Prep Cook

I spend most of my working hours at 16/625-I, Gali No.18. It is tucked away in the Bapa Nagar area, right off the Arya Samaj Road in Karol Bagh. Being a prep cook is not about being some kind of celebrity chef on a television show. It is mostly about chopping, cleaning, and getting things ready before the real rush of the day starts. The kitchen is small and it gets hot very quickly, especially during those long New Delhi summers. Gali No.18 is a narrow little street that is always full of people, carts, and noise. We start very early in the morning when the fresh vegetables arrive at the door. There is always a lot of peeling and cutting that needs to be done. It is a lot of standing on your feet for hours on end. My hands are always busy with something. It is a very practical kind of job. We do not even have a big sign outside or anything like that. People who actually need to find us already know exactly where we are in Karol Bagh. The 110005 area is always bustling with activity. I actually like the routine of the work. You know exactly what needs to be done every single day. It is not about being fancy or showing off. It is just about making sure the ingredients are fresh. We do not talk much while we work. We just get the task finished.