Q. Tell us a little about your book The Spice Route. How long did it take to write it?
A. It has innovative recipes, travel cooking ideas and also some special Himachali recipes. I didn't want this to be a regular cook book. I wanted it to be a guide for people and a pleasure to read. I took a year to put it together.

Shipra Khanna. Chef and writer

Q. What inspired you to become a chef?
A. I was nine when I first got interested in cooking and food. My grandmother was the one who enthused me to cook and stoked my interest in food. It was after that, that I developed a passion. I started considering if it was an art I was born with.

Q. What is the best thing about being a chef?
A. It helps you to interact with people, get to know about their tastes and choices.

Q. What are your future plans?
A. I have my second book coming out in November.

Q. Who do you look up to?
A. I am encouraged by all, big or small. I look up to fighters who find a way out through thick and thin. When it comes to the world of cooking, chefs like Anthony Bourdain and Sanjeev Kapoor inspire me.

Q. Any tips for those who aspire to make a career in the culinary arts or hope to write a book?
A. No matter what career you pick, you need to be in the right frame of mind and be creative in what you do and execute it. There needs to be a complete clarity of mind while you follow any field consistently, putting your heart and soul into it.