Star Chef Vikas Khanna Speaks  From New York On  Coping With Corona

Star Chef  Vikas Khanna Speaks  To Subhash K Jha  From New York On  Coping With Corona

How are  you coping?

I am in New York in my home.Many of my friends stay in  the same  building , so we are  all in  this together. I am catching up on all the  backlog of chores at home that I never got to attend  to while running around. I am keeping myself busy , staying positive.

Vikas, how is  the  lockdown in New York treating you?

In NY the panic-buying and fear is way too much. Too much test clinics and precautions. It makes us re-think on the uncertainty and vulnerability of life.

How are  you spending your time?
Reading. Writing. Testing new recipes. Editing new movie and documentaries. Using the time to be most productive and creative.Never allowing myself to get depressed.

Makes you wonder  about the uncertainty of  life, doesn’t it?
Yes. On Mar 24, 2019, exactly a  year ago I was  working in a factory of publishers to produce my biggest book so far. Some times we feel that we are in charge.But we are not. Someone  from above can destroy  our plans in  a jiffy.My book  was  to be  called  The Sacred Foods of India which was  to take  readers  on a food pilgrimage.All seeming certainties are not real.The reality of life is different from the way we would  like to see  it.

Are  you working  from home?
All restaurants, catering companies everything shut down for safety.We are each other’s safety today. Though we are not in control of our times, but we can use this time to do  our best. Write, think, create. Focus.

Are you maintaining self-discipline at home?
I keep the same schedule now at home as  I did when  I  was working out of home. Waking up. …Getting ready…maintaining a  schedule. It tells the mind that I’m okay.That everything  will be okay.