Innovation on a Plate: A Kashmiri Chef's Journey in Food Technology | Rukhsaar Sayeed | TEDxSAC

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The Speaker's Journey

The speaker, from a family of doctors, initially aspired to become a doctor but was fascinated by cooking.
Influenced by her mother and life in Saudi Arabia, she decided to pursue a career as a chef instead.
Despite family expectations, she studied food technology, covering various aspects of food preservation and processing.

During her MTech, she got engaged and later married while pursuing a PhD and raising two children.
Realizing the lack of healthy snacks for children, she used her expertise to create her own products.
The positive response from distributors and mothers led to the creation of Khalis Foods, aiming to provide pure and safe food products.
Khalis Foods addresses food adulteration and unemployment in Kashmir by employing women from weaker sections of society.

Kashmiri cuisine is influenced by various cultural civilizations, including Mughal, Silk Route, and Persian traders.
It can be divided into Kashmiri Muslim cuisine, featuring heavy meat dishes, and Kashmiri Pandit cuisine, known for its unique cooking methods and flavors.
Wazwan, a multi-course royal feast, is a part of Kashmiri Pandit cuisine and is prepared only on special occasions.
Kashmiri saffron is renowned worldwide for its aroma, purity, and beautiful spicy flavor.

Chefs start with their traditional cuisine and explore international cuisines, evolving their art over time.
Cultural background, personal experiences, travel experiences, and emotional state of mind influence a chef's final dish.
The speaker shares examples of fusion dishes, such as "Paan Kota" and "Platter Brotherhood," which represent Kashmiri heritage and harmony.