Anika Kumar

Anika Kumar - A philosopher, a chef, a modern-traditionalist – that is Anika Kumar for you. You may call her a paradox or a contradiction of sorts, but she’s not apologetic about it.

A consultant with the ITC Hotels at Delhi for Indian-Marwari cuisine, Anika holds a degree in Philosophy from the prestigious Indraprastha College for women. One of the most reputed lady chefs in the business, Anika has had humble beginnings. She started out by setting up a small bakery unit. Her thirst for growth soon led her to a full-time career in the Catering business. “ I would churn out about 200 pastries in a day,” she recalls, “but that was not very satisfying as I was limiting myself to cakes and pastries. I used to cook for friends and design menus for them. This encouraged me to venture into catering.”

Anika's love-affair with food, as she herself admits, started very early in life. “My father taught me to bake a cake when I was six. Interest soon turned into passion. And then there was no looking back!” As a professional consultant for the past twelve years now, Anika’s fervor has seen her going from strength to strength.

It is believed that it takes more than mere ingredients and technique to cook a good meal. A good cook puts something of himself (or herself) into the preparation.Anika Kumar personifies this belief with her penchant for adding a cultural flourish to her cooking. Dubbed the ‘Scheherazade of Culinary Delights’, Anika takes great pride in the rich culinary heritage of India. This lady will gladly trade a homogenized burger for the desi vada pav!

And ask her it feels to be working in a male bastion and she shrugs her shoulders lightly. “ It all depends on how you tackle them,” she says with a mysterious smile. “Except for the long hours, which nobody can help, I got a lot of support from my colleagues. There is politics everywhere, and this profession is no exception. Just be honest to your profession and nothing will hold you back.” A delectable combination of diplomacy and fieriness, Anika Kumar is indeed, no ordinary woman. Dynamic, astute, contemporary yet classical in her orientation, she exudes the courage to rise to any challenge. Armed with the cultural inheritance of her forefathers, Anika is ready to take on the world.