About Ramaa Shanker Aiyer

RamaaShankerAiyer started her career having worked with the Taj group of hotels, having worked with the  sales and marketing she handled other areas of hotel operations,as a management trainee and organized, staff day and new year functions in all the three properties in Bangalore , compered New year events at  the properties and was made the PR liaison person for every visiting cricket team. She left to  help, open an restaurant with MOHAMED AZARUDDIN , the then captain of the Indian team. Impulse was a multi cuisine restaurant with a large foot fall of celebrities.

Being a multifaceted person she left the project to move onto her lifelong passion for fine arts and drama. Stars like Revathy were introduced to the screen through her show.RASI 81 in Chennai Music Academy.Vasanth clicked her  andBharatiraja who saw her, offered role.

As a result of her passion she choreographed over 20 shows in Canada and India. Toronto Harbour front was witness to many of her shows and she got glowing tributes in the daily newspapers and Asian TV Channels.  She also represented the Indian Govt as the head of a delegation representing  India   in socio, economic and cultural matters This was in 1986 and her shows proved a great hit , resulting in it being staged all over Toronto  in various places.Live shows for the local TV channels was telecast on demand. She started doing research on Indian food and developing recipes. She was inspired by Camelia Punjabi one of the directors of TAJ Group., who’s passion and knowledge of food was well known.

These shows culminated in her own TV slot in ITV NEW York and SS Channel, Chennai with a tie up with the Times of India who made her their brand Ambassador. .These celebrity chat shows dealt with their personal lives, with special emphasis on food and music. Her shows brought high TRP ratings. She even did special cookery shows and TajCoramandel featured in one ,wenMrMohankumar was the GM.

Culturally The evolvement happened when in 2002 Rama founded VISION OF INDIA with ASHWINI NACHAPPA, SYED KIRMANI, KAPIL DEV, RAHUL DRAVID, ANIL KUMBLE, JAGDISH KINI , PRASAD BIDAPA, ARUNDHATHI NAG ,and several other celebrities.The prime focus of VISION OF INDIA was to organise thematic cultural and social events in collaboration with leading hotel chains like theTaj Group, Leela, ITC, Oberoiand Royal Orchid. The events brought alive the food , taste and culture of the state it represented, having celebrity performers.Rama as part of her passion for arts and cuisine was not to stop here , As a playwright she authored, directed a play called MY Desi Wedding – a comedy and left the audience in splits and asking for more of the special created fusion food and was a roaring success.

Along with all other activities Rama has set up the food and services for three hotels and restaurants. The hotels are Neemranala Orient at Pondicherry, St James court at Pondicherry, Sterling Resorts ---fun management and staff training with special food.

The restaurants she lent a hand to are Shaan New York, Coconut Grove New York, and an Indian restaurant in Garden Noir Paris. The food was fusion and Indian.

She also designed and created food for major fund raisers like The Fund Raiser in New York and The all India CRY one in Bangalore. The major 6 events of VISION OF INDIA, where it was theme based dinners.  Many of her dishes have been covered by Femina and Society as centrespreads.she did several food shoots for Femina and Saavy. 

Her personal passion is to help people stand on her feet and with this in mind she invested everything to start Lotus Social Service Society which has helped over 150 children, youth and women. Many of them are placed in computer companies, hospitality industries and several have their own enterprise. Newspapers and National TV gave a lot of coverage which invited the US govt to invite her to New York and felicitate her and her hard work for society, especially the green and clean scheme she operated through the children.

Her present passion especially for food cooked from the soul is being transformed into two cook books, one is “OFFERINGS TO THE GODS “and the other is ‘” PATH to PUDUCHERRY”. At the moment she is training chefs at the various Star properties.

She has now joined hands with culinary Historians, gourmet  Chefs and authors  to promote Heritage foods of India.

Her thought process is that she must convey her passion i.e. cooking or her creative pursuits must come from the soul. 

She has in the past one year, released her book “OFFERINGS TO THE GODS”, which totally sold out with releases in Udaipur, Bangalore, Chennai and Pondicherry. Eminent people like Dr Karan singh and many more attended and released the book. She showcased her recipes all heritage and original in various food festivals, centred around her cooking in India. Udaipur Radisson, IBIS Chennai , Pondicherry –Promenade, and Sterling lake resort  ,Kodaikanal.All the food festivals have done very well, with guests commenting that the food during the festival was like home food, unique and delicious.

Besides setting up she trained the chefs in these hotels in heritage food, which has been forgotten. Revival of ancient recipes, temple food and Prasad in all the religions is her forte.

She has set up various restaurants, including staffing and training.

At the present she writes  a celebrity food column in the leading newspaper DINA THANTHI’S,DNEXT a  English weekly .  She is also working on two more books, which should be ready for release, this year end.