May 21. “The wife of one of our directors, lost her father a week back. This took me back 30 years to the time I lost mine.”

“You must have been close to him.”

“Very. In fact, I was his favourite child.”

“Tell me more about him.”

“He was a wonderful man. Simple and quiet and usually kept to himself and his newspapers. He would always dress in white dhotis and shirts rolled up till his elbows. We were not a wealthy family and I still remember my mother reversing his shirt collars when the edges got frayed so he could wear the shirt for some more time without buying a new one. I remember ironing his dhotis and shirts every weekend using a heavy old-fashioned iron. There were no electric or steam irons then. He would leave home for work promptly at 9 and return by 6.”

“I’ve heard you tell the family that he was an excellent cook?”

“Cooking was his passion. In fact, my mother very proudly says that she learnt to cook from him.”

“Can cooking be hereditary? Does that explain why you and your sister are pretty good cooks?”

“Cooking is a passion and a very creative passion at that.”

“What is the one advice you’d give to those who love cooking?”

“Just let yourself go and churn out what your heart tells you to do. I never follow recipes. When I am in the kitchen, I do my own thing and it usually turns out good enough to eat.”