Jul 25, 2013 12:58 AM
1068 Views
What attracts you to a book? Either the title is mysterious or it is delightfully familiar. Or perhaps the cover. This time, "Chef" word made me notice the book. The spices and their aroma only form the background of the novel and KASHMIR - the war Zone is the crux.
Young Kirpal goes to Kashmir to get an apprenticeship under Chef Kishen who is working for Gen Kumar posted in Kashmir. On reaching, he not only discovers Siachen Glacier that claimed the body of his father Major Iqbal Singh (air-crash), but also many unknown truths about his father through others. The book describes the long and painful journey of Kirpal from an assistant to being a chef to feeling worthless about life. The protagonist and other characters are not living, they are just existing. Existing amidst terror, blasts, beautiful snow. A dash of life is added here and there. Kip tries to date many women but everything ends up in a disaster. Of course until he meets Irem, the woman from other side of the border. Blood, snobbishness, hierarchy, corruption, loneliness, death of a special friend, the fear of death - everything forms the part of journey. And then one fine day, a weird turn of events lead him to leave the city. Why? Will he come back?
The best part of the book is the writing style. When we think of something sad, our thoughts are short and jumbled. Perhaps Kashmir is, and so are the local residents over there.
The food as said earlier is just the periphery. To do justice to the title chef, writer Jaspreet has forcefully added the recipe of Rogan Josh. Not enough. Or make the protagonist a bodyguard or something else.
The protagonist has spent too much time in loving women. Total waste of time, agreed he was twenty something, but please atleast spare the woman washing apples in water, you cannot eye at her and ask her some dumb question, go to the same place the next day despite not getting any answer and then accompany her brother for "ek cup chai.." . Height of desperation. We have seen shy guys around who don't even look at you. We have seen sadakchaap romeos too who don't stop trying even if you don't look at them. But this guy pretends to be shy and yet eyes at every woman he looks at. When we read a story, we kinda go with the hero or the heroine. Almost tend to agree to what they feel, subconsciously. This one is total disappointment. Or the author has tried to bring self-discovery in the story later.
Kishen - the actual chef who later becomes a guiding star in the land of gloom for Kip. His jokes, his love for Beethoven music (he calls it German music), his admiration for Kip's father, his signature style dishes and yes, his opinion. Some correct, some silly but most of them coated with overconfidence. Perhaps that comes from being in service for long time. Unfortunately, this attitude leads him to disaster.
Rubiya- The silent daughter of general who emerges out to be the strongest one. It is difficult to believe the girl who would hide somewhere when guests arrived would one day write columns in newspaper about the two warring countries.
Over all, Chef is like pongal out from the pot, steaming hot but no flavour of spice nor any salt. You still do not mind eating it on a cold day in winter, or if extremely hungry but may not have it as a dish even on a normal day.
