Author: Akhil Nanda

I am Still Trying To Write ...

Flamin Hot Cheetos!


A Story about Richard Montañez who was a Janitor, Bold & Confident about his idea to directly call the boss at Frito lay and tell him about his plan to save the company’s factory and Jobs!
The story is about how some believed him, while others mocked him. It was the push he got from one of the seniors, who believed in his Idea and the CEO who trusted his instincts. Yes! He did save the jobs and Grew the company too, with a simple idea of following his roots for a snack, that’s loved globally today.
A Completely new range of products was introduced and handled by Richard Montañez the man who changed the lives of Cheetos.
He retired in 2019 after being involved with the company for 42 Years…
Flamin Hot is Streaming on Hotstar.

Holi Hai!!


A festival, that’s always been associated with fun, colourful and childlike!
The older crowd, just can’t let their childishness go away. Over the years, Holi has been filled with colours, friends & Family and Food too!
Since childhood Holi celebration memories have been about being soaked in water, Sometimes the faces looked like Mud Pack or sometimes they were unrecognizable.
It would take days before we or someone could recognise us as ourselves.
We would get thrown into inflated water Pools and while all this would be happening, there were rain showers too for Rain Dance with Good Music with popular Holi festival songs and occasionally playing musical instruments and enjoying shaven ice Lollies dipped in Rose, Cola, Jamun and Kala Khatta Syrups to beat the heat.
The food would be a street food style menu.
Chaat, like Sev Puri and Paani Puri, Chole Kulcha, of the north to the South Indian Dosa, Samosa, Kulfi & Jalebi’s for Desserts with Thandai, Coconut Water, Kokum as beverages.
Holi has always been that day where you meet up to socialise with family and friends.
Holi-Day is that festival where you would take a couple of Holidays only to get clean with the mess, because you forgot to Apply the Oil or because you enjoy the break.
Holi Celebration this year was like, the ones we celebrated earlier, but this time with a small group! A celebration after years!!!

Favourite authors! – Observations & Analysis.

Over the years, I have enjoyed reading a few authors again and again and here i have shared some of my favourite authors and what to expect of them when you read their book.

Murakami :The Writing style of Murakami is simple, yet has a depth in the stories and narration that makes you loose yourself in the world he has created for the reader. Books worth reading from the author : Kafka On the shore, Strange Library, Men Without Women, Norwegian Wood and The Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage

Seshi Yokomizo: His stories revolve around A Detective, an island, A large joint family and a family member that’s missing for years. Books worth reading from the author: The Inugami Curse, The Devils Flute, The Honjin Murders

Ogawa : Her stories are about Memory Loss, Death ,Relationship with the past and life in Japan. Books worth reading from the author: The Housekeeper & The Professor and The Memory Police.
Keigo Higashino : His Content is about A detective like no other, a story set in Japan, And how science & Physics studies are used to solve the mystery.
Books worth reading from the author. Malice, The Midsummer equation and Salvation Saint.

Perumal Murugan : His stories are set in South India with A woman as central character.
It’s also about how the society perceive people who behave and react different from the society norms. Books worth reading from the author. One Part Woman & Poonachi

Pico Iyer: His Writing style soothes you and calm your nerves, the elements are always nature and a beautiful setting.
Books worth reading Art of Stillness & Cuba by the Night.

Satyajit Ray: A detective, who with the help of his team solves mysteries in India. That could be based on simple objects or family disputes, through his observations. The Complete Adventures of Feluda Vol 1 & Vol 2

Ravi Subramanium: It’s about Banking Scams, Friendship, and the Race to succeed to
The top. If God was a Gamer & Bankster

Henning Mankell: A Story set in Sweden with connection in Africa and a foreigner who has travelled and started living in Sweden. A neighbourhood that has been peaceful and an alcoholic Inspector.
Books worth reading Sidetracked & Faceless Killer

Jo Nesbo : A police inspector, who handles cases around Sweden & internationally, And some one within the field is responsible for the crime.
The Snowman & The Bat

Agatha Christie: Stories about a detective that’s smart enough to know who might be responsible through his style of investigation. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Lucy Foley :A Thriller without a detective, but has the same surprise and interest for the readers. The Guest list

Paula Hawkins: A writers who’s first book was an introduction to thrillers for me , the way they should be written and since than haven’t found anything like the Girl on the train.

Elif Shafak : A story set in Turkey, keeping in mind the challenges faced by woman for woman’s right. Books worth reading The Gaze & Bastard of Istanbul

Malcolm Gladwell: A writer who uses psychology as the backdrop to explain the fundamentals of human behaviour & Success. Blink & Tipping point must read books.

Paulo Coelho: Writing that keeps you searching for more, And leads you to a journey of self discovery. Alchemist & Birda

Best Books on Food!

Taste by @stanleytucci.
A book, that you would enjoy reading not just if you like eating, but if you like cooking too! The tone used in the book, the way it has been written, takes us back to his childhood days and memories! This book has Taste on every page, while some pages are sweet, some are Bitter. The whole read is a meal! You wouldn’t like to miss it!

The Food Mood Connection by @drumanaidoo
Haven’t you always said or heard? I am in the mood to eat this meal today for lunch, Breakfast or Dinner.
Well! Food and Mood does have a connection and this book highlights how it affects us. An interesting book on focusing correlation between Mental Health, Food and Diet.
Research and written by Uma Naidoo who has studied nutritional & lifestyle psychiatry at Harvard.

Pancake in Paris by @craigcarlsonauthor
A story of an American who lived his American dream in Paris!
By starting a cafe – Pancake in Paris!
This story is about how he succeeded in living his dream and the challenges he faced in getting the right ingredients and introducing a Breakfast meal that wasn’t part of the French culture.
A good American breakfast.

How I Quit Google to Sell Samosas @munafkapadia
The Story about Borhi Kitchen – A home experience of cultural cuisine, that started a decade ago and gained popularity for the food and the experience it, it later also grew with food experience as a delivery service and for Catering at events! With a simple idea of bringing in local cultural food. This is an inspirational story set in India, Mumbai since it’s also a challenge to diversify from well-paid jobs to starting something of your own. This book also highlights the challenges one faces in the Food & Beverages and Hospitality business.

Forgotten Foods @taranahusainkhan
A book on looking back at some of the food specialities that aren’t very popular these days and are well known only in certain parts of the country.

Merry Christmas – Not A Movie Review!

Merry Christmas by Sriram Raghavan!
When you watch a movie and instantly remember the source of inspiration.
You know exactly what the result would be and how the story would unfold.
But, at the same time you always feel the Book would be better! I remember Reading the book last year. And a while later Realised the simplicity of the story. This is a slow burn, French Noir But having been adapted to the screen it could have been a little more edgier. The story is about two strangers who meet each other. One who is revisiting his home after 7 Years And the other who is out for dinner.
They both go to the latter’s house and enjoy a drink! Then she remembers she has forgotten something and they go looking for it and are back home only to discover that her husband is killed ! This is when the story unfolds… And then this incident happens again With another man
The plot thickens and slowly the mystery unravels. Merry Christmas is an inspiration and adaption of Bird in a Cage by Fredrick Dard a French noir writer and the film is now streaming on A popular Ott platform.