HOME CHEF OF THE MONTH

KIM MARTIN

BAKING HER WAY INTO PEOPLE’S HEART!

By Aditi Malhotra Images by Kim Martin

Kim Martin is a passionate baker and with the support of her family, she turned her passion into a business. Today she is a successful home chef and she has a huge customer base that is fond of her delicious cooking. Here is a candid chat with Kim to understand how her regular baking became Kim ’ s Fine Foods & Confectionery, a name that people swear by.

Based out of Orlim Salcette, you can reach Kim at +91 84079 90664 and tingle your taste buds. How did it all start? The passion for cooking it seems is in the family! While the seeds to join culinary school was sown when I was very young but the circumstances did not permit me to pursue it. But I guess destiny had its plans ready. Kim ' s fine foods and confectionery was started about 10 years back with the encouragement of my husband and both my children who are my biggest support & critics as well. When did you exactly think of turning it into a business? While I started taking orders at Christmas & Easter from before, 10 years ago, on the first Sunday of December, Kim ’ s Fine Foods & Confectionery was born. This is where we formalised the idea, the licenses were applied for and since then there has been no looking back. Only hard work, commitment and consistency. Who has been your biggest inspiration? My parents! Did you like cooking as a child? Yes, I have always loved cooking! I was a curious child and one would find me in the kitchen pretty often. What' s your personal favourite cuisine? Continental is my all-time favourite, however, I love to try out new dishes. What' s one dish that people love but your family doesn 't like much? Haha ..Prawn Bacon n Potato Gratin, it' s a lovely cheesy combination and people love it. However, that is not the case at home.

What was the first dish you prepared that started your home chef journey? The first dish I ever made was when I was 12 years under the supervision of my father and it was the cauliflower au gratin! What' s the weirdest food you have ever tried? Cannot say it' s weird ..but loved it, Escargot with garlic butter in South Africa. What do you love the most other than cooking? Travelling and meeting new people. Your top favourite dishes from your menu. Chicken Cafreal Beef Wellington with buttered veggies and brown pepper sauce Honey mustard glaze ham BBQ pork spare ribs Roast stuffed chicken Rum-soaked Christmas cake Which other chefs do you look up to and why? Gordan Ramsay, he is a great chef and I connect with his childhood Marco Pierre White, he is so down to-earth and such an inspiration. Angela Lawson because she also did not have any formal training and learnt her own way, much like I have. What are the plans for the future? I would like to start a boutique restaurant serving food that satisfies one ' s taste buds and soul alike.