Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
I’m Chandrima Sarkar. A professionally trained visual designer turned into a self-taught home baker, digital content creator, food photographer & stylist.
I’ve studied Bengali literature and did a course on Fine Arts and Graphics. Apart from my interest in painting, making crafts, sketching, stitching, and graphics, I’ve got a great love for cooking. Born and brought up in Kolkata, I moved to North India after my marriage. After living 13 years in Delhi, we shifted to Navi Mumbai at the end of 2018. We’re enjoying our days here in this part of Navi Mumbai, India by eating the fresh seafood, street food, and traditional baked goodies that the place offers. I love cooking with the fresh Prawns and Bombay duck (Bombil) I get here, among many other local fresh produce.
Along with Bengali food, I’ve explored several other cuisines over the years also, and I take a deep interest in Baking. I keep doing constant food experiments around random ingredients, which results in many workable, original recipes that you get to see on my Blog/YouTube. Many times, I love to shape up food with new concepts that can come alive in any kitchen by following the easy instructions I share in my recipes. It’s necessary to create new ideas around food just the way we make new ideas for design. And this is how the present transformed into a glorious past, leaving something to cherish for generations.
I feel fortunate enough to always get love & support from my wonderful readers, and I get overjoyed when they share their cooking/baking experiences with me. 🙂
I need your constant suggestions, support, feedback, and comments to do these things in a better way. So please be there for me, always.
Not Out of the Box was started in 2012 when Sufi (my daughter) was 1.5 yr. old. It began its journey as a FB page. After spending a little more than 1 year on Facebook, I thought I must start a blog with all of my recipes, so, here it is, the place where I share the things that I enjoy doing most. Food Photography, Cooking, and Baking. Life is precious, do what you Love!
How to Work with me:
For all kinds of food & beverage product reviews, recipe videos, professional food styling inquiries, collaborations, and other enquirers email me at notoutofthebox@gmail.com
Else, drop a message on my facebook page or Instagram handle.
Featured & Mentions:
- One of my Photographs was among the final entries in the Conceptual category for Asian Photography and Artistique 2015 (Art Exhibit and Contest).
- My Mango Cheesecake in Jars recipe got published on Buzzfeed.
- My Strawberry Cheesecake recipe got published on Adventures with four.
- My Strawberry Hand Pies recipe got published on Edible Crafts.
- I joined Insta Dilli Food Walk in Chandni Chowk, which happened in the last week of March 2016. It was a part of the global Insta Meet and was supported by Instagram. The top 10 images were selected by Ms. Deeba Rajpal for capturing the theme of the walk, including one image clicked by me.
- My oil-free Pears and Dates Pickle was published in Better Homes and Gardens India magazine’s September ’16 issue.
- My Cake Crumble Cream Cheese Jars with Red Wine Strawberries was published in Better Homes and Gardens India magazine’s March ’17 Anniversary issue.
- My pick about favourite dish around the world was published on The Blueberry Trails.
- My Photographs got featured in Virginia, USA-based magazine Chiiz (Vol: 5) August 2017 issue.
- My Article about Durga Puja Bhog and the Bhoger Khichuri recipe was published in The Hindu.
- My Masoor Pulao and Pineapple Sondesh recipes were published in Better Homes and Gardens India magazine’s October ’17 festive issue.
- My Patpatar Bora/Jute Leaves Fritters recipe which was a part of FBAI’s Dals: The Pulse of India e-book, was published in Bombay Times as a part of the Dal story.
- My Pie recipes got published in Anandabazar Patrika.
- My photographs got published in a Coffee Table Book named The Temporary Calcuttan by ISAR.
- My photographs got published in an Anandabazar Patrika article.
Awards & Achievements
- FeedFeed community member.
- My Vintage Food Props photograph has been chosen as the winning entry for The FBAI’s Photo Challenge Theme: 5 in July 2016.
- Winner in the Best Photography category in India’s Top Blogger Contest organized by BetterButter.
- IFBA Award Winner in the Best Recipe Blog Category 2017.
- One of the Best Food Bloggers in Delhi Published by Loofre.
- One of the top 3 winners of the Food Photography Competition 2018 organized by Chiiz Magazine.
- Featured in Times Now The Foodie‘s Authentic Bengali Feast episode.
- Orange Flower Award 2020 Winner in the Best FoodGram category, conducted by Women’s Web.
- Featured as one of the contributors in Tweak India‘s What’s in Your Dabba (a celebrity cookbook)
- Featured by Swiggy India in the Swiggy Hearts 2020 article.
- IFBA Award Winner in the Best Baking Blog Category 2021.
- IFBA Award Winner in the Best General Food Blog Category 2022.
- IFBA Award Winner in the Best Recipe Blog Category 2023.
Interviews:
- Interview published on Influencer.
- Interview published on Travelling Camera.
- Interview published on Kolam Konnect.
- Interview published on Slurrp.
Workshop & Events:
- Worked as a Food Stylist for Go Air Inflight Food Menu 2020-21.
- Worked as a Food Stylist in Grofers Mothers Day TVC.
- A Workshop has been conducted with German students on Indian Spices at Carmel Convent School, New Delhi.
- A Workshop has been conducted on Smartphone Food Photography for Cookpad India’s Delhi Community members.
- I was invited to judge Iridescent 2018 (Capture the Market) event organized by Carmel Convent School, New Delhi.
- I was invited to judge the 6th NLFP Ace Chef Inter-School Competition organized by Nalanda Foundation and curated by The FBAI.
- An online Cook along Session was hosted by me in October 2020 for Acuity Knowledge Partners, Bangalore.
- A Workshop has been conducted on the Basics of Video Creation for Kool Kanya community.
- An online Cook along Session has been conducted for SlurrpHT.
Some of the Brands I’ve worked with:
Truely Amazing….Darun content…Awesome photographs
Thanks a lot Sreeman! 🙂
Lovely blog Chandrima. It is a treasure for foodies like me.
Likhte thakun, amra achi apnar sathe.
Thank you Abhishek! 🙂
[…] This recipe is courtesy Chandrima. You can know more about her here […]
Hi! Loved it as always! I hope you don’t mind me asking which camera and lens do you use? Would love to know. All the best!
Hi Pritha, Thank you! Canon EOS 600D it is, and lens 50mm mostly.
I just started food blogging, after quitting a grueling job that had me out of touch with my kitchen, and I’ve spent the morning combing the internet for down-to-earth food blogs I feel I can connect with. I have to say, your site seems very genuine, which is refreshing.
I may struggle to find some of the ingredients you use, given I live in Korea, but I’m excited to learn a little more about Bengali food. I’ll definitely be adding you to my little fledgling blogroll. Thanks for keeping it real.
Liz
Hi Liz! 🙂 Thanks for visiting my place, glad to know that you liked my recipes. Just checked your blog, you’re doing great…keep it up. And keep in touch via Instagram, I’ve started following you there. Cheers!
Hi Chandrima,
Nice blog! very interesting one….
Keep Rockzz
By
Reduce Talwalkars – Home based Weight Loss Program in Mumbai.
Dear Chandrima, I am truly amazed to see your blog…..your photographs, concept and art of presenting the food are so wonderful that I often come to your blog to de stress myself…your blog is truly an inspiration to me….I used to follow many of your recipes and they came out really great.
Wish you all the very best.
Hi Jayati,
Thank you so much for your kind words, meant much to me. 🙂
Hi Chandrima,
What lovely blog… Do you teach baking by any chance. If you do please let me know. I am very interested in learning being but didst wanted to learn from a professional. Looking for more of a self learner.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Neha,
Thank you for the words of appreciation. I’ve not started my classes yet if I do in the future will definitely post about it. 🙂
Great recipes
Hi Chandrima,
What a lovely blog you have, I can’t wait to try all your recipies, I found you on Instagram and started following you. Today i was browsing your blog and don’t have words to admire you. The photography, mood , recipies- love everything- I am a big fan of Bengali food . Being a foodie and love cooking- want to start a food blog but with a baby I keep my foot away from it. Today I found your blog and was amazed to see that you started your blog when your daughter was 18 months old. I can imagine how tough it must be. You have inspired me . May be some day I will also start. Tomorrow my day will start with your atta apple cake, my little son who is 16 months old love apple sauce what can be a better option for him than atta apple cake😃.
Hi Shaweta, Thank you so much for visiting here and for all the kind words, meant a lot to me. It’s all about what we love to do and how we can love it more by doing our very best towards the same. Happy Baking and I hope your little boy will like eating the cake. 🙂
Dear Chandrima,
Greetings…
I came across your Blog through Fishvish and hence writing to you.
Loved your recipes and request you to add my email id for any future updates.
Thanks,
Monica Joseph
Hi Monica, Thank you so much for the kind words. 🙂 We will be activating the email subscription option soon here, till then please follow my social media handles for regular updates.
Hi..loved your blog. The photography is amazing! May i know which camera and lens you are using?
Hi Chandrima ,
I was looking for the masala for Jhal muri that I used to eat when i was in Kolkata , Thank you so much i saw it under the Aloo kalabi, all your recipes are amazing , I will try out and let you , Thank you for the authentic recipes .
Nice recipes!