One look at Saikripa Sen Choksi’s Instagram handle, neonsalsa, and you would fall in love with her vision for food & life and end up seriously hungry too! Each frame of Neonsalsa is dripping with vintage charm, chic content and oodles of mirth – adjectives not usually associated with a “plate of chaat” or “a bowlful of soba noodles with sesame broth”! But that is what Saikripa’s special touch does to all things foodie and otherwise. The fact that she is a globetrotter, since childhood, fuels her fascination for differently delectable platters. Her Neonsalsaoverall personality is a well-rounded outcome of a plethora of people & cultures! Whether it is a lovely old man making paper-cones full of chana jor garam at Linking Road in Mumbai or the hickory-smoked S’mores Latte at Manhattan’s famous Felix Roasting Co, Saikripa relates to either end of the spectrum with characteristic ease. Food defines her wanderer spirit perfectly!

Life On The Go

While growing up, Saikripa lived in different cities of the world- Delhi, London, Mumbai, Istanbul, Brussels and New York, which gave her a diverse perspective and understanding of different cuisines, cultures and people. It also resulted in a deep love, excitement and passion for travel, food, adventure, and exploring new ideas! Each one of these journeys shaped her love for food and turned her into a renowned food, travel and lifestyle content creator on Instagram. She is also a known name in the hospitality sector. She first got a hands-on experience in the hospitality industry with an internship at Swissotel, Istanbul and then in Brussels, working at one of the first Modern Indian restaurants in the city. Along with her husband, she co-founded Escobar, Mumbai - the longest bar in India & a legendary, first-of-its-kind tapas restaurant. She developed and introduced the first Global tapas menu of the country that includes traditional Spanish recipes alongside Oriental and Italian favourites. This eclectic menu still stands strong and is loved by Escobar’s patrons ten years later

NeonSalsa – A Happy Space

Saikripa has always been comfortable working with food and lifestyle but it was her move to Dubai that brought out the blogger in her, and was the genesis of her Instagram account, @neonsalsa. The happy space that she has created online features top vegetarian destinations, which is a rare occurrence in the blogging universe. She is a positive person and it is reflected not just in her choice of food places but also in her personal life too. Be it sharing a glass of cold coffee with her “extremely talkative” maternal grandmother in Kanpur or carrying on the family tradition of enjoying momos at the legendary Chinatown eatery, Michelin-star Dim Sum Go Go – Sai knows how to get the best out of every bite, or sip, for that matter. No wonder thousands of her online followers hang on to her posts every day and copy her effortless style as well as her sunny outlook on life!

Her engaging style of story-telling keeps the viewers hooked till the end of the show, that each one of her posts are in themselves! She even takes out time to respond to every comment, showing her appreciation and value for her followers. From the little joys like receiving a box of exquisite hand-made, gourmet, lightly sugar-crusted doughnuts to soul-satisfying Pahadi Thali meal at a roadside dhaba, Saikripa traverses the two ends of the culinary world in an inspiring manner. It is because of this down-to-earth attitude and an open mind that she takes her followers through life, feeling at ease both at a fine-dining restaurant as well as at a desi tea-stall in the mountains. From freshly-fried pakoras to Mango Kakigori (Japanese shaved ice dessert), Saikripa’s life is well-ensconced between the worlds of food, travel & lifestyle!

Motivation For All

Saikripa is an ardent advocate of animal rights, an aspiring sculptor and a passionate theater artiste. In fact, a short film that she co-produced – Raakh – became the first short film in the history of YouTube to generate the fastest 1 million views. She is a continuous learner, and a student at Mind Valley where she strives to be the best version of herself, focusing particularly on spirituality and healing. Be it jet-setting between Dubai and India or enjoying different-flavored morsels of life at a slow pace, Saikripa can do it all and still find time to stop and smell the coffee or the roses, depending upon what her mood of the day is!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 13, 2020 04:03 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).