Q1) Being an ordinary women, how was your journey of Naheed Ansari?
Ans) Well I don’t call myself a chef but yes cooking is my hobby. Since childhood I was interested in presentation. When any guests came to our house, my mom used to cook for them and I was every time interested to serve it with presentation. When you serve anything with such a presentation and decoration then people praise you and then you get a feeling to go more further. This goes on and I give my best to this and get succeeded. Then the time came when I was going to get married and my in laws thought that I am very good in cooking and this got stuck in their minds that on the day of wedding I got gifts related to cooking. I think to cope up this you have to agree with many things that yes I am a very good chef. By the grace of God I got good opportunities and my in laws were good as well, they were very helping and my husband was also supportive. After my wedding I went to Dubai, as you know it’s a cosmopolitan country and you can find various people from worldwide. I got this much interest in it that from there I started to learn and here I am.
Q2) Which is your favorite restaurant in which you like to dine?
Ans) I like to eat and taste any type of food. Anything like vegetables, continental etc I try everything to know the taste and if I like something then I make it at home.
Q3) Apart from cooking, what are your other hobbies?
Ans) I wish I could teach something to my daughter but unfortunately I don’t have any daughter and unluckily I don’t have any sister too, I have only 4 brothers and 3 sons. So I conduct the classes in which I teach those things which I would have taught my daughter.
Q4) Being a chef, how do you take care of your health and fitness?
Ans) When you are involve in your work and take care of others so automatically you take care of yourself.
Q5) Who is your favorite chef or inspiration?
Ans) Everyone is good in their own style and way. Now a days there are so much awareness as well but yes I miss one of my friend who is no more with us. She was a good chef although everyone is good but she was a good in her own way.
Q6) You have achieve almost everything in your life, still any goals or targets left to achieve?
Ans) I just want to teach today’s women that whatever I have missed in my life. When I see today’s women, so I just want to teach them those things which can help them in their future.
Q7) What you have been teaching in the classes you have started?
Ans) Well you can learn cooking from anywhere television, books etc but there are some things which are badly needed and that is grooming. So the classes which I conduct, actually the name is ‘Finesse by Naheed Ansari’ and in this we teach the girls cooking, adequates, manners, table layout, flower arrangements, gift wrapping and makeup etc. Today divorce rate is rising, and some of the parents do visit us. Myself and my three partners, we four conduct these classes called ‘Finesses’ means ‘the best of everything’. Basically we groom girls. We are having different sessions of mothers, brides to be and now we are starting a new session of two day workshop for mothers, mother in laws and boys as well.
Q8) Since starting you were interested in becoming a chef or you want to be something else?
Ans) Well I have interested in being a chef but yes you learn things from your house. I was interested in decorating the house. I adopt it from my mother and I was praised by everyone by the grace of God and pushed towards this field.
Q9) There is a less concept in Pakistan of a working house wife. So being a famous chef, while maintaining house responsibilities and your career have you ever face any difficulties?
Ans) It’s not a big deal at all. It’s all about your planning. You just have to organize yourself. I have three sons and I have been doing since they were young and I cook by myself at home. Well I am that much organized that I cook at my home, do caterings, i am a wedding planner as well, I run a boutique and give classes. So it’s a jack of all, master of none.
Q10) Do you face any problems to run these altogether?
Ans) if your family is helpful, main is my husband. Children became elder, they helped. Whole family is so helpful that I don’t remember if I had any problem. If your are planned and organized so you don’t face any problem. You can cook at your home, you can clean your house, you can entertain and do the outside things as well.
Q11) Which your handmade dish your family love the most?
Ans) What I try I first try on guests because my family like only simple dishes main my husband. He likes daal chawal, aalu gosht and fish. My sons are choosy. Elder one Khusro likes continental, younger one Sameer is more interested in healthy food and the third one is into Pakistani food.
Q12) Did you get any chef training from any institute or from your mother?
Ans) First I adopt it from my mother then after getting married I observed my mother in law. But if once the interest develops in you then you can learn from anywhere. As a professional chef I have not done any course.
Q13) Has anyone criticize you on becoming a chef?
Ans) I think everybody was helpful.
Q14) Which of life’s first dish you have made? How was it?
Ans) Well I always ran away from making a Kheer. The thing which I mostly liked was sandwiches which I have always presented well. Mostly I am good in continental but I cook other things good as well.