Harpal Singh Sokhi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harpal Singh Sokhi
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Sokhi in 2020
|
|
| Born | 1966 (age 58–59) Kharagpur, West Bengal, India
|
| Occupation |
|
| Known for | "Namak Shamak" |
| Culinary career | |
| Cooking style | Indian Cuisine |
| Education | Diploma in Hotel Management from IHM, Bhubaneswar |
| Spouse |
Aparna Sokhi
(m. 1996) |
|
Current restaurant(s)
|
|
|
Television show(s)
|
|
Harpal Singh Sokhi (born in 1966) is a famous Indian chef and restaurant owner. He started cooking in 1987 at The Oberoi hotel in Bhubaneswar. Just six years later, he became an executive chef. He is well-known for his fun catchphrase, "Namak Shamak!"
Early Life and Education
Harpal Singh Sokhi grew up in Kharagpur, West Bengal, India. His father worked for the Indian Railways. Harpal has two older sisters and one brother. He went to the South Eastern Railway Mixed Higher Secondary School.
His mother's cooking inspired him to become a chef. His father traveled a lot for work. He encouraged his children to try many different types of food. Harpal's brother also cooked food at a langar, which is a community kitchen in Sikh temples.
Kharagpur is home to IIT Kharagpur, a famous engineering school. Because of this, Harpal first wanted to study engineering. However, he found studies difficult. He also thought about joining the Indian Air Force (IAF). But by the time he decided, he was too old to apply.
A friend who studied in Siliguri, West Bengal told him about hotel management. Harpal's brother encouraged him to take the entrance exam. In 1984, Harpal joined the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) in Bhubaneswar.
Culinary Career
In 1987, Harpal Sokhi finished his diploma in catering from IHM Bhubaneswar. He began his career as a trainee cook at The Oberoi in Bhubaneswar. By age 27, he became an executive chef.
Harpal spent many years learning about different international foods. He learned Hyderabadi cooking from experts like Ustad Habib Pasha. He also studied Ayurveda-based food. He wanted to see how cooking could make food more nutritious.
Sokhi worked as a chef at many restaurants. These included Vintage, a Hyderabadi restaurant, and hotels like Centaur Hotel in Juhu, Mumbai. He also worked at The Regent in Mumbai and Jakarta. Later, he joined Taj Lands End in Bandra, Mumbai.
He taught cooking classes at Regent Jakarta and The Peninsula Manila. He also organized Indian food festivals around the world. In 2001, he helped start Khana Khazana India Pvt Ltd. He created new ready-to-eat products for their Khazana brand. He also designed a range of chocolate mithais (Indian sweets). He has also worked with the Ching's Secret brand.
Harpal Sokhi created business class menus for Singapore Airlines for seven years. He also ran an "Ancient Indian Food" event on Indian Airlines. He has developed menus for SOTC travels and Wockhardt Hospitals. He taught as a guest teacher at the N. L. Dalmia Institute of Management Studies and Research. He has also designed menus for many special events, like weddings.
Television Shows
In 1993, Harpal Sokhi hosted the very first episode of Khana Khazana on Zee TV. Later, he launched his own show called Harpal ki Rasoi on a local TV channel in Nagpur. This show was not as successful as he hoped.
However, Sokhi later started hosting Turban Tadka on the Food Food channel. This show made him very popular across India. He became famous for his phrase "Namak Shamak" and a song he sings while adding seasoning to his food. Turban Tadka became one of the most-watched cooking shows.
He has also hosted other TV shows on FoodFood channel. These include Kitchen Khiladi and Sirf Tees Minute. In 2014, he hosted Zee News' food show Desh da Swaad. For this show, he traveled all over India trying different foods. He is also one of India's top chefs on YouTube. In 2016, he took part in the dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 9.
Currently, he is a Celebrity Chef Coach on the TV show "Laughter Chefs Unlimited Entertainment" on Colors. On this show, he helps celebrities with funny cooking challenges. He also cooks to help the participants.
Other Ventures
In 1998, Harpal Sokhi helped create and open the Indian restaurant Khazana in Dubai. He also made plans for opening other restaurants. In 2012, he started his own restaurant chain called The Funjabi Tadka (TFT). The first branch of this restaurant opened in Kolkata on January 18, 2013.
Sokhi has written food columns for newspapers and magazines. He is one of the oldest partners of famous chef Sanjeev Kapoor. He has helped develop content for Kapoor's books. The two chefs have also written a book together called Royal Hyderabadi Cooking.
Personal Life
Harpal Sokhi lives in Mumbai with his wife, Aparna. They have two daughters named Anushka and Antra. Harpal can speak six languages fluently. These include English, Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali, Odia, and Telugu.
