Issue No. 226 I June 2020

 

                                                                 EDITORIAL

 

With the passing of the summer solstice on 21^st June 2020, the days henceforth will progressively get shorter and cooler. Having said that, it has not been a bad summer at all, by a long shot. But the lower temperature will not mean greater comfort as the high humidity that the monsoon brings makes it very muggy and enervating. I prefer the dry heat any day. 21^st June was also the day when we had the solar eclipse. This year’s solar eclipse has been complete. I believe that it is after 100 years that the moon’s shadow completely blanketed the sun. Some soothsayers have predicted that with the solar eclipse, the reign of the coronavirus will come to an end. Many such favourable predictions by astrologers have come and gone but we have not rid ourselves of the bug. So much for clairvoyance!

 

Sikhism is a very enlightened faith. Wherever in the world there is distress, Sikhs are among the first to volunteer by setting up free food camps, providing shelter and succour. They are omnipresent and their benevolent role during the Covid-19 crisis cannot be overstated. They follow the tenets of their great spiritual leaders, Guru Nanakji and Guru Gobind Singhji, of practicing universal brotherhood, irrespective of caste, creed, or religion. Even if we don’t don the cultural markers of their faith like turbans or sport beards, we should emulate them. What is the point of going to temples, mosques, churches, and other religious places if we cannot treat all people equally and help them in distress?

 

In the early days of the fight against Covid-19, when the lockdown was imposed and the number of cases was few and far between, the streets wore a deserted look; shops and businesses were shuttered and there was not a soul on the streets. It had a salutary effect on nature with clear blue skies, clean water bodies, an unobscured vista of snow-peaked mountains, and the presence of exotic birds and animals in unfamiliar surroundings. It took just one month for nature to regain its equipoise. How long will it take us?

 

Ironically, as the number of cases started proliferating, the Government, smarting under the burden of huge deficits, groaning unemployment, loss of revenue etc. was constrained to loosen the restrictions. At first, factories and shops opened and then malls and restaurants. Initially, the footfalls in the malls were light but lack of social interaction over extended periods of time was so exasperating for some that soon footfalls began to swell. It just goes to show that incarceration has its limits. When social distancing norms were most needed because the cases began to spike, people started to party and throw caution to the winds. This makes for an interesting case study as this pattern is playing out all over the world.

 

The cultural invasion of implements like chopsticks in our midst has raised my hackles and compromised my ability to enjoy Oriental cuisine. It is not that my dexterity with the digits is wanting. It is just that I am not a practiced handler of the chopsticks. It is an art that has to honed from childhood. It is not that I have not tried to use the infernal sticks. I just find it a bit unwieldy. On one occasion, while dining at a fancy restaurant, I picked up a juicy morsel and was about to launch it into my mouth when it slipped from the grasp and went looping across the table to land on the seemingly expensive dress of a matronly lady sitting at the adjoining table. She walked off in a huff to the washroom. Suitably chastised, I settled for the fork and knife. The waiter gave me those looks and roll of the eyes as though I was a”‘dehathi”. My children, of course, use the sticks like Samurai warriors. They denigratingly call me, “desi”, but I am proud of the moniker.

 

The suicide of Sushant Singh Rajput brought to the fore, the insidious and secretive ways of the Bollywood cabal. The multi-talented and gifted Sushant Singh was a Physics Olympiad winner who had rejected a scholarship to study at Stanford. He was also an accomplished dancer, a budding astronomer, a collector of rare old manuscripts and artefacts and a talented actor. When Sachin Tendulkar saw him hitting big sixes in a stadium, he enquired from Kiran More who this lad was who could easily walk into a first-class team. At that time, he was essaying the role of M. S. Dhoni in a movie. He was equally good at playing tennis. It is extremely rare for a person to straddle the world of sports, art, and science with panache. The cerebral Rajput could have very well excelled in any other occupation. Yet, the arc lights were his calling. It is a very unforgiving world. Many other talented individuals, who do not attain the fame of Sushant Singh, fall over the edge due to the immense pressure brought upon them to excel in an environment which is not conducive. Even the highly successful Deepika Padukone once confessed that she has bouts of depression and suicidal tendencies. It just goes to show that success, money, and fame are no yardsticks for happiness. There is a dire need for empathy and support. We all should all do our bit to help those who we believe are going through depression and provide a life raft.

 

The idle time that lockdown provided stirred a frenzy of home-baking options. Youngsters these days seem to abhor traditional cuisine and love to experiment with a variety of food options. More than the actual joy of eating, they like to post pictures of their creations on social media sites and yearn for the ‘likes’ that these elicit. Since baking is the new fad, oven-friendly recipes are in vogue. The run-of-the-mill muffins, chocolate chip cookies, walnut brownies, banana bread, and apple pie are all passé. The new kid on the block is ‘sourdough leavened bread’. Traditionally, the only way bread was made was to use natural yeast for the dough to rise. The resultant leavened bread was crusty on the outside but soft inside, with a nutty flavour. This bread has now become artisanal. When one goes to a fine-dining Continental restaurant, the waiters normally bring a complimentary basket of sourdough leavened bread and sundry breadsticks to be had with country butter, olive oil, or other dips, before the main meal. Thus, this peasant food has now undergone a social transformation to the high table!

 

The Chinese aggression in the Galwan valley is another indication that this northern neighbour’s top dog is a megalomaniac in the mould of Hitler. China’s insatiable appetite for usurping the territory of other countries in the Himalayas or the South China sea shows the hegemonic mind-set of Xi Jinping who has anointed himself the President-for-life through a calibrated and planned manoeuvre. This need for self-preservation actually stems from a deep-seated complex of inadequacy.  The bloody response of the Indian soldiers has not gone down well with the establishment in Beijing. They expected the Indian side to cave in, but in Modi, they found an adversary who is made of sterner stuff. Their ego has been hurt and they have begun amassing troops and equipment for bigger and probably bolder actions. No doubt China has a bigger army and economy fueled by the relentless growth witnessed in the last 20 years, but India has the more spirited forces and the right of cleaner conscience on its side. Instead of using power and pelf to further its cause around the world to subjugate others, if China had used its rich cultural history and incorporated democratic values, it could have earned a name for itself in the comity of nations instead of the arrogant outsider that it is viewed as now.

 

The Congress party’s poster boy, Rahul Gandhi, has managed to booby trap his own party while brandishing his cheap-shot worry beads in public with shrill opposition to the Government’s handling of the Chinese aggression. As was expected, Congress is the only opposition party which is not standing united with the government in this time of national crisis. The already comatose Congress party is riven with internal bickering and the Gandhi scion is being resented by some of his own partymen for his incompetence, in hush-hush tones. Sanjay Jha, the erstwhile Congress spokesperson who had the nerve to spill the beans, was promptly sidelined by the party. So much for internal democracy in the party!

 

It just boggles the mind as to why there is a need to put up unmanned barricades in most of the arterial roads of colonies. These barricades can stop only vehicles and not pedestrians. If the idea is to contain the people in the containment zones it will obviously not be successful. The other day, I had to go to Kalkaji. After navigating through several U-turns and dead-ends, I finally reached the destination in 45  minutes – a distance that should not have taken more than 15 minutes in these days of light traffic. I was therefore astounded to learn that the GK-2 RWA is planning to install gates in most of the arterial roads of the colony. This will just lead to more traffic snarls and pollution. Protests from various sections of society are afoot. We hope the decision is reversed.

 

I was talking to Manoj Subramanian of H-005 who is now working as the Executive Vice-President of a watch retail company, ETHOS Luxury Boutiques. I remarked that it must be a bad time to be in this business, where one sells items of discretionary purchase. He told me that it wasn’t the case and that he had just sold a watch for Rs. 86 lakhs online, to a buyer who had deposited an advance of Rs. 20 lakhs. I just couldn’t fathom the mindset of the person who would acquire such an expensive watch, and that too, at a time when you don’t know whether the virus will get the better of you. Surely, India is a strange country with stranger people.

 

In May, we had stopped one of the safai karamcharis from entering the colony as she had reported ill. One day, she arrived at the gate stating that she had recovered. We asked her to get a doctor’s certificate confirming her fitness. The next day she brought the certificate. When the guard came looking for me with the certificate, I was chatting in the park with Kunal and Siby (while maintaining social distancing norms, lest you think otherwise!).  None of us could decipher what the doctor had written. Griffonage of doctors is legendary, although I would not like to paint all doctors with the same brush. In fact, doctors should be the last persons to scribble a prescription, as a wrong interpretation by the chemist could cost a life. This is why in the US, doctors are required to type a prescription out.

 

In the Chronicle’s May issue, I wrote about a car windshield ostensibly cracking from an errant football kick by a group playing in the badminton court. In a letter to the Managing Committee, the car owner stated that the least he expected from the children was an apology. It was only after the Chronicle was published that I was given to understand that the children had indeed apologized and the matter amicably settled, although there was no tangible evidence that the football had broken the glass. My writing of it, I understand, hurt the children’s feelings, although no names had been mentioned. I wish to state here that there was no intention to cause hurt or besmirch their reputation. 

 

The Premier League silverware finally went to Liverpool with seven games to spare when Chelsea beat City 2-1 on 25^th June 2020. It will be a record that will stand for a long time in the annals of the sport.  Last year they were bridesmaid to City although they lost only one game in the whole season. The victory for the Reds came after 30 years. I was a Liverpool supporter until Sir Alex started managing the other Reds, Manchester United. So, it was mixed feelings for me. It has not been great news for the majority of United fans in the colony. After a lacklustre start to the season, despite a rear-guard revival under coach Solskjaer, they are unlikely to make the Champions League spot, as Leicester and Chelsea in second and third positions don’t look like they would drop points. I have a grudging respect for Leicester who neither boast of large purse strings or a star cast, barring Jamie Vardie. Yet, they won the Premier League four years ago under little known Ranieri and were title contenders this season. Frank Lampard, after having hung up his boots as a star Chelsea player, is leading them admirably. The next season promises to be a mouthwatering affair with Liverpool, City, United, Leicester, and Chelsea all in good form. Spurs could also mount a challenge next year as all their key players, Harry Kane, Son, Dele Alli and Eric Dier are fit and Mourinho always excels in the second season. The Gunners too cannot be written off as Mikel Arteta is a manager who has five titles under his belt.

 

Rangamma, one of the maids working in Yamuna, was bereaved when her husband Selvaraj succumbed to Covid-19 in Max Hospital. She had spent about Rs. 6.5 lakhs for his treatment by borrowing from family and friends. Sapan Shah of A-204, in whose flat she was also working, played the good Samaritan and started a crowdfunding initiative through the Ketto website, whereby the money raised would get directly credited to the bank account of her daughter, Divya. At the time of writing this issue, almost all the entire money had been recouped. We would like to place on record, our appreciation for Sapan’s noble gesture.

 

SNIPPETS

 

Vinod Asthana and his wife Leena of G-302 left Yamuna for their own flat in Noida, after a stay of 12 years. It is one of the longest stays by a tenant. Vinod was a gregarious person who made friends easily. Yamuna will be at a loss with his leaving. We wish them the very best in their new environment.

 

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Karthik Jayaraman, Kirti, Krishna, and Ira have moved to E-301 from Noida. They had left Yamuna briefly last year but preferred to return as the presence of Kirti’s parents here will be a big support for the children, when in need.

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Manoj Subramanian, Prema, and Saishaa have returned to Yamuna after living in Mumbai for a few years. They are moved into H-005. Manoj is working as Executive Vice-President at ETHOS Luxury Boutiques. Prema is a Montessori teacher. Their daughter, Saishaa, is in Class X and has secured admission in DPS International, Saket. This fun-loving family will bring lot of joy to Yamuna.

 

Letter to the Editor from Mr. Vinod Asthana

Hi Yamunaites,

 

I came to Yamuna in 2008 with the help of Mr. Muralikrishnan, my colleague and best friend. Today, while leaving Yamuna, my heart cried. 

 

It's been 12 years now and our family cannot count how the time has passed. People are so nice here, mingling closely in a way that's unmatched. I also reciprocated and my circle grew from big to bigger, from playing badminton and more. We really enjoyed the atmosphere. 

 

While leaving, I do not have words to convey my feelings, but I urge Yamunaites, "Jaise ho, waise hi rehna". I express my thanks to all, from the gatekeepers to the Society Office and friends.

 

Lastly, pardon me if I have unintentionally wronged any of you. Kabhi alvida na kehna!

 

You rock, Yamuna!

Issue No. 225 I May 2020

 

EDITORIAL

 

The resumption of industrial activity post lockdown and growing vehicular traffic increased the carbon load on the environment. While early May weather, up until the 15^th, continued to be benign with two or three showers, the sun soon showed its mettle. Ere long we were battling mid-40’s Celsius temperatures. Back to the ACs and increased power bills. Fortunately, it has cooled down again. Ten weeks of near-zero economic activity have left some companies in a coma and many others severely bludgeoned. Companies had to willy-nilly resort to salary cuts. The ones in the automotive industry are going to face a demand slump as well. Almost every company I know has enforced salary cuts between 10% to 50%. Companies overseas have resorted to furloughs. We should be glad we don’t have to work pro bono.

No country imposed such a sweeping lockdown like India did. While it may have flattened the curve to manageable levels, the economic costs and the long-term effects of this lockdown can be debilitating. Exporters are ruing the fact that their buyers may be forced to look at alternate sources of supply and could thus lose their client base forever. Many such epidemics may not have made news about 25 years ago, before the advent of the internet and social media. We have lived through all that. I have this sinking feeling that the cure of the lockdown may be worse than the disease. Unemployment and hunger alone will claim more lives in India than the global toll of Covid-19. Unfortunately, in the cruel calculus of catastrophes, a casualty figure of 5,000 is viewed favourably! Even if this number swells ten times, it is still a piffling number. Every year, TB kills more than 250, 000 people in India alone. We never had lockdown for that or for dysentery or cholera or malaria, each of which kills a lot more people than Covid-19 has or will do. However, the lockdown has taught us some important lessons, some of which will become a way of life when normalcy returns. For instance, before the lockdown, I could never imagine reading e-news. The feel of newsprint in one’s hands gave a sense of joy that I never thought e-news would. I now realise that it is just a question of habit. I began reading newspapers online and I am none the worse for it. Likewise, e-learning, webinars, Zoom, Microsoft Team, and Google Hangout meetings will reduce going to seminars, unnecessary travel for meetings, training, etc. Many companies will save a lot of money. However, it would be bad news for airlines and the hotel industry.

 

After 8 weeks of being locked up within the four walls of your home, the silver linings of this lockdown are getting harder to identify. It’s great to get so much of quality time with family but spending 20 minutes each day talking about whose turn it is to take the garbage bag to the C Block dump or who is going to clean the toilet or do the dusting isn’t the bonding most of us hoped for! There is, however, one thing I cannot get enough of, imagining walking through the deserted streets of Delhi. Jaywalking the narrow streets of Chandni Chowk, which, without the teeming crowds seems like a walk into the past. There’s also the fact that without the crowds, traffic, and the smells, the ancient, medieval and recent history of the capital inspires awe. I hope I have conveyed the reverie’al appeal of one of the greatest cities on Earth, minus the crowds, dirt, noise and traffic.  It also turns out that dedicating two hours to making your own cookies when you get a pack of Defence Bakery's cookies for a hundred bucks is not as rewarding as it may seem.

 

There is something sinister about the creatures that hang upside down and have this snarling countenance. The spectre of blood-sucking vampires of Dracula fame does not help.  Bats, like all living creatures, have a role to play in nature, but the bad press the chiropterans have received of late, because of the widely held belief that the zoonotic virus ‘corona’ made its transition from them to humans, cannot be dispelled.  The Chinese role in this whole saga is well documented. The Chinese, who eat everything that moves and consider bats as delicacies, and may have been responsible for the transition of the virus to humans, are the true villains. Therefore, to vilify the bats is not fair to these creatures. Even the charisma of Batman, who championed the cause of the lowly bat, has not been able to dispel the human wariness of bats. At one time, the C Block meter room under the Club House was colonized by bats. This very dread of the bats made us find solutions to exterminate them from there. Kunal Savarkar pestered me to arrange to get rid of them. We do not value their role as pest control and pollination agents.

 

These days it has become a fad to name children, associating with events of the period of their birth. This works fine when the event leaves pleasant memories, but it is not always the case. Children often have to bear the brunt of parents’ overwrought sense of history. Often, the monikers have negative connotations. Names like Hitler and Stalin, who were amongst the most brutal mass executioners in history, can claim their association with a politician in Meghalaya and Tamil Nadu respectively. Now, names like Corona or Covid-19, amongst the most dreaded pandemics that have wreaked havoc world over, have found favour with parents wanting to go viral with association. Unfortunately, the hapless babies have no choice in the matter and may grow up to face ridicule at their parents’ misplaced sense of pride.

 

I am a votary of grandmothers’ homemade remedies which are culled from Ayurveda, Unani, Naturopathy and other native curative protocols. I have benefited a lot from these potions and have rarely resorted to allopathic solutions when confronted with an illness. Therefore, I am dismayed that despite the Government having a full-fledged Ayush programme and India being the world’s foremost centre of excellence in Homeopathy, Ayurveda and Naturopathy, we have not given enough credence to these alternative therapies from offering affordable scalable solutions, despite the universally acknowledged fact that such a regimen has no inimical side effects like allopathy has. I have found that allopathic medicines often just act as a palliative than a cure. Due apologies to allopathic doctors in the colony. I am not belittling your contribution to society, but I have found native cures more apposite in my case. However, most people including my wife, children and many others favour the immediacy of relief that allopathy offers.

 

The most unfortunate of circumstances may throw up the most promising of opportunities. I am talking about the stock market. We may be at the start of a prolonged bull run. Historical patterns point to a paradoxical twist. Every time the US entered a recession, the Indian stock market witnessed a bull run. The economic prudence displayed by fund managers has a logical bearing. Every time the US goes into recession, the oil prices plummet. Since the price of oil can influence nearly two to three percent of our GDP, the correlation is hard to ignore. On top of that, India is also a net importer of metals like copper, nickel, aluminum, tin, and magnesium. Prices of metals likewise fall with the downturn in US demand. Another important factor to be considered is that with every recession there is monetary policy easing whereby the world is awash in liquidity. Which asset class will the liquidity chase? The one that can be easily monetized. Enter the stock market. Which country gains the most with global recession? No marks for guessing ­­– it is India. India is still and will continue to be a largely domestically driven economy which imports more than it exports. With imports becoming much cheaper, Indian companies’ profits will soar. So, if you have spare cash, put your bets on the Indian stock market.  However, you have to be wise with your investment, as in a bull market even dud stocks appreciate and when they fall, they fall precipitously. There are, however, three factors that were not in play on earlier occasions. China was not nearly as large an economy as it is now and the effects of the extended lockdown in India will have a fairly large negative fallout on the Indian economy as well in the short run; reinventing the way we do things may have a crippling effect on some businesses. Therefore, the bull run will not be secular. You will need to cherry-pick stocks and have a clairvoyant’s perspective. The best way to help the Indian economy is to increase buying of goods and services. This will restore employment opportunities and tax collections. Try your best to buy Indian brands and avoid Chinese products at all costs. Their belligerence shows no bounds. 

One of my favourite musicians, Little Richard, died of bone cancer at the age of 87 in the US this month. He was a rock-and-roll musician with a queer dressing taste who could bellow the bass notes and howl out a falsetto. His piano play was feverish, frantic, and uncontainable. His stage presence and antics endeared him to an audience which, in the America of those days, was segregated between blacks and whites. He was a great entertainer with a pearly white infectious smile and was one of the first to unify the whites and blacks on the dance floor. Such was the influence of his music. Hail the King, Richard Wayne Penniman.

 

The easing of restrictions to allow the opening of liquor stores in many states has seen long queues, lack of social distancing and desperation that borders on frustration and a death wish. It just goes to show that it is a necessary evil. Many may argue as to why we should prefix necessary before evil at all. I will paraphrase what Sir Winston Churchill said to lend credence to this dichotomy of thought. Liquor is the devil’s brew, the poison scourge, the bloody monster that defiles innocence, dethrones reason, destroys the home, creates misery and poverty, literally takes the food out of the mouths of little children. It’s an evil drink that topples men and women from the pinnacles of righteous and gracious living into the bottomless pit of degradation, shame, despair, helplessness and hopelessness. On the flip side, liquor is the oil of conversation, the philosophic wine, the elixir of life, the brew that is consumed when friends get together, that puts a song in their hearts and the warm glow of contentment in their eyes. It brings good cheer, the stimulating sip that puts a spring in the step of the elderly. It’s a drink that magnifies his joy, helps forget life’s great tragedies, heartbreaks and sorrows, it removes inhibitions and gives courage to the timid to propose to the person they love. It’s a drink, the sale of which pours into our treasuries, thousands of crores of rupees each year, that provide tender care to our little crippled children, our blind, our deaf and dumb, our pitifully aged and infirm, help to build the infrastructure like highways, schools, hospitals, universities, housing for the poor etc. If that is not a reason enough to call it a necessary evil, then what is? I hope the aforementioned answers a miffed Jayashree Mohan and some others, who upon seeing WhatsApp videos showing endless lines of tipplers queuing outside liquor stores and ignoring social distancing norms, was totally and utterly outraged.

 

It would be presumptuous of me to think that the letter I wrote to the Prime Minister and RBI Governor in April, on the steps the Government must take, had an influence on the Prime Minister’s address to the nation on 12^th May, 2020 announcing a series of economic measures which more or less mirrors what I wrote to them. However, Government’s plan to give loans without collateral will lead to more NPAs and consequently bank delinquencies. There is a more secure way to prevent NPA’s without the need for collateral in the MSME sector – route all the receivables through an escrow account which through a computer program can be made to operate the automatically third-party approval based on deduction of interest at quarterly rests and loan repayments on annual rests. To ensure that MSMEs route all their sales through the escrow account only, link it to e-way bills or GST payments. This will ensure full compliance and we can say good-bye to NPAs. For whatever is worth, I am going to write to the PM about this.

 

Mr. Murphy’s notoriety was again on display. On 11^th May, the motor of the submersible pump got burnt, possibly due to a voltage spike. As luck would have it, within 20 minutes of running the standby motor, it started making a noise due to alignment issues. Since the motor was stopped as soon as it started making a noise, the bearing could be saved and only the rubber bush was broken. Lockdown crippled our efforts to get the required part or get the submersible pump repaired, as the KSB Pumps service centre was closed. The third pump, which is 40 years old, did not have the muscle to pump water to the tanks. Some flats got water, and some didn’t. The next day, we got an agency to come and fix the alignment issue and he did the job by taping the rubber bush in place and correcting the alignment. The normal pumping resumed. Understandably, the non-availability of water for one day caused such a hue and cry that some residents let the irritation show. I must have got at least 100 calls enquiring as to how both pumps could fail at the same time and why we should buy another spare pump. People should understand that these are unusual times and a lot of things are beyond our control. The Committee members are juggling with office work, housework and Society work all at the same time. Some of us devoted the whole day to the pump issue.

 

When spring turns to summer, the winter plants wither and the shrubs, trees, and creepers start flowering. We are lucky to have Thomas Abraham in our midst. The passion and devotion he fosters on the plants is amazing. The plants he tends to have a sheen, the shrubs are nicely topieried and the creepers tastefully stringed; it is a joy to behold.

 

For those who wish to get married cheaply, there is a deal going abegging in corona times. It is a readymade wedding package for 50 people for Rs. 1,99,999. The package consists of e-invitation card designing, bridal make-up, mehndi artist, photobooth, decoration for one car, standard mandapam and entrance décor, sannai melam, veg food for fifty members, basic sound system with two mikes, photography and videography, photo album with 50 sheets, thermal screening for guests, UV hand sanitiser station, hand sanitisers-50 nos.,N-95 masks 50 numbers, cuddle curtains for greeting, obtaining necessary permissions, venue selection, social distancing arrangements, web telecast, decoration with quality artificial flowers and welcome drink. Any takers?!!!

 

OBITUARY

Mr. V.V. Bhotlu’s (F-203) wife, Smt. V. Prabhavaty (79), had a peaceful and natural demise in New York on Sunday, 17 May 2020. Yamuna residents convey their sincere condolences to the family.

 

SNIPPETS

Namagiri and Prabhu’s younger daughter, Akshara Ram (resident of H 002), an aspiring astronaut, attained worldwide stardom on Twitter and within Amazon Global when she stumbled upon a big flaw in the Amazon Recommendation System. Apparently, when you search for “Rockets for Girls” on Amazon, it suggests “Rockets for Boys” instead. If you still persist with the search, Amazon autocorrects to “Lockets for Girls”. The superwomen at Amazon global team made a special video for Akshara for her 8th birthday.

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Raj and Priyanka Nathan’s son, Kiaan (A-107), took part in a cooking competition organized by the British Council He described in detail, the method to make South Indian filter coffee and Kolkatta’s dahi puchka. Has Yamuna’s cooking competition spurred his interest in culinary art?