Late one Friday evening, I was driving home from work deeply lost in the thought of what I would feed my family for dinner that night. I started to smile to myself as I realized that while most people in my place would be thinking about plans for relaxation after a long, busy week, I was thinking about cooking. When I came home and shared these thoughts with my children, they made me realize the power that food has and the significant role it has played in my life.

 

I grew up in a village in India with my grandparents, who were retired, and, therefore, spent most of their time planning and preparing meals. We grew our own vegetables, raised buffalo for milk, made our own ghee, and had chickens in the yard to provide us with eggs. Therefore, every meal was fresh and full of energy. I took these values with me onto the next stage of my life as I obtained my degree in Home Science B.S.C., which is a program that teaches life skills, including nutrition and healthy living. This program inspired me to go on to medical school and become a physician, and I now use my background in health and wellness to educate patients about healthy living.

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While my tools and principles for cooking came from my grandmother and my schooling, I've had many other influences. My parents were constantly moving from place to place as I was growing up. They began in India and moved on to Jamaica, the UK, and Canada. Finally, I made the US my home. This constant change has inspired my ever-changing dishes that are always being modified with new, unique twists. The people in my life similarly influence my cooking on a daily basis. I am married and blessed with two wonderful daughters. They are now grown up, share my interests, and add significant value by bringing youthful insights to my cooking. My husband, however, takes all of the credit for my success, which I will gladly give, as without his constant criticism, I would not be where I am today. Each of the places and people that I have been surrounded by have shaped me and my cooking and have allowed me to create unique dishes to share with all of you!