From a football coach to home chef, Anslem Alphonso's inspiring tale

I was brought up in a poor household but that couldnt stop me from playing football I have been playing and coaching for close to 40 years It has been a good run says Anslem Alphonso 64 A childhood spent in a Goan home meant meals of rice seafood coconut Both mum and dad were passionate cooks I loved watching them cook for me and my four siblings he remembersBuff roastWhile Alphonso who grew up in Mazagaon loved his sorpotel taking up cooking professionally was never on the cards Football was I started playing in the 1970s at St Marys in Mazagaon We won many laurels then But in 1988 I changed course to become part of a bomb squad team in Saudi Arabia I worked for the government for about oneandahalfyears he tells us adding how this stint in the Gulf made him take up cooking more seriously While we had a cook there I would often enjoy cooking for myself I think that was my first real exposure to the kitchenChorizo pulaoAfter he returned to Mumbai in 1991 he took to soccer and began coaching across the citys schools From the allgirls Canossa High School to Holy Family and now a senior coach at St Marys SSC in Mazagaon Ive witnessed our teams perform wonderfully Some have even played at state level says the former secretary of the Mumbai Schools Sports Associations MSSA By now Alphonso says he had barely any time to cook But hed help his wife pound masalas sometimesWith her passing eight years ago Alphonso decided to take up cooking again I have three kidsmdashtwo daughters and a son they would say dadda make this for us and I could never say no My cooking has surely evolved over the last decadePaya gravyWith the national lockdown Alphonso could no longer coach Cooped up at home he decided to turn to what made him happy to take his attention away from morbid news And a delivery kitchen was launched on August 31 Coachs Kitchen sees him collaborate with his youngest daughter Astrid Together they are cooking up a storm We only make Goan dishes like paya gravy pork vindaloo buff roast chicken cafreal prawn curry mutton xacuti and sorpotel We have a predecided menus for delivery on Tuesdays Thursdays Saturdays and Sundays You need to place an order two days in advance he shares about homecooked meals And most favourite dish the sorpotel has been the bestselling recipePork vindalooTaste TestWe tried the chorizo pulao and fried fish pomfret from Anslem Alphonsos kitchen The sausages added flavour to the veg stirfried rice The packaging was homestyle and the food hearty What we liked most was that the pomfret was stuffed with masalas pounded at home It was not too spicy and had the exact amount of crisp in it It was a wholesome meal and came at a reasonable priceFollow coachskitchenmumbai Instagram Order 9930568885Anslem Alphonso with the team of Canossa High School during a match in 2009 PicAtul KambleKeep scrolling to read more newsCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news