स्टार की थाली ‘सात साल से एक टाइम’: गुलशन देवैया बोले- कुकिंग मेरे लिए मेडिटेशन है, थाली में सिर्फ खाना नहीं, जिंदगी की कहानियां परोसता हूं

Actor Gulshan Devaiah, who has won the hearts of the audience with his unique characters in films, is in the news these days as Raja Kulashekhar in Kantara. Like his acting, the taste of his food is also unique. Sitting at the Japanese restaurant ‘Kofuku’ in Andheri West, he spoke openly with us about his food habits, favorite dishes and those memories. Today in ‘Star Ki Thali’ we will know about the actor’s favorite dishes and his eating routine.

Location: Kofuku, Andheri West, Mumbai | Special Menu: Japanese and Homemade Fusion

Eating philosophy – seven years at a time

Gulshan says that since 2018, he has formed a new habit – eating only once a day. “I have been doing this for the last seven years. About 75-80% of the time I eat only once. Today is an exception, because I have come to meet you,” he says with a smile.

He says that this helps in portion control automatically. They don’t diet or count calories. He says, “I eat whatever I want but maintain a balance. During shooting, I also adjust the hotel food in the same way, just make sure that everything is in moderation – vegetables, proteins, carbs and fats.”

Homemade food

Gulshan loves cooking. He says, “I enjoy cooking. Doodhi mutton is my favorite dish. Sometimes I add coconut milk, sometimes almond milk or homemade ghee. I like doing new experiments.”

He says, “In my childhood, I became interested in cooking after watching my parents. Now it has become my meditation.”

Balance between taste and health

Fitness is very important for me. After 40, the body starts changing – flexibility, strength, everything decreases a little. So I understood that balance is very important. Every person’s balance is different — depending on their job, genetics, and activity.

Now see, I also drink green tea with the same thinking – Japanese green tea. This keeps your health good and tastes good too.

In 2018, I started eating only one meal a day. Initially the weight had reduced so much that it went from 75 kg to 63 kg! At that time the shooting of ‘Commando’ was going on. Vidyut had said laughingly, “You have become very thin!” Then gradually I found my equilibrium. Now I always weigh around 72-73 kg – absolutely fit and balanced.

Desert also part of “routine”

I am a person with a sweet tooth, and I never hide this fact. Sweets are always in my plate. I love Greek style yogurt — I add honey and walnuts to it. Actually, my wife is from Greece, so this habit has come from there.

Now I wouldn’t call it healthy, honey also contains a lot of sugar, but yes – if I eat it instead of cookies or brownies, then my soul remains at peace.

Experiments and experiences with food

Brother, I have tried many diets – I have even done keto. But to tell you the truth, half of the fat you have to eat in keto goes into the stomach! Had to eat three avocados a day. Now I keep it simple – the food is finished in 45 minutes to an hour, that’s it.

I don’t usually eat on the sets of a shoot. I eat in one go as soon as I go back to the hotel. If you eat on the set, your energy goes down. And if I am at home, sometimes I go to Kofuku or some Japanese restaurant in Bandra. By the way, I tried Japanese food for the first time in 2005 at Harima in Bengaluru. Taking off your shoes and sitting in that traditional atmosphere – it feels very relaxing, man.

Eating only veg on Vipul Shah’s set

Only veg food was available on Vipul sir’s sets. Non-veg food was strictly prohibited, even from the hotel’s room service, only veg food could be ordered. We were shooting in Bradford, which is a small town in Yorkshire.

Sometimes I would order sushi – it looked veg, but was actually non-veg. If the bill had been written in Japanese, no one would have known about it and reimbursement would have been possible.

Ghar Ka Dabba on the sets of Ramleela, ‘Kuch Bhi Chalta Hai’ on the sets of Anurag Kashyap

I never ate food on the sets of Sanjay sir, because at that time I was in gym training and was on a very heavy diet. At the time of ‘Ramlila’, my weight was around 83 kg and I used to eat five-six times a day. To maintain it, I used to pack the boxes from home myself.

Anything goes on Anurag Kashyap’s set – maybe only catered food. By the way, I don’t like the catering provided for shooting in Mumbai. Outside catering is a little better.

Food stories on sets

I have seen many co-stars closely in my career. I remember Ranveer Singh, when we were doing ‘Ramlila’ – he used to eat small meals six-seven times a day. Everything was measured and weighed, there was no problem. Sometimes spinach, sometimes dry mincemeat, sometimes beans… something new every time. To be honest, I was very interested in seeing him eating.

Talking about Vidyut Jammwal, he never tells the secrets of his fitness routine. Just say one line – ‘Kalari’ – and then remain silent.

I have very fond memories with Om Puri Saheb. During the shooting of ‘Dead in the Gunj’, his health was not very well, but he was very fond of food. Used to say, “Just salt, cumin and onion in Bhindi – that’s enough.” Even today, sometimes when I make the same simple bhindi, that memory becomes fresh.

friendship over dosa

My first meeting with Kantara director Rishabh Shetty was also about food – that too over dosa! We both met at Sri Krishna Bhavan in Malleshwaram. Actually we had to go to CTR, but did not get space there. Then we sat there, comfortably ate dosa, talked – and from there our friendship began.

Learn the real taste of cooking from people

Cooking for me is not just cooking, it is a kind of inspiration. I like to learn not from any one chef, but from the people around me. Remember, on the sets of Kantara, our DOP Arvind Kashyap used to make dosa – with ghee, just like home. The fragrance of that dosa is still present in my mind.

I have also learned a lot from many actors on the set. Nana Patekar Sir himself does the cooking, while cooking with him one feels his simplicity and dedication. I have personally tried Jackie Shroff’s recipe for curry leaves – it is very interesting. And Vijay Sethupathi, he is so fond of food that if we have dinner with him, the conversation revolves around food. All these people are no less than special chefs, but are my real ‘cooking gurus’ in real life.

I don’t just serve food on my plate, I serve stories.

For me, food is not just a thing to fill my stomach, it is a medium to tell the stories of life. I always feel, every plate has its own story – sometimes of childhood, sometimes of a journey, or related to the memories of a friend. The day food becomes just a way to satisfy hunger, its real taste will be lost.

While talking about cooking and films, one often realizes that not only food but also stories are served on the plate. Perhaps that’s why I consider myself not just an actor, but a foodie at heart – one who finds the taste of life in every mouthful.