Meghalaya chef Nambie Marak grew up with Sachin Tendulkar posters on her walls in Shillong. This weekend, the MasterChef runner-up found the perfect opportunity to rustle up a Garo special meal for her cricket hero as he visited the state.
On the table was a chicken-pumpkin curry, the Do’o Gominda, of which Tendulkar asked for a second helping, Nambie told HubNews.
“I had the unbelievable honor of cooking for the Sachin Tendulkar. Yes, that Sachin Tendulkar—the man whose name is woven into the fabric of every Indian childhood, including mine,” Nambie told HubNews, after she was invited by Courtyard Marriott Shillong, to showcase the rich, earthy flavours of Meghalaya at their Garo Food Festival.
“As someone who grew up steeped in Garo traditions, I couldn’t have asked for a better stage to share our food. I poured my heart into curating a special Thali—a mix of vibrant vegetarian dishes and bold, hearty non-vegetarian ones, each telling a story of home” she told HubNews.
Into the plate went We’tepa (soft fish steamed in banana leaves), something Nambie said made ‘Sachin Sir’ smile. “He also tried Kapa, a dish fragrant with local herbs, and Do’o Gominda, the soul-warming chicken-and-pumpkin curry that’s a staple in Garo kitchens. To finish, I served Pitha, our sticky rice—simple, comforting, and the perfect ending,” HubNews quoted her as saying.
“Garo dishes aren’t just food to me. They’re pieces of my childhood, recipes whispered from one generation to the next, cooked over fires and seasoned with love. Watching Sachin Tendulkar—the Sachin Tendulkar—taste them? It felt like a dream,” she said.
“I didn’t get to hear all his thoughts (the man is, understandably, always surrounded), but I did hear one thing: he asked for seconds of the chicken-pumpkin curry. That tiny detail? It meant the world. It told me that the flavors of my home had found a place in his heart, even if just for a meal,” Nambie added.
Story continues below this ad
Tendulkar also gave her a quick tip on getting the perfect angle for photographs. “For those few seconds, it was just me and the man whose posters once covered my walls, laughing like old friends. Our food, our stories, made their way to his plate. And honestly? That feels like winning something far bigger than any trophy,” she told HubNews.