South African chef and entrepreneur Pashi Reddy is preparing to release his memoirs and cookbook, 'The Road to Kali: An Unorthodox Foodoir'. This long-awaited literary project, combining stories and recipes, will be released at the end of this month.
Pashi Reddy shared, 'Some stories are released not when they are finished. They are released when the right time comes.' He spent six years waiting for the perfect moment to publish his memoir and cookbook.
Work on the 350-page publication began in 2020 during the first lockdown in South Africa. Amidst the slowing pace of life, he set himself the goal of preserving family memories before they disappeared.
In one year, he completed a manuscript that combines over 85 family recipes with photographs, stories, and memories. He personally prepared, styled, and photographed all these elements while at home.
Despite the book being ready, Reddy did not publish it because he initially envisioned 'The Road to Kali' as a beautiful hardcover coffee table book. However, he noted that due to the large number of pages and full-color photography, the retail price exceeded R800 per copy, making it inaccessible to the target audience.
Reddy emphasizes that the book goes beyond a simple cookbook. He believes its true purpose is to prompt readers to call their parents, ask grandparents for forgotten recipes, forgive someone, chase a dream, or simply realize the importance of everyday moments in life.
The result is what Reddy calls a 'Foodoir'—a blend of culinary arts and memoirs that celebrates culture, family, and the continuity of stories between generations.
Unlike many chefs, Reddy did not attend culinary school. His interest in cooking started at home when his father introduced the family to traditional dishes and tastes from different cultures during travels.
His passion for cooking intensified after meeting his wife, Kamisha 'Kim' Naidu-Reddy. What began as cooking together on dates turned into a joint business when the couple started selling their food at local markets in Durban.
Their lives changed in 2018 when they participated in the second season of the show 'My Kitchen Rules South Africa'. Their bold flavor choices earned them the nicknames 'Spice King and Queen' from the judges, and they reached the grand final. Viewers also saw a memorable moment when Reddy proposed to Kim during the semi-finals.
Television fame helped launch several successful ventures, including the Lady Tiffin spice line, The Food Box in Durban, and their restaurant Umhlanga named Kali, known for its pan-Asian menu.
Despite his success, Reddy admitted that he doubted whether anyone would want to read his story. Like any author debuting in this field, he questioned the value of his narrative.
However, those doubts faded, and he came to understand that the book is not about him, but about family, heritage, and preserving the people, traditions, and memories that shape us before time takes them away.
Before moving on to the next part, Reddy feels that the first part deserves a chance to find its readers. 'Before I start writing Volume II, I have a duty to give Volume I a chance to find its readers.'
The book 'The Road to Kali: An Unorthodox Foodoir' will be available as an e-book on Reddy's website and on Amazon at the end of this month, allowing readers worldwide to explore the stories, recipes, and memories created over six years.
Pashi Reddy, a South African chef and entrepreneur, is preparing to present his long-awaited literary memoir and cookbook titled 'The Road to Kali: An Unorthodox Foodoir'. The book's release is scheduled for the end of this month.
Reddy shared that his words reflect a philosophy: 'Some stories are released not when they are finished. They are released when the right time comes.' He began working on this 350-page book in 2020 during the first lockdown in South Africa. His main goal was to preserve family memories before they disappeared.
Over the next year, he completed the manuscript, which combines over 85 family recipes with stories, memories, and photographs. He personally prepared, styled, and photographed all these elements while at home.
Despite completing the work, Reddy did not publish the book. He envisioned 'The Road to Kali' as a beautiful hardcover coffee table book that could be used for cooking, reading, and passed down to children in the future. However, he noted that due to the large number of pages and full-color photography, the retail price exceeded R800 per copy, making it inaccessible to the target audience, so he decided to wait.
Reddy emphasizes that the book goes beyond being a simple cookbook. He explained that the project was originally written with the hope of reminding people to call their parents, ask grandparents about forgotten recipes, forgive someone, follow a dream, or simply realize the value of ordinary moments in life.
Unlike many chefs, Reddy did not attend culinary school. His interest in cooking started at home when his father introduced the family to traditional dishes and flavors from different cultures through their travels. This interest grew after meeting his wife, Kamisha 'Kim' Naidu-Reddy.
What started as cooking together on dates turned into a joint business when the couple began selling their food at local markets in Durban. Their lives changed in 2018 when they participated in the second season of the show 'My Kitchen Rules South Africa'. The judges nicknamed them 'Spice King and Queen' for their bold tastes, and they reached the grand final. During the semi-finals, Reddy proposed to Kim.
Television fame helped launch several successful ventures, including the Lady Tiffin spice line, The Food Box in Durban, and their restaurant Umhlanga named Kali, which was known for its pan-Asian menu.
Despite his success, Reddy acknowledged his doubts about whether people would want to read his story. However, these doubts faded as he realized that the book was not about him, but about family, legacy, and preserving the people, traditions, and memories that shape us before time takes them away.
Reddy believes that before moving on to a second part, he must give the first part a chance to find readers. 'The Road to Kali: An Unorthodox Foodoir' will be available as an e-book on Reddy's website and on Amazon by the end of this month, allowing readers worldwide to explore the stories, recipes, and memories he has worked on for six years.
Sonam Wangdu shares thoughts on living in harmony with nature, environmental legislation, and a sustainable lifestyle, based on his upbringing in Ladakh. A graduate of the National Law University with degrees in business and law, he studied at Druk Padma Karpo School and SECMOL. His experience has shaped an understanding of both traditional knowledge and modern legal systems, striving to connect local wisdom with current environmental and social issues.
In the age of social media, inspiring images are often displayed: solar kitchens, influencers promoting a sustainable lifestyle. These moments create a feeling of saving the planet through every published video. However, this idealized picture often diverges from the reality of many people living in apartments without balconies, where waste sorting systems remain an obscure concept.
Attempts to follow eco-advice in an urban apartment setting can lead to disappointment and guilt. Sustainability should not feel like punishment or a restriction on joy and choice; it is a search for balance between meeting current needs and preserving resources for the future.
The author argues that the true principles of sustainable existence have long existed in communities that are often ignored, especially in the Himalayan mountain and tribal societies. He emphasizes that sustainability is not a set of rules, but a way of thinking applicable in both a mountain village and an apartment building.
Many misunderstand the concept of recycling, reducing it to accumulating old things. In mountainous regions, recycling is a way of life where nothing is thrown away but is transformed. For example, dry toilets turn waste into fertilizer that nourishes the soil, and sun-dried clay bricks return to the landscape after deterioration.
This principle applies to the urban environment as well: instead of just reusing items, one must change the approach to resources. This means choosing durable clothing over fleeting trends and rethinking ownership—the possibility of renting or sharing tools. When buying, one should ask what will happen to the item after its service life ends.
Sustainable consumption goes beyond recycling. In cities, it is easy to fall into a trap where attempts to live 'ecologically' become burdensome. In mountains like Ladakh, residents learned this out of necessity. Due to limited land resources, they practiced terraced farming, and in the high-altitude desert of Ladakh, the 'zing' system was used—small interconnected water bodies that slow glacial melt and replenish groundwater.
The system functioned through accountability: an official appointed by the community regulated water use. This approach is based on the belief that people are custodians of Earth's gifts, not their owners. Ancient Indian texts, including the Vedas and Arthashastra, reflect this idea of careful stewardship of natural wealth.
Sustainability should not be an individual project. In traditional communities, it is woven into the fabric of social life. In contrast, in cities, community often seems superficial. Traditional agro-pastoral systems, combining agriculture and animal husbandry, represent a closed loop where little goes to waste. The architecture of these places is also designed for generations.
The main lesson is the absence of a singular goal. Applying community principles in the city is possible through participation in local gardening groups, tool sharing, or volunteering. This transforms transactional relationships into trusting bonds.
Ultimately, sustainability is not self-punishment, but liberation. The constant desire to acquire new things or chase trends is anxiety, not joy. The mindset of a custodian frees one from the guilt and pressure of owning many things. It is a shift from endless demand to conscious appreciation, allowing one to live well in the modern world without completely rejecting it.
