A former automotive manager turned award-winning entrepreneur is combining his old and new skills to launch unique workshops themed around spice.

Rajesh Darji established his food experience company Scratch Cook Social, in Leamington, in January after walking away from his Vice President role at Bosch, after 22 years. Now he is drawing on his wealth of experience in leading global teams, to deliver his own immersive corporate learning - through the fun medium of food.

Building on the early success of his business, which offers private dining and catering, the self-taught chef has now added the Spice Blending Team Building Experience to his menu o fservices. It is carefully designed to help businesses foster better collaboration in the workplace, particularly, he says, following ‘unexpected changes in the business environment’ such at those brought on by the pandemic.

In the three-hour workshop, Raj leads the group on a journey of spice exploration while sharing his own real-world experience of delivering high-tech solutions to the automotive industry and managing change.

Using nine different spices, he invites teams of tasters to explore their qualities and experiment with blending while encouraging them to reflect on the concept and research around team innovation.

He explains:

“Through spice blending we appreciate the unique qualities of each spice, like with each team member, and moreover, we unleash greater power when these spices collaborate to create the perfect goal-driven and purposeful blend."

“The first thing we recognise when opening a tin of spices is the impact on our senses. We suddenly become alert to the visuals, aromas – and by handling the spices – also the textures and flavours. So we begin with introducing a new dimension to the group, the change upon which we wish to experiment with team innovation.”

Armed with this new learning, the group is divided into smaller teams, preferably made up of colleagues who work in different functional areas. They are then given the time-bound task of creating their own masala blend, using their creativity to draw out the purpose of their blend. Team members are then invited to enjoy specially curated dishes cooked by their host while he grinds up their bespoke spices ready to take home.

Raj added: “Team innovation offers metrics by which any company can assess how well they're able to react to unexpected changes in the business environment and how, not only to stay up with the competition, but to beat them.“

"You've got to have collaboration across departments because not one department in an organisation is going to make or break you. It’s how those departments, be it finance, be it engineering, be it science, be it sales, interact with each other. How do we work towards a common goal?”

Born into a first generation of immigrants from India, Raj joined Bosch after graduating in Automotive Engineering at Coventry University. It is his many years of business travel -including five years living in The States and four years in Germany – that have informed his cooking style today, including French, Italian, Thai, Chinese and Japanese influences and, of course, Indian.

“I think the common view of Indian food is hot and often over-spiced curries but traditionally speaking, it’s quite a lot more than that,” he said.

“For me, it's about taking those Indian flavours and experimenting with ingredients and cooking techniques from around the world while also presenting each dish in a contemporary fashion.”

“When I go out to eat I love to see the colours, the way things are put together, and am intrigued by how I'm going to experience different textures. I like to be surprised as well. I get inspiration from lots of different places but I believe my flavour profile is unique.”

Raj’s culinary skills are also on display at regular pop-up events hosted by Café Desa in Leamington, including an Autumn Tasting and Winter Warmer Tasting Menus in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the talented chef is looking forward to seeing where this new labour of love will take him as he counts down to the one-year anniversary of Scratch Cook Social.

He said: “I love interacting with people. I don't like to be isolated. I love eating. I love trying different things. I love experimenting. I love creating things. I love the joy of creating something and then seeing the positive impact of that creation on other people’s lives.”