At first glance, it may seem surprising that chefs who spend their days crafting elaborate dishes and working with premium ingredients often choose to eat something as simple as dal chawal, eggs on toast, khichdi, or a bowl of noodles after service. “But within the culinary world, this is incredibly common—and deeply understood,” said chef Avinash Kumar, director of culinary, Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach.
MasterChef India judge Ranveer Brar recently elaborated that as chefs, you don’t want to “overthink” when you are eating. “So, we eat the dumbest and the numbest of foods. I don’t want to overwhelm my senses with food that I eat because I am already doing that when I am cooking or tasting. I am already overstimulated. That is why chefs eat the simplest and the same every day. Another reason is that you understand that nourishment is the most important reason food is here. And that later what you add on top of nourishment is what makes it exciting—whether it is taste, texture or flavour,” he said in a candid interaction with Soha Ali Khan alongside chef Garima Arora.
For most people, food is a form of relaxation or indulgence. But for chefs, food is also work, precision, stimulation, pressure, deadlines, and sensory overload, explained Delnna Rrajesh, psychotherapist, energy healer and life coach.
“After spending an entire day surrounded by intense flavours, experimentation, constant tasting, and high sensory engagement, the nervous system naturally begins craving simplicity and familiarity. Simple food becomes emotionally regulating. It feels grounding, predictable, and comforting,” said Delnna.
Kumar concurred, noting that chefs experience food very differently from most guests. “Our day revolves around constant tasting, seasoning, evaluating flavours, balancing textures, and ensuring consistency across every plate that leaves the kitchen. By the end of a long service, especially in a high-energy hotel environment like ours, the palate and mind naturally crave comfort, familiarity, and simplicity rather than complexity,” he explained.
Reiterating that chefs spend their days immersed in bold flavours, rich ingredients and constant tasting, celebrity chef Aanal Kotak said that “over time, the palate begins to crave balance and simplicity”. “After creating food that is layered and indulgent for others, what we often seek for ourselves is something comforting, nourishing and emotionally familiar,” Kotak said.
Pointing out how common it is to be asked about enjoying some of the exotic dishes in the world in every meal, chef and author Shipra Khanna clarified, “People often say to me, ‘You must be eating caviar, truffle pasta, or twelve-course tasting menus every night.’ But the truth is, after spending 12 or 14 hours creating dishes, balancing flavours, plating , and constantly thinking about food, what I really crave is comfort—something honest, familiar, and deeply personal.”
For Khanna, the most satisfying meal is a bowl of dal and rice with desi ghee that her grandmother made, and her grandfather lovingly fed her as a child. “It’s a simple omelette with toast after a long day, or even noodles eaten quietly at midnight in the kitchen. Those meals reconnect me to myself,” shared Khanna, who is the founder of restaurant White Tiger Liverpool.
Delnna concurred that many chefs return to basic meals because those foods are often connected to emotional safety, childhood memories, home, or routine. “After constantly creating for others, simple food allows them to stop performing and simply nourish themselves. In many ways, basic meals become less about excitement and more about recovery — both mentally and emotionally,” said Delnna.
For Kotak, nothing compares to her mother’s khichdi or homemade dhokla. “Those flavours carry comfort, nostalgia and a sense of home that no gourmet dish can replicate. Simple food has a way of grounding you, slowing you down and reconnecting you to the joy of eating without overthinking it. In many ways, simple food feels more satisfying because it feeds not just the body, but also the soul. Sometimes, the most basic meals are the most luxurious,” Kotak expressed.
Cooking professionally is intense. Every plate carries pressure, expectation, and emotion. But behind every beautiful plate is a chef who, at the end of the night, simply longs for comfort and quiet. “We spend our days chasing precision and innovation for others. So when it’s finally time to eat, we don’t want performance anymore—we want peace,” Khanna contended.
Simple food also brings a sense of emotional connection and grounding. Many chefs spend years working in fast-paced kitchens away from home, and basic meals often remind them of comfort, family, and routine. “A humble bowl of khichdi or a simple curry can feel far more satisfying after a demanding service than an elaborate fine-dining dish. It becomes less about presentation and more about nourishment,” Kumar, who has over 18 years of professional experience, said.
Khanna believes “simple food reminds us why we fell in love with cooking in the first place”. “Before awards, before cameras, before books and restaurants, food was about care. For me, it was about my grandfather feeding me with love every single day of his life. And after the noise and demands of a profession, that’s the feeling I search for again.”
Another important factor is that chefs view “luxury” in food differently. “For us, luxury is not always foie gras, truffle, or intricate plating—it is balance, flavour, and honest cooking done well. Some of the most satisfying meals are the simplest ones because they allow ingredients to speak for themselves without overcomplication.”
There is also a practical side to it. Professional kitchens are physically and mentally intense environments with long hours on your feet. “Simple meals are quicker, lighter, and easier to digest, especially late at night after service. They provide without overwhelming the senses,” said Kumar.
There’s also something deeply humbling about simplicity. “A perfectly made khichdi or dal rice with desi ghee can comfort the soul more than the most luxurious dish in the world. Simple food has honesty. It doesn’t hide behind technique. It tells the truth,” he added.
Ironically, constantly being surrounded by exotic cuisine often deepens a chef’s appreciation for uncomplicated food. “The more complex dishes we create professionally, the more we value simplicity personally. It is a reminder that good food does not always need to be extravagant— it simply needs to be satisfying, comforting, and prepared with care,” said Chef Kumar.
At its heart, cooking is about creating emotion and connection. And sometimes, the simplest meals deliver that feeling better than the most elaborate ones ever could. Ironically, the more experienced a chef becomes, the more they begin to appreciate restraint. “You learn that food doesn’t always need 20 ingredients to become memorable. Sometimes warmth, balance, , and emotion are enough. At the end of the day, chefs are not chasing extravagance when they eat—we are chasing home. And home usually tastes simple,” Khanna said.
