Chef Kunal Kapur’s love for food is known, however his love for pets is not. We chat with him to discover the love he holds for his eight pet dogs, how he nurtures them, his love for Mumbai street food, upcoming projects and much more
The chef loves to relish authentic Maharashtrian food like Kombdi Vade, Bombil fry, and fish thali. Photo Courtesy: Mid-day file pic
Indian celebrity chef, restaurateur, and media personality, Kunal Kapur is globally recognised for his exceptional culinary skills. With numerous accolades under his hat, the chef is now increasingly gaining popularity among netizens with his crisp, engaging and tempting food videos.
However, there is more to Chef Kunal Kupar’s life than just food. In a candid conversation with Mid-day Online, the chef reveals his love for furry friends leaving us growing more fond of him. We were left in complete awe at finding out that the chef is a parent to eight pet dogs – all strays, a side of his which largely remains unfolded to the world.
“Being brought up in a family full of animal lovers caused me to develop the same love towards them. I grew up watching my grandmother feed the strays whenever they entered the veranda of my house,” says Kapur.
Chef Kunal Kapur, previously a parent to two strays, adopted a few more during the Covid-19 pandemic. “During the lockdown, I realised there was not enough food for stray animals and they would eat food out of garbage. That is when I started feeding them daily, twice a day. Currently, I feed over 80 stray dogs every day.”
The chef has eight stray pets adopted from the street – Brownie, Pixxie, Teddy, Manglu, Pudgy, Foxy, Whity, and Rani. Each of them has been named according to their looks and personality.
Chef Kunal Kapur’s pet care routine
“Having pets at home is like having kids. There are many aspects pet parents must consider that are paramount to their holistic well-being. This includes food, hygiene and health and emotional care.” 
According to the chef, it is extremely essential to make time for pets and connect with them. Though having pets at home is undoubtedly good for one’s mental health, one must understand that it is equally important to provide them with the necessary love and care. Kapur suggests playing games with pets, taking them out for a walk, and giving them a warm rub from time to time. This makes them feel loved and included in the family.
As for the hygiene part, the chef says, “It is extremely important to keep your home clean if you have pets. It is a natural trait of pets – dogs and cats, to lick their paws and eat anything off the floor. You have to make sure the floor is absolutely clean. I use the ITC Nimyle floor cleaner which does not leave any toxins on the floor. It is clean and safe for pets.”
Speaking about the right diet for pets, Kapur states, “Every pet has a different diet. One of my pets is allergic to wheat, but she loves curd and rice. The other one loves to eat beef. It is also important to balance out the food they like and the food that is required for their better health. Ensure you serve them fresh foods.”
He adds, “Feed them a good mix of veggies, dal, protein foods and some scratch-based items. Earlier, I was making the mistake of serving a lot of dairy foods which didn't work for my pets so I had to cut it down.”
Each pet parent will experience some hits and misses when it comes to feeding their pets, however, the chef asserts that the more you take care of your pets, the better you will understand them. “It is very similar to parenting a child for the first time. You take time to learn how to nurture your firstborn, but with the second or third child, you become a pro at parenting. The same is with taking care of pets.”
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