Truly humbled and honoured to have received an award as one of the Most Influential Food Industry Professionals by Asia Food Congress yesterday in a ceremony held Taj Lands End Mumbai amidst industry stalwarts.
Prior to the award ceremony, I was also a speaker and a panellist to discuss the “Impact of Health and Nutrition in QSR (quick service restaurants or fast food chains) and Food Service Industry where I spoke about how consumers want a more Eco friendly perspective, healthful items, healthy children's meals and new food sourcing options based on the latest report published by the National Restaurant Association of India. I also spoke about the impact of junk food that leads to many life styles diseases and how food and mood are linked.
When I received a mail from Dr. Bhatia, the founder of World CSR Day and World Sustainability saying that he had thoroughly researched my profile and chosen me for the award, it brought back many highlights, the challenges and the ups and downs of my career to mind and it was a moment of deep reflection for me.
I often say that a career in the food industry is like a tree and one can branch out in many ways and I have played many roles in this industry- writing, hosting food shows, conducting master classes and workshops, consulting, etc and I'm so grateful for whatever I have been able to contribute through my work. When I started writing in 2006 and launched my site in 2008 blogging, Ayurveda and the concept of Sattvic Food was not as popular as it is today and all I did was put out my work in an authentic manner. Accolades and awards like this not only give one a pat on the back but also remind one of the huge responsibility of work that is yet to be done and gives inspiration to keep going.
It was also a happy occasion for me that my mother was there to witness this moment in my life. Thank you Asia Food Congress for this award!