This medical student in Chicago is reinventing the humble thali

A tête-à-tête with Sheil Shukla - and a plant-based chef who loves plating vegetarian dishes for Instagram

Where does someone studying to become a doctor find the time to cook and post pictures on social media? And we're not talking pictures of shoddy meals. There's nothing quick or 'two-minute noodles' or 'microwave meals' about what this man does. Planning seems to be king. Or, the passion to cook well and eat well seems to be king.
Sheil Shukla is a 25-year-old medical student based in Chicago, born and raised in Wisconsin to Gujarati parents. He constructs thalis with an impressive diversity of veggies, shot in a dark palette. The food looks beautiful. The colours pop. And it doesn't matter whether you're a carnivore or a vegetarian, his frames tempt. I imagine collective tummy rumbles of his far-reaching audience.
His Insta page has 51.5k followers (@plantbasedartist). He tells WKND that he has always wanted to be a doctor - but he "just didn't want to eat the dorm/cafeteria food".
Bits from an email chat:
How does a medical student find the time to be creative?
Cooking is my release from the rigours of medical school. Since I need to cook to eat, I like to have fun with it and also use it as a break!
How did you learn to cook? Are a lot of your cookbooks smeared with turmeric and oil splatters? Well-used?
I learned primarily by watching YouTube videos and following specific recipes on food blogs. Through time, I gained intuition, which has allowed me to figure out how to make things by combining different approaches from different recipes. I didn't really use paper cookbooks at all when starting, but I'm now learning to appreciate their aesthetic.

How long have you been a vegetarian? What is your comfort food?
I have been a vegan for the last three-and-a-half years and lacto-vegetarian prior to that.
How difficult is it to live in the US and remain healthy? And what's always in your fridge?
It can be difficult if you eat out a lot! I tend to eat at home, and since there are grocery stores all over, it's quite easy to stay healthy. I always have some kind of non-dairy milk (usually almond or soy) and lots of sauces/condiments such as miso, chilli paste, soy sauce, mustard, etc in my fridge.
What for you comprises a good thali?
A good thali to me is one that includes many components that work together in harmony. A couple of vegetable dishes, rice, bread, daal, and a snack item. Gujarati thalis are my favourite, by far!

Do you try to get people to give up eating unhealthy or give up meat? Do you say a lot of "you know that's really bad for you"? Or do you not interfere if someone's putting four spoons of sugar in their coffee?
I pretty much never try to get people to give up meat. If they show interest, I am eager to encourage it and offer guidance.
At med school, do you eat in the canteen or do you pack a tiffin?
I usually pack my own food. Something with rice, beans and/or tofu, and veggies make up my go-to meals.
How has social media changed you? How much time do you spend on it everyday?
I have made it a point to not let social media take over my life. I often don't post or even look at Instagram for a few days at a time. Instagram is the main form of social media I use because it is a great source of inspiration. It has allowed me to connect with people around the world and has helped me refine and develop my own skills as a food photographer.
What inspires you?
Instagram food accounts, travel, restaurant menus, food bloggers, cooks in my family, YouTube chefs, the list goes on! I get inspiration from all over.
In your photographs, you show a preference for a dark palette. But colours are evidently important to you.
I use a dark gray background because I like how it makes the colours in the food shine. It's important to me to showcase a variety of colours in my food. Colours = nutrients.

How long does it take you to set up the shoot of a particular dish?
Shooting takes the least amount of time. I let my food take the stage by spending more time plating. I stick to the same camera settings and lighting. My camera is also pretty much always set up, so shooting takes just a couple of minutes. Plating takes around 10 minutes depending on the dish.
How much patience do you have with 'pretty accessories'? Food bloggers are often on the lookout for nice ceramics, old-looking copper props, that sort of thing. I notice it's not something you care for.
My food is always the star! I keep props limited to different forks/spoons but I haven't been using them as often anymore.
Tell us about ingredients that are difficult to source. If you wake up wanting to create a dish from memory but a key ingredient is unavailable, what do you do?
Because I live in an area that has many different types of ethnic grocery stores, I can't really think of any particular ingredients that are too difficult to source. If there's an essential ingredient I don't have on hand, I either pick it up from the store or hold off on making the dish.

(Sheil Shukla)
What kind of salt do you store in the kitchen?
The main salt I use is iodised table salt. I also use coarse sea salt, pink salt, and black salt on occasion.

Help us with oils. What do you cook your Indian food in? Which oils do you stay away from?
It's best to stay away from added oils in general, but I usually stick to grapeseed or olive oil for cooking. Extra virgin olive oil for finishing or for dressings. I avoid coconut oil.
I'm assuming you've seen all episodes of Chef's Table on Netflix. Your favourite episodes?
I haven't seen all of them - but I loved all the ones I watched. My favourites are the episodes featuring Jeong Kwan and Gaggan Anand.

Your top five cookbooks?
I don't own that many cookbooks, but some of my favourites are The Vegetarian Flavor Bible, Plenty More, Crossroads, and Made in India.

What are your favourite dishes?
Dosa, pani puri, Thai curry, Gujarati daal, homemade pasta. the list goes on!

What is your most unhealthy eating habit?
Cookies are my weakness.

How much coffee do you drink? Do you find yourself using your medical knowledge to put only healthy things in your body? And do you feel guilty when you eat rubbish?
I drink coffee on occasion - once or twice a week because I enjoy a nice cup! My medical background has definitely shaped the way I eat. I do eat unhealthy at times without regret, because I think life is too short to do otherwise.

Is your family full of fans?
My family is my greatest support system and they have always encouraged my work. My parents always tell me how much they like seeing new posts.

Does the food you eat affect your mood? Do you keep a food diary?
My diet is pretty constant and I'm rarely in a negative mood, so I'd say it does [positively]! I don't keep a food diary.

You're interested in photography, in food, in nutrition, in medicine. what else?
That pretty much sums it up. I also love languages (Italian, Gujarati, and Hindi to name a few) and exploring Indian culture.

Is opening a restaurant someday a given or are you a cautious dreamer?
With regard to a restaurant, I am a cautious dreamer. Cooking is currently my most important hobby, and I think monetising it to that extent would take the fun out of it.
nivriti@khaleejtimes.com
(Still curious? Read more about Sheil on his website: www.plantbasedartist.com)

• Food and Dining