‘Just take a deep breath before reacting’

Chef's Corner: Cooking Up Calm;

Update: 2025-04-09 12:56 GMT
‘Just take a deep breath before reacting’
Kunal Kapur, celebrity chef, author & restaurateur
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Working 12 hours a day while dealing with guests’ and the duty of preserving a personal brand through consistently good cuisine definitely adds a lot of pressure. Kunal Kapur says one needs a certain frame of mind and some self-control.

Staying cool under pressure in the restaurant business is a skill that can make or break success. “When stress, uncertainty and high stakes become overwhelming, just take a deep breath before reacting to problems so as to avoid any unwanted emotional reactions which you might regret later,” says Kunal.

To stay on top of things, Kunal stays organised because a cluttered kitchen is a recipe for disaster:
* Try to become the problem solver by sharing it with the team and working on the next best move.
* Make sure you get enough sleep, eat healthy meals, and exercise regularly. This step may seem obvious, but it’s often overlooked, as these activities can help to reduce stress and improve your overall well-being.
* Learn to delegate; don’t try to do everything yourself. This allows you to concentrate on important matters and allows you to focus on key areas.

In order to overcome challenges, Kunal suggests to plan things in advance and work in a plan B by anticipating problems that might come.

* To stay calm in chaos, take a step back mentally and refocus and realign yourself and priorities.
* If there are mistakes made, acknowledge them, not avoid them, and the best thing is to learn from them. And even during rush hours, a few seconds to stretch or drink water can reset your energy.
Can’t Live Without Item

If I had to pick just one, it would be a sharp chef’s knife. It’s the most fundamental tool in any kitchen—without it, nothing gets prepped, chopped or plated properly. “A high-quality, well-balanced knife not only improves efficiency but also reduces hand fatigue and enhances precision. More importantly, a sharp knife is actually safer than a dull one, as it requires less force and lowers the risk of slipping,” says Kunal.


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