Karen Anand is widely regarded as one of India's first food gurus. A prolific writer, she has published numerous books including the bestselling Good Food Good Living and Simple Cooking for Smart Men, and co-authored The Penguin Food Lovers Guide to India and Nepal. Her twelve-book series entitled Simple Cooking was nominated for the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Paris. Anand continues to write extensively about food, with a regular column in the Sunday Telegraph. She is the recipient of the Trophée de l'Esprit Alimentaire (Food and Spirit Award) for Culture from the French Government and the winner of the French Ambassador's Travel Writer Award. She also runs a successful gourmet business and consults for luxury hotels and restaurants. Between all this, she ensures there is always time to cook! SHARMILA CHAND met up with her at the Jaipur Literature Festival 2024. Here are excerpts of the interview.
Among the various roles you undertake, which one brings you the most joy and satisfaction, and why?
Well, I wear many hats, so I've been an entrepreneur, I've been a writer, I've been a cook chef. I've developed recipes and developed menus for people. I've done all sorts of things in the corporate sector. What gives me the most satisfaction is probably writing; it gives me the least money, but it certainly gives me the most satisfaction. What I love about writing is that you don't have to wax your upper lip or bother about your hair, or what you look like you can do it at three in the morning and wake up and I go to my desk, which is thankfully in my house and write in my pajamas. And I love the flexibility of that. However, as a profession, I loved the two restaurants I worked with in London that are hugely successful. I think success drives gratitude, and it drives what you do. For example, I developed Nimbooz for PepsiCo, and I've done lots of work for, for corporates in India, for other restaurants, and I love it when that product succeeds.
And it's very gratifying as a woman when you make money out of something. Because it's tough for a woman to do all of this. To run a home with children and to be successful in a career. It is tough, the whole nine yards is not easy. So, when you are successful and when it is monetarily also gratifying, it's great. But if you're asking me about the one, I enjoy most, it's writing.
Could you share insights into your latest project and what inspired you to embark on it?
Masala Memsahab is my 20th book. I realised that I wanted to do a book on India that reflects my journey in India for the last 30 odd years. I am of course Indian, but I came back to India in my 20s. I sort of look at it with both eyes, sometimes a foreign eye in an Indian eye. It's really stories, stories of people that I came across their great dishes, some were just housewives, some were
restauranteurs but they're mostly great characters who produce great food and that for me is really important the fact that it's a culinary memoir. So, it features socioeconomic aspects of India, culinary aspects of India, the diversity of our regional cuisines, which I think is very important and still not brought out to the extent it should be. I think the French and Europeans are very good at
marketing what they have and writing down what they have. We in India are less good at all of that.
With a notable repertoire of books, particularly in the realms of food and travel, what continues to motivate and inspire your writing journey?
Well, I think writing is like acting or like anything, either you love it, or you hate it, and I love it. And that continues. As long as my books get published, and people want to read my books, I will do it.
What sparked your interest in the world of food, leading you to delve into its nuances and share your experiences?
Somebody told me many years ago, you should always have three careers in mind. Food was one and of course, international relations was another. When I came back to India, in mid 80s, I discovered I really couldn't do International Relations because of language and various things. So, I jumped to food and I was the right place at the right time. I was talking about European food because that's where I came from and that's what I knew and I grew up with. It wasn't because I thought it was trendy, or it was just something I knew how to do. So, I think, as I said, I was in the right place at the right time. Success spurs you on, as you get more successful with one salad bar, second salad bar, being on the cover of magazines, it's all very exciting. So, I continued down that road.
Reflecting on your journey thus far, could you share some key moments and lessons that have shaped your path?
I don't think negatively at all. I think when things happen, they happen for the best I do believe in the universe, giving you signs. I've never had any problems really, in my career. I think people have been very kind of open doors, then of course, I had to prove myself, but I've not really faced anything negative in my career. Personally, I've had my ups and downs, of course, and you just have to battle and, muddle your way through it. But in my career, I've been extremely lucky. There have been times when I did three TV series and then there was nothing. I was very disappointed because all of a sudden TV was sort of going was taking on a change and it became the OTT platforms and I think also they didn't want older women, they wanted younger women. I thought that was a bit foolish, but that's the way TV was going and wanted younger men. It became more about Hindi. So, I can understand but I was disappointed for a while then I got more into corporate work which came my way and obviously because I was successful in my corporate work, I got more work in the corporate field. So, you know when one door closes another one opens.
When it comes to culinary experiences, which destination holds a special place in your heart, and what makes it your favourite?
I don't know, nowadays I'm less into traveling to new places for the sake of it. I go where I have friends, or I go where I have work. I go a lot to Italy because I have lovely friends there. I love Italy and Venice where I go often. I love Paris and France, but I have less friends there. France is wonderful for me because I speak French so it's always gratifying to go there. Now I'm learning Italian now because I go so often. UK is a second home used to be a first home. I don't have the same longing and passion for it, but I do enjoy the British sense of humor. I enjoy seeing friends there. In the East there's no place that I love returning to so much but I do like exploring.
Among your various projects, which one stands out as your favorite, and what makes it memorable for you?
Well, I think Deshaun in London, which has been a very successful restaurant, a Bombay Cafe in London is something that I'm very excited about. It is so successful; the owners have kept to the original vision we had and the inspiration. That makes it very exciting. And of course, my own company and the foodstuffs we do and the products we do. I'm very excited about the way it's going. One more thing I should also talk about is the farmers' market, we were the first people to do big events like that. It was amazing to see so many products in India, coming together and the kind of work that is happening in India in the field of natural food, organic food. Small vendors doing that. It was amazing. I hope we can do it again.
