Uma Raghuraman of Master Chef Mom is one of the popular food bloggers in India. From being India’s sole winner of the Netflix My Chef’s Table contest to being recognized as one of the top 100 food blogs in the world, accolades and recognition are nothing new to Uma.
If you take a look at her blog and social media handles, you will know why she is ruling the food blogging scene in India. Her love for food and attention to detail can be seen in every aspect. And her Instagram page is truly a delight. While her food is drool-worthy, the beautiful backdrops reminisce the Agraharas where you find authentic veg delicacies.
Even despite her busy schedule, Uma immediately agreed to our interview and we must say that we are truly honoured. In this interview, she talks about her passion for food, blogging, food styling and much more.
What inspired you to start Master Chef Mom?
My family inspired me to start my blog. I have a family that just loves to eat good food. I end up cooking 3-4 meals a day, fresh from scratch. More than cooking the meal, deciding what to cook for breakfast, lunch, dinner and also packing for school lunch box used to take more time. Challenges in life bring the best in us. Like most houses today, I too had my share of challenges making both my children eat properly, especially when they were small. I used to come up with interesting and creative dishes that are both healthy as well as appealing that would please my fussy eaters. I have documented more than a thousand recipes in my blog ‘MASTERCHEFMOM’ to help young mothers who are going through similar challenges every day. What started as a hobby has now become a passion.
You are undoubtedly one of India’s top food bloggers. Looking back at the journey, what are the struggles you faced and how did you overcome them?
Food Blogging is hard work. It is not only about cooking, but also about sharing the love for cooking and being selfless to help people with recipes and tips every single day. The struggles one has to face to be a good food blogger are :
- Your ability to communicate in a reader friendly language
- To develop your skills as a photographer and to be able to capture what you are cooking in such a way that it talks to your readers. As they say ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’.
- To understand technology related to managing your blog page, making it easy for readers to search and find recipes .
- To popularize the blog.
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What do you do when recipes don’t work out the way you expected it to be?
I cook from the heart. Most of my recipes are not planned. They are intuitively created. Only when the dish tastes great does it feature in my blog.
What is more exciting? Cooking or food styling?
Cooking, of course. But if I need to convince a person to cook that dish and enjoy the taste, I need to share a picture that talks to them. So, I give equal importance to photography. I share a part of my personality in my picture. So, both are exciting to me.
From where do you derive inspiration for new recipes?
My inspiration is the fresh produce and ingredients. They motivate me to innovate.
Which are some of the best recipes you created that received hugely positive feedback from your readers?
I am unable to choose just a few. There are plenty of recipes that my readers, friends and followers have tried and tested and will vouch for. Every recipe is my baby.
What was your happiest moment as a food blogger?
My happiest moments are when people try out my recipes and are thrilled with the taste . They share pictures and share their family’s feedback. It gives me so much happiness and satisfaction.
You can follow Uma Raghuraman through her blog as well as on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
Originally appeared on Smart Home Guide