Rapid Fire With Chef Garima Arora of Gaa

Chef Garima Arora is cooking up a storm--quite literally. Her food is phenomenal and packed with flavour, and the fact that her restaurant Gaa in Bangkok was recently awarded a Michelin star is only a testament to that. But there's more to know about her beyond what meats the eye (pun intended). Here's what she does when she's not in chef whites. 

Q What is a must-eat street food in Mumbai
A&nbspSev batata puri.

OT And something you like to eat in Bangkok
A&nbspI love kebabs&mdasheveryone should have kebabs.

OT Do you have a favourite restaurant in Mumbai
A Every time I land in Bombay, the first place I go to is Madras Café.

OT What&rsquos the weirdest food item you&rsquove ever tried Will you have it again
A I tried balut (fertilized duck embryo) in the Philippines. It was nasty It wasn&rsquot good at all and isn&rsquot something I&rsquom ever having again.

OT What is something we'll always find in your fridge
A &nbspAlcohol&mdashthere&rsquos always wine in my fridge.

OT Do you have a sweet tooth or a salty one
A&nbspDefinitely salty.

OT Tell us about a fast food item you not-so-secretly binge on.
A &nbspNachos. You can give me nachos any time of the day and I will finish it. It&rsquos my personal weakness.

OT What do you do to unwind after a long day, week or month
A [I usually spend time] with my crew, the only family I have in Thailand. We open a couple of bottles of&nbspwines or&nbspbeer and order pizza. Then we'll catch up and laugh about the stuff that happens in the kitchen. 

OT If you weren't a chef, what would you like to be 
A &nbspI always tell my husband, who is a pilot, that If I were not a cook, I would be a pilot.

OT What's the next destination you&rsquod like to visit
A &nbspI want to visit Mexico. There is a food-related reason for that. I love Mexican food and I have a really talented Mexican chef in my restaurant. Every time I eat his food I go like, "Wow I have to go to Mexico."

OT What&rsquos a phrase anyone living in Bombay should learn
A &ldquoBoss&rdquo 

OT And is there something we should learn before visiting Thailand
A Yes. &ldquoAroi mak&rdquo&mdashit means &ldquoit&rsquos really delicious&rdquo