🌱Howard Gardening Story #26 – Hiren: Transcendence in the Kitchen

 

Hiren is the Executive Director of his company.

He spends his weekdays with automotive products, dashboards and deadlines.

But come the weekend, he enters a completely different zone, fragrant with spices.

He doesn’t just cook.

He researches the science behind a dish, reflects on the method, and then crafts a plate of food like an artist — complete with a beautifully written reflection on why he chose that particular recipe and how he cooked.

And then we do what we always do.

We bang on his door — shamelessly — just to get a taste of the masterpiece he’s created.

“This is not cooking,” Hiren says.

 “This is my transcendental meditation.”

… we allow him to boast..

Here’s what makes the story special:

Hiren’s great-grandmother wrote a recipe book, probably a century ago, that became a must-read for every new bride.

So while love for cooking may not sit in his DNA strand, it clearly runs through his family thread.

Does his Head HR know about this secret skill?

“No,” he smiles. “I’ve kept it to myself. I don’t want it to become a community affair.”

My question to my HR/ CSR Leaders - 🧭 Should we let Hiren keep this joy to himself?

Or can we gently nudge him to share it — not for show, but to inspire?

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Just between us...

Howard Gardner would probably say, “I would classify Hiren’s brilliance under Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence — given how masterfully he moves in the kitchen.

But since he calls it transcendental meditation, I’ll let him believe it’s Intrapersonal Intelligence. 😉”