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A Platter of Thoughts | Mohammed Ibrahim | TEDxOOBSchool


two roads diverged in a wood and I I

two roads diverged in a wood and I I took the one less traveled by and that

took the one less traveled by and that

took the one less traveled by and that has made all the difference

has made all the difference

has made all the difference it hasn’t been long since I finalized my

it hasn’t been long since I finalized my

it hasn’t been long since I finalized my decision of wanting to become a chef

decision of wanting to become a chef

decision of wanting to become a chef I believe the way to anybody’s heart is

I believe the way to anybody’s heart is

I believe the way to anybody’s heart is through their stomach the role of a chef

through their stomach the role of a chef

through their stomach the role of a chef is not only in Venice but to treat them

is not only in Venice but to treat them

is not only in Venice but to treat them and that is exactly why I’m here today

and that is exactly why I’m here today

and that is exactly why I’m here today not to reinvent your perception but to

not to reinvent your perception but to

not to reinvent your perception but to tweak it just so that it tastes right it

tweak it just so that it tastes right it

tweak it just so that it tastes right it is not unusual to receive strange looks

is not unusual to receive strange looks

is not unusual to receive strange looks upon telling people my ambition yes yes

upon telling people my ambition yes yes

upon telling people my ambition yes yes you want to become a cook especially in

you want to become a cook especially in

you want to become a cook especially in the Indian subcontinent stereotypes

the Indian subcontinent stereotypes

the Indian subcontinent stereotypes against men entering the kitchen still

against men entering the kitchen still

against men entering the kitchen still exist I mean the last time I checked

exist I mean the last time I checked

exist I mean the last time I checked this was the 21st century where

this was the 21st century where

this was the 21st century where individuals could be anyone they wish to

individuals could be anyone they wish to

individuals could be anyone they wish to be right the dominant perception is that

be right the dominant perception is that

be right the dominant perception is that cooking which mind you is an art is a

cooking which mind you is an art is a

cooking which mind you is an art is a female field the masculine an ever so

female field the masculine an ever so

female field the masculine an ever so strong men don’t belong there why it is

strong men don’t belong there why it is

strong men don’t belong there why it is such an unconventional profession

such an unconventional profession

such an unconventional profession haven’t you noticed how it is dominated

haven’t you noticed how it is dominated

haven’t you noticed how it is dominated by men and the irony here is that women

by men and the irony here is that women

by men and the irony here is that women who have mastered this art on a daily

who have mastered this art on a daily

who have mastered this art on a daily basis remain undervalued and

basis remain undervalued and

basis remain undervalued and unappreciated for it so why is it that

unappreciated for it so why is it that

unappreciated for it so why is it that when it is in the domestic realm the

when it is in the domestic realm the

when it is in the domestic realm the women are perceived more suited for it

women are perceived more suited for it

women are perceived more suited for it but the second it becomes economically

but the second it becomes economically

but the second it becomes economically beneficial it’s taken up by men

beneficial it’s taken up by men

beneficial it’s taken up by men now let me sir deal only 10% of all

now let me sir deal only 10% of all

now let me sir deal only 10% of all cooks in Dutch restaurants are women and

cooks in Dutch restaurants are women and

cooks in Dutch restaurants are women and this figure doesn’t get much better in

this figure doesn’t get much better in

this figure doesn’t get much better in most of the countries this statistic is

most of the countries this statistic is

most of the countries this statistic is in spite of the apprehensions we have on

in spite of the apprehensions we have on

in spite of the apprehensions we have on the participation of males in the

the participation of males in the

the participation of males in the kitchen the fact that Indian status

kitchen the fact that Indian status

kitchen the fact that Indian status the issue of men and women working in

the issue of men and women working in

the issue of men and women working in the professional kitchen is so hard to

the professional kitchen is so hard to

the professional kitchen is so hard to find is a sign in itself of the mob

find is a sign in itself of the mob

find is a sign in itself of the mob differences that exist now with a

differences that exist now with a

differences that exist now with a genuine show of hands tell me how many

genuine show of hands tell me how many

genuine show of hands tell me how many of you know Gordon Ramsay or Sanjeev

of you know Gordon Ramsay or Sanjeev

of you know Gordon Ramsay or Sanjeev Kapoor okay now tell me how many of you

Kapoor okay now tell me how many of you

Kapoor okay now tell me how many of you have heard of Julia Child or Padma

have heard of Julia Child or Padma

have heard of Julia Child or Padma Lakshmi see what I’m talking about now

Lakshmi see what I’m talking about now

Lakshmi see what I’m talking about now let me bring to your notice the

let me bring to your notice the

let me bring to your notice the portrayal of male chefs in the Indian

portrayal of male chefs in the Indian

portrayal of male chefs in the Indian cinema Cheeni kum da what a ished

cinema Cheeni kum da what a ished

cinema Cheeni kum da what a ished chef a movie is representing males in

chef a movie is representing males in

chef a movie is representing males in the profession of fine dining

the profession of fine dining

the profession of fine dining whereas English Vinglish is a movie

whereas English Vinglish is a movie

whereas English Vinglish is a movie which discreetly depicts the talent of a

which discreetly depicts the talent of a

which discreetly depicts the talent of a woman struggling to attain recognition

woman struggling to attain recognition

woman struggling to attain recognition for her skills and just because hers was

for her skills and just because hers was

for her skills and just because hers was a domestic kitchen and not a restaurant

a domestic kitchen and not a restaurant

a domestic kitchen and not a restaurant a Bollywood displays men in the

a Bollywood displays men in the

a Bollywood displays men in the profession of chefs as the norm in

profession of chefs as the norm in

profession of chefs as the norm in reality it is anything but

reality it is anything but

reality it is anything but Indian society is the first to raise

Indian society is the first to raise

Indian society is the first to raise their eyebrows skeptically on the

their eyebrows skeptically on the

their eyebrows skeptically on the decisions of the few men bold enough to

decisions of the few men bold enough to

decisions of the few men bold enough to make this choice the belief that a

make this choice the belief that a

make this choice the belief that a woman’s place is in the kitchen rarely

woman’s place is in the kitchen rarely

woman’s place is in the kitchen rarely extends beyond her home into the

extends beyond her home into the

extends beyond her home into the commercial industry for example it’s me

commercial industry for example it’s me

commercial industry for example it’s me and my sister both wanted to become

and my sister both wanted to become

and my sister both wanted to become chefs I would be given full freedom of

chefs I would be given full freedom of

chefs I would be given full freedom of doing anything that I want to in that

doing anything that I want to in that

doing anything that I want to in that profession but on the other hand my

profession but on the other hand my

profession but on the other hand my sister would most likely be told that do

sister would most likely be told that do

sister would most likely be told that do whatever you want but make sure you have

whatever you want but make sure you have

whatever you want but make sure you have time for your family and housework

time for your family and housework

time for your family and housework changing this perception and stereotype

changing this perception and stereotype

changing this perception and stereotype is you’re not like cooking a two-minute

is you’re not like cooking a two-minute

is you’re not like cooking a two-minute Maggi or a frozen paratha rather it is

Maggi or a frozen paratha rather it is

Maggi or a frozen paratha rather it is like a long process of preparing of

like a long process of preparing of

like a long process of preparing of drops this reality in itself is an

drops this reality in itself is an

drops this reality in itself is an indicator of the deep-rooted gender

indicator of the deep-rooted gender

indicator of the deep-rooted gender roles assigned by a society

roles assigned by a society

roles assigned by a society to really gain the mouth-watering taste

to really gain the mouth-watering taste

to really gain the mouth-watering taste of life we need to set the recipe right

of life we need to set the recipe right

of life we need to set the recipe right the right recipe for a gender equal

the right recipe for a gender equal

the right recipe for a gender equal society would mean that nobody scoffs

society would mean that nobody scoffs

society would mean that nobody scoffs off a young boys desire to become male

off a young boys desire to become male

off a young boys desire to become male whim and at the same time no one is held

whim and at the same time no one is held

whim and at the same time no one is held back because of the stereotypes

back because of the stereotypes

back because of the stereotypes associated with the rules they aspire to

associated with the rules they aspire to

associated with the rules they aspire to take up everyone should be given the

take up everyone should be given the

take up everyone should be given the chance of a level playing field if this

chance of a level playing field if this

chance of a level playing field if this is your perception or this is your

is your perception or this is your

is your perception or this is your perception about the involvement of

perception about the involvement of

perception about the involvement of women in the making of delicacies in the

women in the making of delicacies in the

women in the making of delicacies in the commercial kitchen

commercial kitchen

commercial kitchen I suggest you order it to this you get

I suggest you order it to this you get

I suggest you order it to this you get the bigger picture don’t get too salty

the bigger picture don’t get too salty

the bigger picture don’t get too salty about it one of t

about it one of t

about it one of t [Applause]

”

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