About the Chef

	Thank you for visiting my web site. I am Naveen Sachar, a lifelong cook, traveler, photographer, and owner of Rasoi.

I have loved the flavors, spices, freshness, and simplicity of Asian cooking ever since I was a young boy growing up in Northern India. Because my father was an Army officer and was posted to a new town every two to three years, I had the opportunity to experience cuisines from all the diverse areas of India, where language, lifestyle, culture, and foods vary widely from region to region. We were fortunate that our family had a cook, and when my father’s job took my parents away from home, as it often did, I would spend time in the kitchen with our cook, Thapa. At first, I would stir pots full of curry (Hindi for gravy) or add spices to various dishes, which always gave me a great thrill. Over time, I began doing more and more of the cooking, eventually taking over the kitchen under Thapa’s watchful eye. When my mother cooked, I would observe and discuss ingredients, spices, recipes, and cooking styles with her. I was her official taster for spices and doneness.

After high school, I was admitted to Jadavpur University in Calcutta, where I studied Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering. Though just a short train ride away, the university and its students seemed a world apart from my home – I spoke Hindi and English, and they spoke Bengali; I ate home-cooked meals, and the dorm served poorly-prepared local dishes. Homesick and craving good food, I outfitted my dorm room with an electric heater, two pans, a pressure cooker, a few serving spoons, and a small cutting board, opting for delicious, self-cooked meals over perfect grades.

I came to the U.S. to obtain my MSE in Electrical Engineering at Arizona State University. I gladly accepted the role of designated chef for the four other Indian students with whom I shared an apartment. After school, my work brought me to Chicago. In 2001, I began hosting cooking classes and catering parties after work and on weekends. Eventually, I followed my heart and not only left the corporate world to open Rasoi, but also met and married a wonderful woman. Our love of travel has taken us all over the world. I have tasted and learned to cook the foods of various cultures, and these experiences have shaped my recipes as I continue to experiment with the foods and flavors of my native Northern India.

Food brings people together. I love to create a fun atmosphere where people can experiment, taste, talk, laugh, and get to know one another while they learn to cook great food. I offer private and group cooking classes, corporate teambuilding events, catering, and in-home meal delivery. I look forward to meeting you in one of my classes or speaking with you about my other cooking services.

Cheers,