Hello, Welcome to the Amusing Cooker. I am Trupti, the Cooker (Chef) behind this blog. I am so delighted to have you all here.
About Me:
I’m from Maharashtra, India, born and raised. The first 4 years of my life were in Mumbai before settling in Nagpur. My childhood in Nagpur holds dear memories of schooling and learning to cook. I pursued my graduation in Physical Therapy and later earned an MBA.
I wasn’t always into cooking as much as I was into eating the foods I loved. When I was younger, I’d cook curries and vegetable dishes to satisfy my passion for food. Watching shows by chefs like Anthony Bourdain and Gordon Ramsay made me realize that true chefs are also big food lovers. It took me a while to find my passion, but eventually, I did.
My family includes my mom and elder sister, who lives with her husband and two nieces in Pune. Sadly, my dad passed away from Covid-19 in 2020. I deeply miss him; he was my biggest supporter and believed in my dreams.
I moved to the US in 2015 after marrying Puru, who was working in Seattle. We met on an online matrimonial site and quickly realized we were a perfect match. We chatted for only 6 months on Skype before deciding to get married. People are often surprised by our story, but I truly believe that when you find your soulmate, marriage is just a formality.
About Puru:
Puru, like me, loves food. He came to the US alone for his Masters in Print. He learned cooking from his mom as a child, helping her with puja preparations. This skill helped him cope in the US when Indian food wasn’t as easy to find.
Life in US
My first year in the US was a mix of challenges and thrills. It was tough adjusting to a new culture, as expected when moving continents. Yet, it was also exciting experiencing a variety of cuisines from around the world all in one place.In Seattle, Puru introduced me to a wide range of cuisines, from Chinese and Korean to Vietnamese, French, German, and beyond. Since I didn’t have a work visa at the time, I had plenty of free time to experiment with cooking, exploring both Indian and other cuisines. Drawing on my mom’s teachings and my mother-in-law’s advice, I gradually learned to make a variety of advanced dishes. With patience and dedication, I mastered many intricate recipes. We often hosted dinner parties for friends, who always enjoyed the dishes I prepared. Once I jokingly said
दो ही तो शौक है ज़िन्दगी में। खाने का और खिलाने का।
(I have just 2 passions in my life. to eat and to feed.)
About Amusing Cooker:
Amusing cooker was born out of this passion of mine: Cooking and find new and easy ways to make the most complicated dishes. Fortunately, Puru not only understands but also shares this passion of mine and we make a great team while working on our goals.
We grew up as a vegetarians, but when we moved away for studies, we discovered non-vegetarian (meat) dishes. That’s why Amusing Cooker features both types of dishes, although my blogs often show our preference for vegetarian dishes.
I get a lot of questions around why our blog name has the word “Cooker” in it. Well there is an interesting anecdote to it:
During a gathering we hosted at our home in Seattle, WA, we had invited several guests, including a French gentleman, my husband’s colleague. Curious about the delicious food, he asked who cooked all this, and my husband proudly pointed towards me. Approaching me with a smile, the guy says “Ah, so you are the Cooker? The food is Amusing”
At first, I was confused by his words, but then we realized it was just a language mix-up. We had a good laugh, understanding how even small language mistakes can make things funny. That’s how we came up with the name Amusing Cooker, capturing that amusing moment.
Connect with me!
If you have any questions or simply want to connect, feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]. I’ll respond to you as soon as possible! You can also stay updated and in touch with me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
Thank you for your support throughout this journey! ❤️ Trupti