Mumbai Diary: Thursday Dossier

Freeze frame!
Yesterday, this newspaper carried an experiential account of a cryotherapy session. It turns out, actor Ranbir Kapoor recently tried out the much-hyped routine, where the body exposing himself to -130 °C and -150 °C temperatures at the same wellness space we visited, assisted by his fitness trainer Neville Wadia.

Wadia's property is supposed to be the only establishment in India to offer the therapy that claims to help burn 800 calories in a three-minute session. Going by the negative feedback from medical experts, we are certain that Ranbir will do anything for dosti.

Words and valleys
Seems like the Jaipur Literature Festival has competition; at least as far as the coolness quotient goes. Mountain Echoes in Bhutan will be held in late August, and looks gift-wrapped to woo not just the book junkie but also the tourist, pretty much on the lines of the Jaipur jamboree. There'll be gigs and open mic nites; we hear the drift?

A book on the Superwoman
She became an online sensation with her funny videos about life and culture. Now Lily Singh a.k.a Superwoman is launching her book with a lesson for one and all one how to make it in life, like Singh.

How To Be A Bawse will hit bookshelves in March 2017 and it promises to offer an interesting insight into the life and times of a new-age celebrity. She, of course, is excited. "I am so thrilled to write my first book and share, all in one place, what I've learned about achieving success and happiness."

Will the real homechef stand up?
Cookbook author Ananya Banerjee, known for her sit-downs and pop-ups, raised a question about what the term ‘home chef' meant. She wrote, ‘Dear Facebook, asking all my esteemed chef friends, gourmands, food experts, food writers, food bloggers.

Ananya Banerjee, Auroni Mookerjee and Gitika Saikia

Anyone knows what the term ‘Homechef' means? Is it anybody who cooks from a home kitchen a Homechef? My household help who cooks food for me at home - is he a Homechef?' She also enquired if caterers, bloggers, YouTubers fell under the category. Here's what our locale experts feel:

Kalyan Karmakar: ...the term is used today for someone who is not a professional chef but manages to cook and bring in a commercial benefit through it. Whatever be the means - Pop-up, catering, dabba. Anjali Koli: Chef is a title [earned] post a degree. I don't use it myself because I am not a wannabe. My degrees are in Technology and cooking is my passion.

Gitika Saikia: As per my POV, if someone cooks for the family, he/she is a cook and a mom [in case no cooks]. If we do it commercially at home, then he/she is a home chef and a caterer if done out of a commercial kitchen and on daily basis. I still feel a bit fake when someone refers to me as a chef as I haven't been formally trained in culinary arts. In Masterchef, the top 10 finalists are still being referred to as ‘home-cooks' and are churning out stuff that I could never dream of. So I feel this is all very subjective.

Auroni Mookerjee: Unfortunately, they seem to matter. Which is why for someone who's been through the whole journey, starting without a degree, then home dinners, to working in a professional kitchen...The title has to be earned.

Kurush F Dalal: ...and these ‘rules' are from which manual? Opinions strong enough to earn them a spot on a debate where the nation wants to know.

Backstage pass: Admit three only

Pic/Shadab Khan

Gauhar Khan, Rajeev Khandelwal and Bond girl Caterina Murino ready backstage before attending a press conference at a five-star in central Mumbai last evening to announce their film.

All eyes on Deepika
It was a case of Mumbaikars giving Dilliwallahs a taste of what real stardust means. We love to pull that one now, don't we!

We're referring to Deepika Padukone's stunning walk down the ramp for Manish Malhotra at the India Couture Week. Let the photo make it easier to take that call. Pic/Manish Malhotra's Twitter account