New Delhi, Oct. 31 -- Pradeep Khullar, an Indian-origin Michelin-recognised chef, was bewildered and facing financial hardship when his peers were filling out forms to secure admission to premier engineering colleges. Little did he know that fate had other plans for him!

Khullar was 15 years old when his father passed away after battling cancer in 1998. Most of the family's savings had gone towards his father's treatment, leaving them in financial difficulty. His mother took up a job and also started running a small boutique in Delhi's Rohini neighbourhood.

"We were doing very well, but unfortunately, I lost my dad when I was in grade 10 because of cancer." To make ends meet, his mother found a job while also running a small tailoring b...