"I was living a life that was given to me, but now I am building the life I want," said Nayantara Chauhan, a former corporate lawyer who left the courtrooms to become an outdoor chef in Manali. What was intended to be a solo trip during the COVID-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst for change.
Raised in Delhi, Chauhan practised law for a few years, but the grueling workload and monotonous lifestyle pushed her to explore the territory she never imagined. In 2021, she packed her bags with scarce savings and soaring anxiety, and headed to the mountains of Manali.
"When I came to Manali, I gradually realised that I had never belonged to city life. The slow life here, the people, and their lifestyle were something I was yearning for," said Chauhan.
Image Credit: Instagram
Finding New Identity Through Food
Driven by a deep desire to escape the corporate grind and reconnect with what really matters, Nayantara found her ultimate purpose in the unpredictable, raw world of outdoor cooking. The scenic highlands of Manali have taught her many things, from facing fears and planning her culinary expeditions to innovating her cooking methods in nature.
Giving up a stable life and entering undiscovered waters may feel unrealistic, daunting, and scary. But for Chauhan, it was the true calling and gave her real happiness. "I would choose this any day, being surrounded by mind-blowing views, where you are calm, and are served with a fresh, comforting meal. It’s like all the stars aligning. I want people to feel what it’s like when all the elements come together," she said.
Food Is Therapy For Her
For Nayantara, being an outdoor chef is nothing short of wholesome. Elaborating on this, she said, "Food is therapy for me, and doing everything, from chopping to cooking in nature, makes it even more magical."
Being an outdoor chef, she has also faced unprecedented situations that pushed her to innovate and experiment with local ingredients. Recalling one such incident, she wrote on her Instagram, "I was making a pesto recipe outdoors but had forgotten my basil, so I used Bichu Buti—a stinging nettle (Urtica dioica). It’s a plant with stinging hairs that cause a painful reaction when touched. I thought it was a green herb, and basil was a green herb, so why not innovate? And that’s how I made a pesto out of Bichu Buti."
Image Credit: Instagram
Surviving the Mountain Kitchen
While cooking outdoors in the snow-capped mountains may seem romantic, it has its own levels of challenges and fears. Navigating through them, she understood how to tackle the risky terrain of the mountains. However, being attacked by an animal is what keeps her on her toes.
Recalling an incident when she was attacked by monkeys, she said, "I was standing there with a spatula in one hand and a knife in the other. But luckily, they were not as notorious as the monkeys in the city, so I was safe."
Another challenge she faces is the uncontrollable weather. "I was making hot chocolate for Christmas in Sissu, a small town in Manali, in -5 degrees. Because of the wind and extreme temperature, managing the flame became cumbersome, and accidentally, my finger got stuck in the stove," added Chauhan.
Image Credit: Instagram
Despite the steep learning curve, the mountain air and open flames affirmed that she had finally found her right place.