Gourmetdelight curates and sources organic and gourmet products from India and around the world and celebrates the joy of discovery of fine ingredients. Raka Chakrawarti, Founder & CEO of www.gourmetdelight.com, believes this is one way to help people ‘eat right’.
Gourmetdelight is not just another gourmet grocery store, it curates and sources organic and gourmet products from India and around the world and celebrates the joy of discovery of fine ingredients.
The e-store, which started operations in Mumbai last year and presently operates in Mumbai and Pune, stocks imported, organic and artisan products. The imported range comes from all over the world. The organic range is sourced from India and the fresh range from farms in Maharashtra. The artisan range comes from celebrated home chefs and small producers who contribute to the site.
Started by Raka Chakrawarti, who spent close to a decade in Indian Hotels, the love of quality ingredients, the joy of discovery of unique ingredients makes this platform a food connoisseur’s dream. A media and hospitality veteran, Raka Chakrawarti has previously worked for a large media conglomerate and for Indian Hotels which operates the Taj Brand in India and abroad. Deeply passionate and curious about the art of hospitality, her stint with Indian Hotels had been close to a decade when she felt the need to start her own platform. She felt that the reach of quality food products to the consumer could be better if more choices were offered via a sustainable e-commerce model.
One philosophy which Raka likes to seriously follow is ‘Eating Right.’ She tells, “My work day is taxing and I keep long hours. I believe in preservative-free food, organic and natural food and consciously stay away from bottled ingredients. I believe in millets as a constant source of energy and fresh produce from local farmers. I love artisan Indian producers and support them on my online portal. Fitness to me is a way of life. I don’t stick to a regimen but constantly engage in physical activity. I walk to most places and I’m constantly up on my feet from morning till evening. I try to fit in time for a morning or evening jog, do yoga and swim in my building pool.”
She adds, “I had recently read an article on how fitness shapes you as a person - when you challenge yourself, you stay calm and stress free and you are able to handle complex situations. I am a big believer in that philosophy and I admire sports people and marathon runners who stay calm through extreme physical challenges.
I am a restless person by nature, I run, do yoga, try my hand at golf, but I really enjoy unwinding by taking long walks on Worli Seaface with my hyperactive Jack Russell terrier. My fitness philosophy is simple - keep moving, eat seasonal and sleep as much as possible so that your body gets time to heal and rejuvenate.
Ideally, I would like to do much more than I am able to do now. Push myself to better my performance every time I run or play a sport. But that doesn’t happen so while on a holiday I carry my running gear with me. I enjoy walking and running in a different city because it gives me a feel for the place and familiarizes me with the city almost instantly.
A positive mindset, eating right and working out on a daily basis. I think a healthy mind is the key to a healthy body so I try to work out as much as possible and do things away from work which form a great diversion.
Running, reading and walking with my dog. I like discovering new places so I try to take different routes on my long Sunday morning run. It fills me with positive energy and I feel enthusiastic for the whole week.
Local produce, organic and natural produce. I don’t like processed items and like cooked meals at home. In terms of food I love seasonal produce and like to invent with new ingredients.
Exercise should be as natural as possible. I am good to go with a yoga mat, or running shoes. I believe that it can be done anywhere. I do not like gyms or trainers and don’t work out with them.
I don’t follow any diet and don’t like to stick to regimented diets. I believe in eating what I love. But generally I don’t eat items with processed sugar. I don’t have a sweet tooth thankfully, so that helps.
Yes, I used to train with a yoga teacher for many years in Chennai where I used to stay, and Mumbai. However I don’t find time for a structured class anymore and practice it at home by myself. I do yoga mostly early morning or in the evening sometimes.
Anyone can stay healthy if they are mindful of what they eat, and incorporate exercise in their daily life. Stay natural, eat local.
By Sharmila Chand
