Mumbai, 13 September 2025 (UTN). Bollywood choreographer and director Farah Khan recently paid a special visit to the home of celebrity chef Harpal Singh Sokhi, and the encounter turned out to be a delightful blend of nostalgia, laughter, and culinary magic.
They had quite a warm, candid conversation where Harpal opened up about his inspiring journey from a small town in West Bengal to becoming a celebrated chef. He shared, “In West Bengal, when a boy is born, the first expectation is to become an engineer. But I was the third person from Kharakpur to do hotel management. It felt like a divine calling.” Harpal recalled how a neighbour who studied IHM Hotel Management inspired him to pursue the same path.
The couple also got personal as Harpal shared his love story. His wife, Aparna, a Maharashtrian, was working as an assistant housekeeper while he was an executive chef in Nagpur. Their courtship was brief but meaningful. Aparna fondly said, “Pura ka pura Harpal acha laga,” adding, “We had a 4-month courtship.” Harpal said, “There were some family resistances initially, but my bua convinced my father in three months, and everything fell into place.”
Farah seemed charmed by their story and equally impressed by the chef’s well-organized kitchen. The highlight of the visit was when Harpal and Farah teamed up to cook his signature Butter Chicken. Harpal admitted with humility, “Aparna is a much better cook than I am. That’s a fact!” The duo’s laughter and easy camaraderie created a heartwarming atmosphere.
The chef also spoke about his rise in the culinary world and how challenging it is to be part of a show such as Laughter Chef. He shared, “People are given very tough elements, and they have not event practiced. I manage seven stations on the floor, and no one listens!” He also shared more from his Khana Khazana days where he became the face of the first two episodes after being handpicked by Sanjeev Kapoor.
Mumbai-Reporter,( Hitesh Jain ).
