For Ruben Rodrigues, a 24-year-old food influencer famously known as Mr Kurkurit, a brand campaign at Verna’s Kamaxi College of Culinary Arts culminated in a decision to enroll in the culinary course. And the temporary academic appears to have worked well for him.
Ruben Rodrigues, better known by his online moniker, Mr. Kurkurit, changed the course of his culinary journey by launching his quirky Instagram page “mr.kurkurit” during the Covid-19 lockdown, encouraged by friends and family. His social media presence on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube now boasts over one lakh eleven thousand followers, all tracing a tasty trail from restaurant reviews to authentic Goan recipes. His popular catchphrase, ‘Kurkurit Mure,’ echoes from Goa to the UK, US and UAE.
However, unlike most food influencers, Ruben took his culinary journey a step further by deciding to add a layer of academics to his documentation of food experiences. An opportunity arose when he was invited to shoot a promotional reel for Kamaxi College of Culinary Arts (KCCA) located in Verna. He walked into a buzzing, multi-functional training kitchen where student chefs hustled and faculty members welcomed him with friendly warmth.
“When I arrived, the students were doing their thing. It was all very exciting,” Ruben recalls. “I even challenged one of them to a chopping competition.” A light- hearted suggestion made by Head Chef Patrick Albert and Chef Playton Dias to join the programme, turned into a serious pursuit of learning. With the monsoons putting a pause on his shoots, he now had a perfect opportunity to refine his skills,
enrolling in KCCA’s six-month bakery and pastry programme, an upskilling module under Kamaxi Skills, an NSQF level 4-accredited programme empowering students with all the skills and knowledge required to excel in an increasingly competitive culinary industry.
Ruben, who is inspired by his grandmother’s and mother’s cooking during the pandemic, had already begun experimenting in the kitchen, sharing recipes, reviews and stories online. This academic engagement appears to have now taken the ‘viral’ food vlogger onto a new professional plane.
“KCCA gives preference to learning over completing a syllabus,” he says. “The chefs here are very understanding and keen on teaching. The small batch of students makes the experience both inclusive and personal.” For Ruben, this isn’t just about learning recipes but about building a foundation as a culinary personality. Parixit Pai Fondekar, founder of KCCA, explains that students get opportunities beyond the traditional curriculum. One of the key features of the programme is Fierce Kitchens, the college’s in-house culinary incubator. It gives students the space to run a fully operational café or food truck, from conceptualising a menu and costing to marketing and operations. Ruben believes it is the perfect space to learn branding, sales, guest interaction and problem-solving.
Now, Ruben is truly grasping the intricacies of the business side of food. “I want to understand what happens when something doesn’t go as planned. How do you manage that?” he explains. “Every three months, a new batch at the culinary incubator takes over the café on campus with a fresh name, identity and menu, guided by a business mentor. The current edition of the café is called ‘Kurkurit’s Café,’ and I genuinely believe I am capable of opening a restaurant.”
According to Parixit, a food influencer joining the programme is a “backward integration”, moving from influencing into culinary expertise. “Ruben already understood how to create content, connect with audiences and promote food. Now he’s learning what goes into making that food and how to build a business around it, adding authenticity to his work as an influencer and opening doors to new food ventures,” he explains.
He elaborates, saying the beauty of KCCA lies in its inclusivity. It welcomes not just freshers, but also people who are mid-career and keen on a switch. “Whether they are completely new to the field or looking to upskill after some experience, the programmes are flexible. We have students who come from very different paths, some with hotel management backgrounds, others from entirely unrelated fields. One of our alumni even started as a welder and is now a sous chef on a luxury cruise liner. That shows the drive for this kind of education.”
In addition, Rodrigues further explains that the incubation programme isn’t limited to current students. It supports home chefs, influencers like himself, and aspiring entrepreneurs who want to transition into more serious culinary ventures. If someone already has culinary or business skills, they dive straight in. But for those who need guidance, mentorship and skill development, whether technical or entrepreneurial, KCCA is designed to support that growth.
Running the student café allows Ruben and his fellow student chefs to handle everything, including planning, costing, production and branding. It’s a holistic way of learning. “As someone involved in this journey, I’ve come to realize that success in the food world isn’t just about one skill. It’s about being able to do it all – create, cook, manage and promote.”
