Kamran Siddiqi is unlike any food blogger I know. It's not because his blog The Sophisticated Gourmet is beautifully designed with gorgeous photos and an infectious enthusiasm, it's because at 17 he has that appealing confidence that comes with youth. Anyone who thinks teenagers are unfocused, rude and living only in their own world, clearly hasn't encountered Kamran or his blog.
"Recipes meander through my head during every minute of every day. As a child, I was always in the kitchen where I would watch my parents, grandparents, and other family members create masterpieces. It was always exhilarating to hear the knife against the cutting board, pots and pans clacking, and spoons tapping against the sides of things. Who knew that these unintentional symphonies could create such amazing dishes?
Sure, we all cook and eat to fill our stomachs, but as years go by, for most of us cooks, cooking, baking, and eating (and anything else that has to do with food) becomes an art. Personally, cooking is not just something that allows me to fill my stomach with food- it is a way in which I can create palatable dishes that satisfy all of my senses.
Cooking allows me to express myself in ways artists do with their paintbrushes. It is not only a method of self-expression, but it allows me to de-stress and wander away from the unnecessary plethora of AP homework that I receive on a daily basis. The 15, 20, 30, or even 60 minutes that I get in the kitchen to bang, chop, dice, julienne, and whisk allow me to conclude my unintentional symphonies with simple, yet sophisticated masterpieces that anyone can enjoy."
