If everything’s in order, you start strong. If something’s off — even slightly — it shows up in your mood, energy, and efficiency. In our home, the most significant swing factor is simple: the cook.
Yes, that one person can make or mar the rhythm of our day.
My wife and I don’t cook. So, our dependence on the cook is absolute. And that dependence is our biggest vulnerability.
Over the years, we’ve seen cooks come and go — some really good, others tested our patience. Each change brought chaos: new styles, teething troubles, and that uneasy in-between phase before things settled again.
When the cooking falters, everything feels off — even work.
The Pandemic Pause
In 2020, our cook couldn’t return from his annual leave due to the lockdown. For the first time, we were on our own. Just as panic began to set in, our driver came to the rescue — cycling every day to deliver food from Gargi’s parents’ house to our gate.
For everything else, we managed, we adapted, we learnt.
It reminded me that convenience isn’t a given — it’s a luxury we often mistake for normalcy.
I used to think that for us in India, dependence on support staff at home is a cultural thing. But that’s not really the case. When we live abroad, we end up doing most of the work owing to the high costs. In our country, we do it because we can — fuelled by convenience and affordability.
This Year’s Rollercoaster
2025 hasn’t been kind. One of our best cooks left after repeated temper tantrums. The next few months saw us trying a full-time and two part-timers, but none of them fit the bill.
The last one cooked like a dream but turned up drunk before Diwali.
Now, as I post this, a new cook has checked in. We’re hopeful. Cautiously.
How our year ends will mainly depend on this factor! Deepavali was tough; we’re praying that Christmas brings cheer to our home.
The Takeaway
Home, like life, runs best on consistency. And consistency depends not on perfection, but on the quiet reliability of people who keep things running behind the scenes.
Whether it’s a cook, a driver, or a loved one, the right person in the right role makes every day a little easier to live.
About Me
I am a thinker at all times. I see, I think. I hear, I think. I read, I think. Every weekend I write. I would love to know what you think.
Very Strong Message Sir ❣️