For Madison's Anita Bose, 'Follow the process' is key takeaway from cooking

(TLC is celebrating some of the world’s most delicious cuisines through its short-format series – ‘Hungry for Home Cooked Food’. In line with this, the channel, in partnership with BestMediaInfo.com, is bringing to you stories featuring industry leaders talking about their passion for cooking.)

Anita Bose has always followed her dream of becoming a successful media planner. Instead of taking the IAS exams as her family wished, Bose, COO, Madison Media, chose to sketch an illustrative career in media planning and buying.

In 1993, Bose started her first job as a media planner and in her 20 years of experience, she has been associated with leading advertising and media agencies. She has worked with agencies such as McCann Erickson, Contract Advertising, Mindshare, FCB-Interface, MEC, Vivaki Exchange-Starcom MediaVest.

Successfully having handled reputed brands such as Samsung, LG, Whirlpool, NIIT, Dabur, Jaypee Group, Aircel, etc., she also headed and helped the growth of the Delhi MEC (Group M) branch with innovative, enthusiastic and forward-thinking leadership in a team environment. She believes in offering a platform to showcase home-grown talent.

Bose, who has been instrumental in conceptualising the AFP: LG Mallika E Kitchen, movie marketing tie-ups, large-scale in-programme integrations, innovations in print, digital media, derives her inspiration from cooking for her family. She lives in Delhi with her son and husband and believes that working in a boardroom is quite similar to that of cooking in the kitchen, as both need equal amount of precision, concentration and passion.

“My most important takeaway to boardroom from kitchen is to follow the process, be it the process towards success in work plan or preparing good food,” Bose says and believes in working closely with her team and exchanging ideas just like sharing her cooking.

With the advent of technology, Bose feels cooking has broken the stereotypes of only females being seen in the kitchen. As cooking videos doing rounds on social media, youngsters, both boys and girls, are showing interest, as it is leading to instant fame.

In an interview to BestMediaInfo.com, Bose speaks about her passion for cooking and how the whole concept has undergone a change over the years, not just from the brand perspective but from a consumer’s point of view as well.

Excerpts:

How does your passion or hobby of cooking help you in life?

By cooking every day, I explore different tastes of all across the world. I have learnt to make so many dishes. The craziest thing is that with some patent handful of spices, many new and authentic dishes can be made, which is mood refreshing and tasty to eat. It helps me to look at mundane things in a new light. Never ignore the mundane! A simple vegetable like parwal (pointed gourd) or tinda (round melon) can be cooked in an unusual manner — when I make it interesting, it teaches me to love things I do and share fearlessly. I love to create new dishes not only for myself but also want my friends and family to enjoy it.

What are some learnings or mantra that you take from the kitchen to the boardroom?

My most important takeaway is to follow the process, be it the process towards success in work plan or preparing good food. The key factor is to follow the recipe to the T because even a slight change in core ingredients such as salt or turmeric powder can affect the dish. Likewise, to get success in work, every small to big process should be worked on. There’s no shortcut to success.

Secondly, working with your team will not only help you in getting things done faster but also generates creative ideas. Most importantly, one has to love what they are doing and share it with their team. 

How has digital changed the landscape of cooking-related content?

Cooking is no longer seen as a chore after digital videos got introduced in day-to-day life. Digital videos that add descriptive audio and visual elements make cooking easier and more fun. The engagement factor is high as nowadays even teens are taking on a variety of cooking. Through digital platforms, a lot of people have become celebrities in their own right and people depend on them to learn to cook. There are netizens who have made technology such as iPad a part of their kitchen.

How has brands’ approach towards cooking shows evolved over the years?

Brands subtly weave in their benefits into the show instead of using it as a mere brand placement opportunity.

Any home chef pop-ups that you have tried and liked?

I have tried many of them. Madhulika’s Kitchen, Wah Chef, Food Wishes, Cooking Shooking are a few I followed.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com