Mumbai, Feb. 23 -- In an exclusive Benchmark Conversation with Mark Manuel for Peeping Moon, sponsored by Reliance Digital, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor opened up about the work ethic that powered his rise and why, even today, 16-hour days don't feel like work to him.

Looking back over three decades, Kapoor insists that success didn't change him. "Thirty-two years ago. before that I was still Sanjiv Kapoor. I haven't changed," he says, reflecting on his early years in professional kitchens.

When Mark Manuel mentions that Kapoor was already popular when they first met, the chef rewinds further to a time when he was simply focused on growth. At just 27, he became one of the youngest executive chefs in the country, a feat many in the hospitality in...