In a male-dominated kitchen culture, these Indian female chefs have made a name for themselves. They are breaking the stereotypes and ruling the F&B business like a boss!
Madhur Jaffrey, for example, has written over 15 cookery books. She has also hosted several TV shows on focusing on Indian food.
Madhur Jaffrey
Madhur Jaffrey is one of the most famous Indian chefs. She has been in the culinary industry for over 30 years and is credited with introducing Indian food to a Western audience. She is also an actress and author of several cookbooks.
Madhur Jaffrey was born in Delhi, India and is known for her culinary expertise. She has authored many recipes for Indian cuisine and is the best selling cookbook writer in India. She has won numerous awards for her work and has received the honorary Padma Bhushan, which is the third highest civilian award in India.
She is the author of over a dozen books and has been awarded with multiple James Beard awards. She has also been featured in a number of television shows and movies.
In her cooking, she has mastered the art of preparing dishes from various regions of India. Her recipes are popular among the general public and are known for their authenticity and taste.
Moreover, she has been successful in promoting Indian culture through her cooking and acting skills. She is a role model to many and has made a lasting impression on the world.
In addition to her culinary career, she is an accomplished actor and has acted in numerous plays. She started her career as a classically trained actress and was fortunate to get a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
Maneet Chauhan
Having always had an intense passion for food, Maneet Chauhan earned a degree in culinary arts at the Culinary Institute of America. After graduating, she moved to New York City where she worked as an executive chef in some of the city’s finest restaurants.
Eventually, she and her husband, Vivek Deora, decided to relocate to Nashville, Tennessee. Originally, she was hesitant to move away from her home in New York but, after opening her first restaurant in Music City, she instantly fell in love with the city and its vibrant food scene.
As a judge on the Food Network’s show Chopped, she’s known for her expertise in Indian cuisine and spices. She also hosts charity dinners and regularly mentors young chefs.
She is the author of Flavors of My World, a cookbook that remains true to her global fusion style. Her second book, Chaat: The Best Recipes from the Kitchens, Markets and Railways of India, is inspired by her epic cross-country railroad expedition, which brought her to local markets, street vendors and her family’s homes.
As a philanthropist, she has volunteered her time to charities including March of Dimes, the American Cancer Society and P.A.V.E. (Partnerships for Action, Voices for Empowerment). She was invited to the White House Easter Egg Roll 2014 by President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. She is also the co-founder of Hop Springs, a craft brewery in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She’s also a passionate supporter of CRY (Child Rights and You) and is involved in mentoring youth through the education arm of the National Restaurant Association’s Pro-Start program.
Asma Khan
Asma Khan is the founder of the Darjeeling Express restaurant in London and an award-winning chef who is passionate about using her platform to give other women from diverse backgrounds more opportunities. She’s also the first British chef to be filmed for an episode of Netflix’s Chef’s Table and has recently published her own cookbook, Asma’s Indian Kitchen.
She was born in Calcutta, India and is a Rajput on her father’s side with Bengali heritage on her mother’s. After college, she moved to Cambridge to pursue a PhD in law but never forgot her love of food.
During her time in Cambridge, she missed the smells and flavors of India. So she went back to India and began learning to cook from her mother, spending hours with her at the bazaars, fish markets, spice shops.
It was her way of feeding her soul, a chance to connect with family. Now, at 47, Khan is still pursuing her dreams of opening a cafeteria in Bangladesh where she’ll serve Shingara (Samosa) and chai.
It’s all part of Khan’s commitment to training immigrant women, gender equality and calling out toxic work cultures lurking inside kitchens. She’s a harbinger of change in the world of cooking, and her new cookbook owes a great deal to her mom, Ammu.
Tarla Dalal
Tarla Dalal is one of the most celebrated Indian chefs. She has penned over 100 books in the field of cooking and has hosted numerous cooking shows. Her recipes include a variety of cuisines which involve Maharashtrian, Gujarati, Punjabi, Rajasthani, South-Indian and Chinese food. She has also authored cookbooks which are related to different kinds of healthy salads, soups and desserts. Her cookbooks are popular in India and abroad.
Her first cook book, The Pleasures of Vegetarian Cooking, was published in 1974 and has sold over 1.5 million copies. Her recipes have been a source of inspiration to many people. She has also created vegetarian versions of several non-vegetarian dishes from various foreign lands.
She began teaching cookery classes in 1966 from her home and they quickly became a huge success. She started receiving a long waiting list of students wanting to join her.
The popularity of her classes led her to write her first cookbook, The Pleasures of Vegetarian Cuisine, in 1974. Her book has since been translated into many languages and has sold more than 5 million copies worldwide.
With her books, she revolutionized the way women viewed cooking. Before her books, it was believed that cooking was a traditional art passed down from generation to generation.
Her books have helped millions of Indians to learn how to cook their favorite dishes. Her cookbooks have also been adapted into foreign languages like Dutch and Russian.
Pankaj Bhadouria
Pankaj Bhadouria is an Indian chef who has won the first season of MasterChef India and made her mark in the cooking world. She has since gone on to become a successful restauranteur, brand ambassador, author, public speaker and television host.
She started her professional career as a teacher and was able to build a reputation for herself by teaching students all over the country how to cook. She also opened her own culinary institute in Lucknow which offers courses for both professionals and amateurs.
During her time as a teacher, she cultivated many valuable skills that helped her prepare for her MasterChef audition. These included being able to plan for the day, working within a set schedule, meeting deadlines under pressure and outperforming her colleagues.
As a result, she was able to excel during the competition. Her experience as a teacher and her role as a mother prepared her well for the challenges that the competition brought her.
Her family and her husband, Charu Samarth, supported her throughout her journey. They have two children together, Siddhant and Sonalika.
Before becoming a chef, Pankaj Bhadouria was a teacher for 16 years. She worked at the City Montessori School in Lucknow. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Lucknow and a Master’s degree in English literature.
Garima Arora
Garima Arora is a Michelin Star chef from India who made history as the first Indian woman to achieve this coveted culinary distinction. She has been credited for her unique approach to cooking that takes a modern spin on traditional Indian recipes.
Arora graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and has since been working with some of the world’s most renowned chefs. She was sous-chef at Noma in Copenhagen before opening her own restaurant, Gaa. In November 2018, she was awarded a Michelin star.
The first of three women to join MasterChef India’s judging panel, she is set to give the show a fresh perspective. Her experience as a chef is sure to help the judges find new ways to challenge contestants and elevate their cooking skills.
She has worked at top restaurants in the world including Gordon Ramsay’s Verre in Dubai and Rene Redzepi’s Noma in Copenhagen, where she has also been named sous-chef. She opened her own restaurant, Gaa, in Bangkok in 2017, and a year later was awarded a Michelin star.
Originally from Mumbai, Arora was a journalist before she started cooking professionally. She studied and travelled extensively to learn the ropes of the industry.
Her style is very unique and often incorporates local produce in her dishes. She is inspired by the food she has seen around the world and her love for Indian cuisine shines through her cooking. She has written several cookbooks, including ‘An Invitation to Indian Cooking’.
