International Chefs Day 2024: These chefs were almost anything but cooks – backgrounds of their shocking careers revealed

The life of a chef may be full of challenges and pressure in the kitchen or in the industry, yet it also comes with incredible learning experiences, deep passion and the purest joy of feeding people. Every year, on October 20, the world celebrates International Chefs Day, a tribute to the kitchen masters who transform simple ingredients into delicious dishes that are no less than an art. But what inspired these culinary geniuses to dedicate their lives to food?

On International Chefs Day 2024, here’s a glimpse of some of the wonderfully candid conversations NDTV Food had with top chefs from around the world, where they revealed how family, culture and personal journeys helped them make it big in the kitchen. Inspired for. PS Don’t miss out on learning what these talented chefs might have done if they had chosen a different career!

Chef Gary Mehigan: A Legacy of Hospitality

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Australian chef and restaurateur Gary Mehigan, who became a household name after MasterChef Australia, traces his culinary roots to his family, particularly his grandfather. “I think I got my creative genetics from my mother, but my inspiration was always my grandfather, who was a chef,” he explains. “My father was an engineer and a very measured, smart and patient man, but I was none of those things. I was impatient and troublemaking. I related to my grandfather because he loved people Hospitality was his life, and he loved growing things in his garden. I don’t think I really understood it when I chose to become a chef, but now I do. I understand this very clearly.

When asked what he would have been if he had not been a chef, he simply said, “I would be very sad!”

Chef David Myers: Farm-to-Table Roots

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Growing up on a family farm gave Chef David Myers a deep connection to the food he cooks. “I was very fortunate to grow up in a family that grew its own food. My family had a lot of land and a big garden with all kinds of fruit trees and nut trees. We followed the seasons. As a child, I didn’t think much about it – it seemed normal – but now, looking back, I realize how special it was. Was: To be able to eat pure, fresh and healthy food.

He also credits his family for introducing him to great food and instilling in him his passion for taste. “My family was really good at finding the best place to eat — the best pizza, the best fried chicken, the best ice cream place where they made their own ice cream. They weren’t trying to be connoisseurs; they just We were trying to find the best places to eat, if we got bad food, we would all be disappointed!”

But what if he had not taken this path? “I would have been an actor,” he revealed.

Chef Gaggan Anand: Courage and big dreams

Chef Gagan Anand’s progressive Indian restaurant Gagan in Bangkok has been recognized as ‘Best Restaurant in Asia 2024’. Having lived in Thailand for several years, Chef Gaggan reveals that his culinary journey began in Delhi, a city that marked his transition into professional cooking. He shared, “Delhi was where I started becoming a professional chef. That’s where I entered this industry. After 12 years, I got the confidence to close my restaurant and bring in my own team.”

But in an alternate universe, Chef Gaggan has a different dream: “I’ll be a drummer in a rock band.”
Also read: World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024: This Indian restaurant in Bangkok included in top 10

Chef Ranveer Brar: From gurudwara kitchen to global fame

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Chef Ranveer Brar gained confidence in his cooking after cooking for his mother. “Although my first stint in the kitchen was in a gurudwara at a fairly young age, I started cooking seriously around the age of 15. That’s when I made rajma for my mother (she was unwell), and I “Heard father praising my cooking!” Hearing his father praise his cooking was the moment he knew his future was in food.

If life had not taken him to the kitchen, Brar would have imagined a different kind of adventure. “I love to travel and I love my cameras, so if not a chef, I’d probably be a wildlife photographer.”

Chef Sarah Todd: Indian Cooking with an Australian Twist

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Chef Sarah Todd is an Australian celebrity chef, restaurateur and cookbook author. Chef Sara loves Indian food and tried cooking Indian dishes for the first time after the birth of her son. “She is half Punjabi, so it was natural that I introduce her to the food of her heritage. I am trained in French culinary techniques and I find the difference in cooking styles a little daunting. However, I do love spices and seasonings. They bring magic to a dish now, I find it fun and exciting, and it’s my favorite style of cooking – with my Australian twist, of course!”

If not a chef, Sarah would pursue another passion—race car driving. “I always dreamed of being a race car driver. I love driving on the open road in the countryside. I find it very relaxing, and it takes my mind off everything else.”
Also read:Real people, real stories of finding freedom in the kitchen

Chef Vikas Khanna: Connecting food with emotions

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Chef Vikas Khanna’s deep passion for food goes beyond what is visible to the eye. It’s not just the technique and ingredients, but the chef admits that a certain amount of love and passion is what makes even a simple dish special. Talking about her childhood, she revealed, “Although I have the ability to recreate any dish just by tasting it, my grandmother’s Methi Aloo is one dish that I cannot replicate. It has five simple ingredients, Nothing fancy. Maybe it’s the purity of this dish that stays in my heart, I would like to keep it sacred in my grandmother’s memory.”

Chef Vikas revealed that if he did not know how to cook, he would like to become a farmer. “It is closely linked to my profession, and I value the preciousness of good produce. Being a farmer is in line with my philosophy. Additionally, I would love to produce documentaries. Capturing the vibrancy on film is very powerful and It’s fascinating. I have experienced how inspired the audience is by skilled cinematic art, which will give me great pleasure!”

Chef Sumeet Sehgal: Inspiration from grandfather

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Chef Sumeet Sehgal, who broke the internet and won many hearts by serving Panipuri on MasterChef Australia Season 16, shared that his grandfather’s curiosity about food made a lasting impact on his culinary journey. “My tailor (grandfather) was a very curious person, and he was curious about everything, including food. If he was eating something, he would be very impressed by what spices were added to it, Growing up, there were many examples of him being so curious about food and how he consumed it—where the produce came from, what was written on the labels of the jars he bought, etc. But it had the biggest impact.”

These talented chefs remind us that the path to the kitchen is as diverse as the dishes they create. From family traditions to personal dreams, each story is a testament to the passion, creativity and heart that goes into creating our favorite foods. Let’s wish all the incredible chefs around the world this International Chef’s Day!