NEW DELHI: Since the time India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been back to playing cricket, one understands that everything around him related to his fitness and recovery has been very strict and tailor-made.
In terms of nutrition too, Pant now has a private chef named Akshay Arora, the founder of Mumbai-based Neat Meals, who travels with him for his cricket commitments. Arora has the all-important responsibility of carefully monitoring and managing Pant’s dietary needs in a partnership with his nutritionist Shweta Shah.
“Rishabh used to go to hotels, but we weren’t getting good chefs, which affected the ability to follow the nutrition plan for him. I told his manager that we were not progressing as planned, and that’s how we got Akshay on board. With him, we were assured that Rishabh was eating clean, tailored meals and not consuming processed foods, ” said Shweta to IANS.
Shweta, who was also in charge of Pant regaining his groove via a meticulous nutrition plan when recovering from various injuries suffered in a life-threatening car accident in December 2022, also emphasised on Pant eating anti-inflammatory foods and hydration for enhancing the process of quicker recovery between games.
“For instance, I might just mention ‘chicken’ in the diet plan, but Akshay would create a variety of dishes that we had never thought of, keeping the diet interesting while maintaining the nutritional integrity.
“We tried this for only for one or two months, starting from end of January 2024. But now he just wants to keep on continuing. Having a private chef, it ensures consistency, quality and a performance focused approach for a cricketer like him, ” she added.
Arora, a private chef who focuses on athlete nutrition, faces the crucial task of creating meals that are both delicious and nutritious, while also keeping Pant interested in eating his food.
“For example, you say give him 40 grams of rice, right? Rice can be rice noodle, dosa, cracker, or rice itself. It’s about kind of creating that variety with different ingredients and make sure that the client does not get buffed by the monotony of the food.”
“If you keep on giving someone the same kind of food, especially for someone like Rishabh, who openly talks about him being a foodie, it was very clear from day that we have to make sure there is enough variety for him to not get bored and be consistent with it. He’s actually been very open to having different kinds of food, ” he said to IANS.
Arora also explains that energy is described using various scientific terms and, in terms of nutrition for Pant, it refers to the nutrients that the player has not received sufficient supply of. “There are two parts to this - one is the taste aspect, which is talking about culinary skills and taste of the food. The other aspect would be the macro nutrition. It could be like on certain game days, you’ve not had those many carbs.”
“So, we understand now maybe we need to tweak a little bit and give him a little bit of carbs so that he recovers. At times, maybe he’s not had that much of protein during his game day because he doesn’t want to feel too heavy. So, you then again tweak.”
“It’s very like, how do I put it out? It’s tailor-made, and involves a lot of conversations that me and Shweta mam have had. There have been decisions that we’ve had to take on field rather than just pre-empting that this would happen and this is the plan that we have to stick to, ” he adds.
Arora warmly remembers two particularly fulfilling moments:- of seeing Pant come back to cricket via IPL 2024 and witnessing him slamming a Test century on return to the format against Bangladesh in Chennai.
“The most satisfying moment of my travel with him as a private chef would be the Test hundred in Chennai, as it was long overdue. When he walked out on the field for the first time in this year’s IPL at Mullanpur, I captured a video of it on my phone, which is still there. It was a moment that kind of made me also emotional, although I had not known him for that long back then.”
“But whatever time I had spent with him before getting him onto the field, that became a very emotional moment on seeing him walking onto the field for the first time, as there was a question mark on him until he made his comeback.”
“But the Test hundred in Chennai, while wearing the Indian jersey, has a completely different feeling altogether because you are representing your country and not an IPL team. I also have the video of the one when he took those last two runs to complete his hundred, and that was a very proud feeling for me.”
Arora also believes the trend of private chefs will gain traction among Indian cricketers, as it contributes to longevity in their playing careers. “It’s not just about losing weight anymore. Players now realize that clean eating and proper nutrition make a significant difference in their on-field performance.
“It will take time for the trend to fully take hold, but as more players see the benefits of this approach, it will likely become more common. It also comes under the concept of rehab, and investing into services that help them recover faster, last longer, and create longevity for their playing careers. These are all concepts that have come in now and people are seeing results from it, ” he concluded.