Meet the Self-Titled One Man Army
Camper Chef’s humble beginnings
If one had to use only two words to introduce Yash, a.k.a. Camper Chef, they would be “connections” and “curiosity”. It all started from his very “different from normal” childhood. Yash, who came to call himself a one-man army, grew up in an orphanage. If we were to start with his entire story, it can be turned into a book. To cut short, it can be said that the very life he was living ignited the first sparks of curiosity that entered his life. And that first spark was with food. With having to eat meals that at times would barely be edible, lentils like water, chapatis, and poha so hard they were barely gulpable.
That wee bit of joy
What came to rescue and became joyful companions were onion and tea, since they would enable the food to go down the throat. Being a kid, he often wondered if cooking for 350 kids was tough for the orphanage. All they could do was to find possible ways to get something, or anything that might make the food bearable. Not having any money, the best they could do was barter. They gradually found a way.
Cleverness paved the path
They started exchanging their soap bar that the orphanage gave them every week, for a vada pav or some chutney from a Chinese food vendor to enhance the taste of food. Owing to the days they spent together, Vada Pav became and still is his best friend. But that was it. Anything more would need money.
Money had to be earned
To earn some pocket money, in his teenage years, he secretly started working as a milk delivery boy. Not knowing how to ride a bicycle, he used to drag the bicycle to do deliveries. From that pocket money, he would buy some basics, pool together with friends, and again secretly, cook in corners above a self-made stove. It was his secret, because if this came to light to the authorities, they would get a good beating. Hence, his relationship with food started as a way to survive in a world where meals were not a luxury but a way to overcome hunger.
Curiosity fanned the spark
Being the curious kid he was, he used to stay in the kitchen, keen to help their caretaker in cooking. And this flamed the spark that was already budding towards food, in a way that made him eager for dreaming to provide food that is not only tasty but that gives warmth and brings people together. And there started the eagerness towards cooking. Life kept moving with whatever he could manage to get his hands on, from secretly going to serve in catering services to earn a mere 65 rupees per hour in his teens to being shifted to Tarun Sadan, an aftercare facility that takes care of the kids from the hostel till they are 18.
Camper Chef’s explorations
There, he got his first experience with cooking for 30-40 people living in the aftercare with him. Along with that, he kept doing all kinds of jobs to earn money and find his way in the world. This gave him a little more bandwidth to explore the food around him. But to his dismay, he often found disappointment. The pictures on the menu and that on the plate would rarely match. This disappointment made sure his dreams didn’t dilute but intensify, for bringing authentic food to people in a space where they get what they order.
Camper Chef’s whole new world
And finally came the day when he was pushed into the real world, and into a society that he was barely prepared for. It was like entering a whole new world. He never witnessed or experienced the differences and discriminations based on status, religion, caste, and a lot of other things before, the ones that he saw happening in this new world. This tickled his bug of curiosity further. A head full of why-s and what-s started to look for answers with each passing day. As life kept on happening, a lot of dreams were left behind, with no regret, though, as he puts it, since a lot of understanding kept building up alongside.
And the new world became a smaller place
These explorations, experiences, and understanding gradually brought him closer to not only nature but also to the people around him. The exploration continued with different jobs he pursued. Different organisations like Pukar and Make a Difference that he worked with to understand the struggles of the world and contribute his part. Amongst all this, the dreams with food took a backseat, and some other interests like filmmaking took their place. But first passion doesn’t leave you just like that.
Sometimes it’s time to take a diversion
A different path was awaiting him. A world for the wanderers and curious souls like him. The world of Swaraj University! A space of experiential learning based in Udaipur. There, he was mentored by a group of revolutionaries, working to transform the conventional education system in India. He joined there to spark and explore his curiosity in filmmaking, but as a passionate heart would have it, instead kept being pulled towards food, leading him to hone his cooking skills. There, in 2017, were sown the initial seeds for Camper chef, and Yash, as passion would have it, came out becoming a chef! His love for cooking and serving people took back the lead.This love for cooking, exploration, and nature led to not only the creation of Camper chef but also to his involvement with various projects connected with conservation, adventures, and nature.
A step towards conscious cooking
Slowly, his cooking, refined by his experiences, took a step further towards conscious cooking. Whilst it was not just about cooking in a certain way anymore, but to bring life to the food that will further pass on this life to the ones it feeds. Not much later, his exploration brought him in contact with the tribals, and there the amalgamation of curiosity and connection took the shape of learning from and living in a way that the tribals do. The simplicity, the wisdom the tribals carry, their self-sustaining way of life pushed Yash to now explore a realm of cooking that was not only natural and conscious but also healing.
And back to the roots
From foraging for the raw materials to cooking on firewood. From using a mortar and pestle to a grinder made of stones. It was a world of mesmerisation. Camper chef kept growing with each passing day to a point where community, travel, and food became the center of its offerings.
The present
Now running with full force for the last 5 years, joined by his partner Megha, they work on the ground with many tribal hamlets. They have been working towards conserving the wise ways and lifestyle of these tribes, while giving an opening to the urban participants to leave their fast-paced life for a few days and experience this world of connection and simple living filled with tanks full of joy and interesting learnings.
The food experiences
They curate experiences for all kinds of groups, from schools to families to solo travelers, with an aim of providing a holistic experience, with a blend of learning and living in a joyful and wholesome way. In whatever they do, be it events or experiences, one can now easily guess what takes the center stage. Food! From cooking for trekking groups at an altitude of 14000 feet, to being part of a team cooking for an international permaculture gathering, to leading the cooking for an International debate school in a monastic region, to the events they conduct in various tribal villages all around the country. Food is the center of it all.
The initiative – Gul-love
Recently, they also started an initiative called Gul-love. With Gul-love, they are on a mission to generate sustainable livelihood for the tribals and local artisans through promoting authentic handicrafts of India. A step to promote and preserve the artisans’ skills and the beautiful art that our country possesses since time immemorial. Even with Gullove, whenever they go around the country to meet different artisans, food is something they love to explore. And not just for the love of exploring different food, but for them, it is a beautiful way to connect with the locals. For they both believe locals are the true source of all wisdom and inspiration that keeps them going.
Make every experience count
With Camper chef working on ground around travel, community, and food, and Gul-love with the handcrafted products, you can connect with them whenever you feel like having an experience that is going to be not only offbeat, adventurous, and unique. But one that will also be full of fun, new learnings, and living in a way that is rare yet soul-refreshingly special. One of those times in your life that will stay with you forever.
By Megha Jain
Team Camper Chef is open to collaborate, engage and exchange support.
Contact: Yash Sapre, Neral
+91 72088 91456
Digital footprints:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yashsapre_/ and https://www.instagram.com/camperchef.in/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/gullove25