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Shafeeq has spent his life pursuing his passion for food, despite his parents’ hopes for a more academic career.

Growing up in South India, he was fascinated by street food vendors while waiting for the school bus. Each day brought a different vendor, and he was captivated by their craft—especially when he managed to sample their cooking.

His father, a retired Army officer, instilled in him discipline, while his mother, a retired nurse, taught him the art of selecting quality ingredients. Grocery shopping with her was a lesson in precision—learning how to pick the best vegetables, fish, meat, and even coconuts, whose quality must be judged without seeing inside.

In Indian culture, obeying parents is expected, and becoming a chef was not the ideal path for him. Though not particularly academic, Shafeeq had a knack for numbers and briefly pursued an accounting degree. However, he soon realized his true calling lay in food. Convincing his parents was a challenge, but his father eventually advised, “If you want something, go for it. Don’t go halfway, or you will die.”