Bengali love food whether they are the new generation or the people from previous centuries. In the era of online tutorials, one can deny knowing about Siddika Kabir but most of the home cooks of Bangladesh have to agree that Siddika Kabir is that one name that is irreplaceable. She introduced art to Bangladesh, that as cooking. Before her, cooking was just a duty for women and an odd job for men. Siddika Kabir presented the idea of cooking so beautifully that she became an inspiration for the nation.
Siddika Kabir was born in Dhaka, 7th May 1935. She completed her HSC from Eden Women’s College. Later, she earned two degrees in different sectors, one in mathematics from the University of Dhaka and another in food and nutrition science from Oklahoma State University. She started her professional life teaching mathematics at Eden Girls’ College. Later, she joined the nutrition department of the College of Home Economics. She was a nutritionist and a popular TV host as a culinary artist. From being a mathematician to a culinary artist, she faced different shifts in life. She is the pioneer of cooking shows in Bangladesh. She wrote different books regarding cooking, ‘Ranna Khaddya Pushti’ and ‘Bangladeshi Curry Cookbook’ which became very famous among home cooks.
Her books and TV shows taught many housewives to cook. She introduced new spices to Bengali cuisine. However, it was not always an easy task. Preparing ice creams or brownies was not easy because she did not have sufficient ingredients for them. She used to cook new items and make her family taste them first.
Gradually, she overcame the hurdles and increased her reach. Her first TV show was in 1965. It was aired on Pakistan television. It was the first Bengali cooking show on television. She worked for many brands like Radhuni, Dano, and Nestlé. Siddika Kabir achieved many awards and recognition for her work. For housewives and cooks, Siddika Kabir is just not a name but an institution. She has shown that cooking is not just a duty but an art. Her show ‘Siddika Kabir’s Recipe’ created a vast place in Bengalis’ hearts. This show is still in talks after so many years. Siddika Kabir is still indispensable because she never kept a secret, she always shared her recipes with people.
Many youngsters gained inspiration from her to pursue their careers in culinary arts. The decades before Siddika Kabir introduced cooking as an art, people did not know that it can be a professional interest. Even cooking held a stereotypical idea that it is only women’s duty to work in a kitchen.
After Siddika Kabir, women and men equally appreciated culinary arts and artists. People got inspired to step outside their home kitchen and show their cooking talents to others. She is also an inspiration for women in terms of women’s empowerment. She shined in that time when it was very problematic for women to do something on their own. She got married in 1972, even after her marriage she pursued her dreams and became the inspiration for many other women.
Siddika Kabir is a revolutionary name, she broke the stereotypical idea of the society of Bangladesh and created a respectful place for the home cooks and chefs in the society and people’s minds. She passed away on 31 January 2012 in Dhaka. Bangladesh lost a legend but she still lives in the heart of the people who have a passion for culinary arts.
