I’ve got a cooking bar in my hall: Chef Sanjeev Kapoor

Sitting in celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor’s home, overlooking lush greenery while sipping masala chai and nibbling on idlis (unfortunately not made by the man himself) it’s a fun
moment. “I let others cook for me at home,” he says, with a laugh.

The large L-shaped living-cum-dining area is comfortable in decor with fawn sofas, a solid teak wooden centre table, maroon poufs, a serene Buddha painting, layered curtains in white sheer and silver-grey raw silk plus a 3-D projector — all forming part of the living room decor. The piece d'resistance, however, is the ‘cooking bar’. “Guests used to invariably want me to rustle up something special so I got architect Ajit Shilpi to create a ‘cooking bar’ in my hall itself so that I don’t need to go into the kitchen,” explains the master chef. An induction plate on the platform surface cooks the food without fuss and the semi-circular shape conceals storage cabinets.

Sanjeev and his family consisting of his mother, wife Alyona and two teenaged daughters — Rachita and Kriti moved into this 4,500 sq ft, four-bedroom duplex apartment in Juhu six years back. The large, airy kitchen houses two gigantic refrigerators, loads of concealed storage space and a ‘spice wall’ with spices in coloured containers.

The staircase leading to the first level has lights which work on motion sensors and open into an informal living room with black leather sofas. A small portion is the work area sporting a table with a computer and printer.

Four bedrooms sit side by side on this level. The daughters’ bedroom has a young and Bohemian feel; his mother’s bedroom has a subtle colour palette while the bathroom has special anti-skid tiles. An all-purpose utility room doubles up as a guest room. The master bedroom has the luxury of a walk-in wardrobe.

Interestingly, the attached bathroom comes with dual wash basins which helps save time as the couple leave for work together. It’s this professional and functional attitude of the couple that
reflects in their home’s earthy and comfortable decor style.