My guest this week is Simran Savlani. Simran was born in Taiwan and has travelled widely. She currently lives in Hong Kong and has recently launched her book “A Spark of Madness Cookbook” and a range of sauces “Spark Sauces”
A Spark of Madness is an Asian Vegetarian cookbook with 116 recipes covering regions from Thailand to Taiwan, Indonesia to India, Seoul to Singapore and beyond. Whilst some recipes are classics and stay true to their cultural origins, others have experienced ‘A Spark of Madness’. We discuss “A Spark of Madness” in the podcast.
All recipes are foolproof, flavorful and not just for the meat-free. They include a wide range of vegan and gluten-free dishes. A Restaurant Management graduate from Le Cordon Bleu Paris, Simran is adept at melding cuisines, flavors, and ingredients, and has launched restaurants across Asia and even Africa.
Simran is notorious for not following recipes, yet the kitchen is her canvas and the recipes are developed through years of following her passion. Simran shares her passion in the podcast.
Timings
3:48 I'm a "Made in Taiwan" baby...I went to high school and university in Hong Kong...
4:51 I wanted to do something food related...
5:30 I found a program in Paris at"Le Cordon Bleu"... I learned how to tie a Chignon Bun...
7:50 I moved to Australia to Melbourne... worked at Chin Chin...
11:32 I trained at Le Cordon Bleu without speaking French, as a vegetarian...
12:43 We have a lot of work to do on you...
14:46 I thought I was ready to open a restaurant...I decided to intern...
15:47 I think it's the experiences that make a person a whole...
16:43 I got an opportunity to go to Africa, Lagos, Nigeriaopening a restaurant...I was working as a consultant for five years...
17:35 In March 2020 COVID hit I was stuck in Bombay in lockdown...nothing going on...
18:44 I would spend hours browsing through the websites ordering food...it kept me active... I did gain COVID-15 as I like to call it...
19:35 I came back to Hong Kong...2 weeks of hotel quarantine...I could put together a quick, small cookbook...In 2 weeks ...9 months later...
21:17 It was a time of great chaos and confusion...
22:23 I've always enjoyed my own company... I enjoyed the introspection... you need a lull to rise up again...
25:41 I had two weeks of hotel quarantine...It's tough writing a cookbook... it looks quite easy... it took me nine months ...
28:10 I created an Instagram account just before I moved to Paris... a diary ... I'm a huge Robin Williams fan...
30:50 [Creativity] It's always been there...I love chaos but I want planned chaos...
31:39 It's an Asian Vegetarian Cookbook...
32:12 A good mixture of sugar, salt and spice...a lot of recipes that could be adapted...
32:55 I have never followed a recipe... it's meant to guide you...
37:05 5 half marathons over the last 3 or 4 years... I took it on me to do 4 of Hong Kong Big Trails ... we are so blessed to be in the city where we have access to these routes...
38:48 Along side the cook book I've launched a series of sauces... Spark Sauces
39:35 Be a little mad ...you don't have to be a cookie cutter...
41:40 There was no plan of ever writing a cookbook or starting a sauce company...
42:18 The restaurant plan will still happen...
Book : The Paper Place : Miranda Cowley Heller
44:10 I'm someone who works really well in the night...I still get my 6-8h of sleep...
QUOTE: "You are only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't loose it"
Contact Simran
Website: www.asparkofmadness.co
IG: @asparkofmadness
FB: @cookwithaspark
Email: hello@asparkofmadness.co
Contact Vincent
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Email: vincent.hiscox@outlook.com
LinkedIn: Vincent Hiscox
