The X Factor

Letting out the secret of his culinary wonders,Chef Sheldon Engineer of Cocoparra says he cannot cook without a high-flame burner in the kitchen and an oven as backup,for when the stove is busy,he can still cook other dishes. “My kitchen should also always have a clean and sharp set of knives,which can slice through the raw stock easily and save me time. I stock up on a variety of good quality pots and pans,” he says. Engineer observes that food cannot be good just by being served in fancy cutlery. “A dish tastes good only if the ingredients are chosen rightly. You cannot make a good output with rotten ingredients. So I must have fresh vegetables and fruits in my kitchen,” he adds.

A perfect set of shining knives are also high on Chef Ranjeet Yadav’s list. He also loves working with a variety of sauces by his side,making it another must-have in his kitchen now. “Sauces bring life to my food,” says Yadav of Malaka Spice. But things are not all that Yadav needs to cook up a great dish. “I cannot do without my co-chefs. I would lose myself if I am left alone in my kitchen,” he says,adding that topping it all is a bright attitude that he needs to take into his kitchen to bring the food to life. He elaborates that cooking should be more about passion and not just about feeding people. “It is the attitude of cooking that matters the most,” says Yadav.

For Chef Diganta Deka of Grubshup,too,attitude is one of the main ingredients while cooking. “If the attitude is bad,the food will also turn out bad. The food depicts the soul and mood of the cook,” says Deka.

He adds that his kitchen is not complete without his co-chefs. “Other essentials are fresh herbs and vegetables,a chopping board and sharp knifes. Sauces are important but depend on the dish I have to serve,” he says.