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TDG: My Journey to becoming a Food writer

Monica Bhide

By Monica Bhide
in Food Media & Arts

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Monica Bhide

Monica Bhide

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What a wonderful decision you made and I'm happy you got your father's understanding. It's inspiring to see someone who's had the comfort (ie money) of the corporate life and who turns away from it. I predict you will be as successful with your writing career as you were in getting two degrees and working in the corporate world.

It has not been easy I can tell you that. It was nice knowing I had a paycheck coming every two weeks. But I am ready to see where this leads. Hopefully the next TDG piece will be on an employed food writer!

Monica Bhide

A Life of Spice

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Andy Lynes

Andy Lynes

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Andy - you have somewhat of a similar story dont you?

I spent 21 years in the telecoms industry in the UK before giving it up at the end of last month to chance my arm at the writing game (and with cliches like that a mere tap of the keyboard away, how can I fail?)

Unlike Monica, there was no pressure from my family not to change profession, only the pressing need to keep my kids fed and clothed. My ability to juggle a full time and very demanding career, my family duties and my writing had basically failed over the last 6 months or so. I was doing a very bad job of all three and it had been, shall we say, "noted" by one or two people, not least my wife. I felt like the decision had already been made for me a long time ago. A voluntary redundancy deal has simply enabled me to implement it.

I am taking a short break over the Easter period and the enormity of what I have done hasn't really sunk in yet. Its like I'm on holiday. The fact that I will never have to go back to my old office and swallow all that endless BS still seems like a dream. Equally the uphill task of getting some paid writing work is not something I have fully contemplated (although I have of course have a plan of sorts of how to achieve that goal).

For the moment at least I feel happy. Content for the first time in a long time. A very long time. Whatever happens in the future, it will be worth it if I can keep hold of that feeling.

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Monica Bhide

Monica Bhide

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BBhasin - Thank you. Its heartening to get so many blessings

To all the folks who have written to me privately.. I want to thank you for the notes and emails. Please keep them coming.. helps in knowing I am not alone out there feeling like this. Thank you all for taking the time.

Monica Bhide

A Life of Spice

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  • 2 weeks later...
Lissy

Lissy

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Monica, I'm so pleased for you. Your article is very inspiring, and I am treading the same journey that you took. I'm a lawyer who writes legal and non legal stuff, but someday i hope just to be a writer. Thanks for the wonderful article.

-- Lissy Friedman, Boston, MA

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Monica Bhide

Monica Bhide

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Monica, I'm so pleased for you. Your article is very inspiring, and I am treading the same journey that you took. I'm a lawyer who writes legal and non legal stuff, but someday i hope just to be a writer. Thanks for the wonderful article.

-- Lissy Friedman, Boston, MA

Lissy - good luck and just remember to have fun along the way :smile:

Monica Bhide

A Life of Spice

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chanty

chanty

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Monica,

Hi. I spent 9 and a half years post MBA doing corpo things. In 1999, I set up www.tulleeho.com on a whim with a friend, as a pure hobby. We ran it like that for about a year, before we got some investment and turned our interest in drinking into a business. Viva the heart!

Tulleeho!

Vikram

Tulleeho

Tull-ee-ho! : A combination of the old hunting cry Tally Ho! and the colloquial Hindi word "tullee" (used both as verb and noun, and signifying a state of inebriation).

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ms. victoria

ms. victoria

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Monica, again, thank you for sharing this with us and for inspiring those of us just starting on a similar journey. I recently quite my telelvision production job and applied to a culinary program for the fall. After I complete my certificate (most likely next summer), I am hoping to do in-home cooking instruction and food writing full time. I already had people asking about lessons but I felt I needed some credentials before I could take anyone's money.

Victoria Raschke, aka ms. victoria

Eat Your Heart Out: food memories, recipes, rants and reviews

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ChocoKitty

ChocoKitty

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Monica,

Thank you so much for sharing your story with all of us. Funny, your family sounds much like mine (I'm Chinese) as far as attitudes toward "proper" careers are concerned. My parents have also come around (slowly) regarding my food writing, probably because I still have my full-time day job. If you would like to chat further, drop me a line.

Best of luck to you! You are a wonderful writer!

Anna

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Monica Bhide

Monica Bhide

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Monica, again, thank you for sharing this with us and for inspiring those of us just starting on a similar journey. I recently quite my telelvision production job and applied to a culinary program for the fall. After I complete my certificate (most likely next summer), I am hoping to do in-home cooking instruction and food writing full time. I already had people asking about lessons but I felt I needed some credentials before I could take anyone's money.

Victoria, I wish you much success in what you do.. and thank you for sharing your story.. its really nice to know that we are all in this together :smile:

Monica Bhide

A Life of Spice

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Monica Bhide

Monica Bhide

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Monica,

Thank you so much for sharing your story with all of us. Funny, your family sounds much like mine (I'm Chinese) as far as attitudes toward "proper" careers are concerned. My parents have also come around (slowly) regarding my food writing, probably because I still have my full-time day job. If you would like to chat further, drop me a line.

Best of luck to you! You are a wonderful writer!

Anna

Anna - thanks for your note. A number of Indian parents who have written to me after this piece came out -- they are all talking about supporting their kids in what they are doing even if it means being "different"

I am so glad that you posted.. I hope your note encourages others to post as well

And do PM me I would love to chat more with you!

Monica Bhide

A Life of Spice

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Monica Bhide

Monica Bhide

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Go Monica, go!

Of course, it's the right thing!

Combining passion and writing is a winner combo.

Shubh Kamna!

I am another example who's following a similar journey.

Episure.. thanks for your note. I hope this means that you will be posting your story here shortly

Monica Bhide

A Life of Spice

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mongo_jones

mongo_jones

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Monica, I predict your journey is going to take you places you never imagined. Good luck!

but hopefully not to fresno

I dont get it? Is this an inside joke? Sorry I am a bit dense on this stuff :blink:

a joke, but not an inside joke.

fatguy said he predicts "your journey is going to take you places you never imagined". i'm sure you've never imagined going to fresno and so.

this was better left unexplained, wasn't it?

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