, Zero-Waste Recipes and Resourceful use of Leftover Food & Bringing Back The Lost Recipes of India.

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.

I believe that Indian cuisine has gone a long way, may it be creativity, food plating and food presentation.

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  had encouraged students to bring back the lost recipes of India.

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.

Positively the coming generations will bring back the lost recipes of India , the authentic flavor’s and fragrance as India’s colonial legacy is food.

Work Profile Not Updated

About me:

https://chefreetuudaykugaji.com/blog/2017/07/11/about-me/

https://chefreetuudaykugaji.com/blog/2016/05/01/achievements-and-awards/

Achievements and Awards:

• Received  the Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Award…Award of Honor…. Teachers’s day 5th Sept 2020… from MENTORx
  
  WEAA India Awards Season 5th 2020 … Received Trophy and Certificate for Outstanding Achievement …”The Most Sustainable Chef” on 18th June 2020.
• AspiringShe Power Awardee 2020…Women Achievers Forum Designed to Inspire… 4th Edition 2020…. for the “ Most Innovative Chef Of The Year”, received award on 7^th March 2020 at Audi Mumbai, West.
• Received the Kalki Gaurav Award for my tireless effort and valuable role in building up the Nation on the 7^th Feb 2020 by the Kalki News and Kalki Foundation Trust.
• Received Award… ” Exceptional Women of Excellence” conferred by Women Economic Forum (WEF) on the 16th April 2019 at Vivanta By Taj, Dwarka, New Delhi.
• Received Award of Excellence 2018 for Women Achiever and Best Chef Indian Cuisine, organized by G-Town Society Magazine, Delhi
• Achiever / Winner of Planet’s Pride Awards 2018 ….It was announced on Social Media on the 19^th October 2018 , received award at the Laxmi Vilas Palace, Vadodara on 27^th Oct 2018 organized by Women Planet.
• Winner as a Social Media “Superwomen2018” Bloggers/ Creators on 8^thMarch 2018- International Women’s Day at Social Samosa.
• Winner in the Top 50 WeAreTheCity India’s Rising Stars 2017, award received on the 14^th November 2017 at the J W Marriots, Juhu Mumbai.
• Among the Top 5-Best Original Recipe Blogger at Better Homes and Gardens Awards in collaboration with Social Samosa ( BHG Awards 2017)
• Winner in the Campaign WOMAN AT WORK, published in the VOL 2/ ISSUE 5 /May 2016 Edition of the Magazine. Page 14 AND 15.

• Nominated / Shortlisted for Awards:
• Nominated & Shortlisted for Social Media “Superwomen2020” Bloggers/ Creators on 8^thMarch 2020- International Women’s Day at Social Samosa.
• Nominated as the “Best Chef” “Perfect Chefs of the year 2020” 5^th Perfect Achievers Award 2020 by Perfect Woman Pvt. Ltd . Award to be announced on 21^st March 2020 at Country Club Hospitality, Andheri (W).
• Finalists in 2 Categories for The Orange Flower Awards 2020 by Women’s Web
• #Photogram
• #Travelgram
• Nominated for the iwomanglobalawards 2019.
• Nominated & Shortlisted for Social Media “Superwomen2019” Bloggers/ Creators on 8^th March 2019- International Women’s Day at Social Samosa.
• Shortlisted for The Orange Flower Awards 2018 organized by Women’s Web for Food Writing and Travel Writing.

Featured / Published on the Cover Page, Interview and Recipe published in March 2018- Chef’s Platter Magazine.

• Featured / Published on the Cover Page, Interview and Recipe published in March 2019- Chef’s Platter Magazine.
• Featured / Published on the Cover Page of Hospitality Lexis” Magazine in February 2019.
• Featured on the Cover Page of Food Service Magazine India – September October 2017. My Interview has also been published in the magazine.

My accomplishments:

My accomplishments are to see and witness my Students grow in their careers and to be well renowned is a pat on my back , I feel extremely proud of that. As a mentor to them , I ensure that this quality of being extremely Humble and be proud of your roots is inculcated in my students, as I want them to be good humble humans first and then Chefs. The Noble profession that I am in itself inspires me to give my best to the Budding Chefs of tomorrow. I feel that I am indeed privileged and blessed to mentor so many students and the brightness of their success in their eyes and also of their parents, keeps inspiring me.

Extremely proud for shaping the careers of thousands and thousands of Budding Chefs and students and witnessing them being so successful as Good Humble Human Beings first then a Chef. As a mentor to them, I have always ensured that this quality of being extremely Humble and be proud of your roots is inculcated in my students, as I want them to be good humans first and then Chefs.

•  In addition to the above:

Letter of appreciation from Vice Chairman and MD of CIDCO for cordial support and participation in Navi Mumbai’s First ever Wellness and Spiritual Youth fest held on 15th January, 2016.

Handled Menu Planning & Special food production for Former Hon. President Of India Her Excellency Smt. Pratibha Tai Patil. , various other dignitaries and eminent personalities.

Received Letter of Appreciation from the Vice-Chancellor of the D.Y.Patil University for Handling and providing excellent Special Food Production for the Former Hon. President Of India Her Excellency Smt. Pratibha Tai Patil.

Menu Planning and handled Food Production for eminent personalities like “The God of Cricket” Mr. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar , “The Great Wall of India” Mr Rahul Dravid and many other renowned personalities.

Handling special food production orders for IPL matches, T 20-20, International Cricket Matches at the D.Y. Patil Stadium.

Received Certificate of Appreciation from American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute for service as an Instructor of Food Production Principles in recognition of contributions to the advancement and support of training and education in the Hospitality Industry.

Received Certificate of Appreciation from American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute for service as an Instructor of Security and Loss Prevention Management in recognition of contributions to the advancement and support of training and education in the Hospitality Industry.

Constant dedication and hard work in academics -Prestigious Medal and Certificate of Merit in 1995 from His Excellency Honorable Dada Saheb Padmashree Dr.D.Y.Patil, Former Governor of Bihar and West Bengal and the President of Padmashree Dr. D.Y.Patil University , Dr. Vijay D. Patil.

Received Certificate of Appreciation from Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh for teaching the various modules to the Culinary Students.

A humble bow down to all the Chefs, Food Bloggers ,My students, Budding Chefs, Home Chefs and all related to food in many ways to be my constant source of motivation, to give my best at all times.