Instead of the usual and common stories, let’s have something else. This story is about India’s women chefs whom we hardly notice despite their being the unsung heroes of the culinary world. They rightly deserve the limelight for being the preservers and innovators of Indian cuisine. These chefs are showcasing the diversity of India through their unique and delicious fusions. We are here to focus on chefs from various backgrounds and redefine what being a chef is.
Amid the Kolkata streets, Anumitra Ghosh Dastidar, a former academic, started a one-of-a-kind journey. The nostalgic smells and the love for her grandmother's Bengali cooking pulled her towards cooking. She and her partner, Shalini Krishan, have created a special place in Goa called Edible Archives. It’s a place where they explore different kinds of food in new ways. They have a bar and kitchen where they make dishes that use all sorts of ingredients.
Anumitra and Shalini spent three years traveling across India to find different types of rice that not many people were using anymore. They wanted to bring these rices back into the spotlight. Their adventure and love for food led them to showcase their work at a big art event called the Kochi-Muziris Biennale in 2018. Their restaurant is well-known and loved by many because of their passion for food and their journey to find these special rices.
Across the country, Karen Anand's life was built on words. A famous food critic and writer, she spent years analyzing dishes, narrating through flavors on the pages of highly regarded magazines. However, her love of food was not satisfied with just only words. Karen later went on to open her own restaurant chain, focusing on the rich diversity of Indian regional cuisine. Through the use of fresh, local ingredients that are full of flavor, her restaurants show how a food critic can make perfect dishes as well.
Let’s talk about Amninder Sandhu, who once dashed through the corporate world, and is now a successful chef. She always loved the flavors of her Punjabi roots, a tradition that had been passed down through the generations. With her courage, she switched from the world of corporate, landing her at the famous Le Cordon Bleu. Today, her innovative cooking is the most important part of her. What makes her stand out is the fact that she was not afraid to abandon a secure job to pursue her dreams and aimed to highlight the features of Punjabi flavors that are not well-known.
From her own kitchen, Pooja Dhingra, also known as “Macaron Queen”, started a new journey. Her love for baking, constant trials, and perfectionism brought her to the point of becoming a master in the art of French macarons. But Pooja did not just stop there. She spiced up their lives with the bright flavors of India, which swept them off their feet. Today, her "Le15 Patisserie" is an example of her talent and innovation and she is rightfully called the "Macaron Queen". Her story is an example, which shows that even the most humble kitchens can give birth to culinary empires.
Beyond boundaries, Garima Arora, a young chef, who has been polished in professional kitchens, has made a name for herself in the world of cuisine. Her Bangkok restaurant, Gaa, combines Indian spices with Thai ingredients, thus achieving textures and tastes that got her the first ever Michelin star given to an Indian woman chef. Her journey is a clear indication that Indian cuisine has a global reach and is a symbol of innovation.
Ritu Dalmia knew only about the stone business as she was born into a Marwari business family. She got interested in self-learning and threw herself into the world of Italian cuisine. She had a strong desire to share her cooking skills and therefore in 1993 she took a bold decision and opened her first restaurant in Delhi called Mezza Luna. Ritu was a believer in interpreting Italian flavors through an Indian lens, using fresh, seasonal ingredients and local produce to cook unique and delicious foods. This philosophy was truly realized in 2000 when she opened Diva: The Italian Restaurant in Delhi. Diva was the game-changer that changed the face of Indian fine dining. Ritu's success didn't end with Delhi, it reached beyond. She grew her culinary business exponentially with the Milan project in Italy and proved that she is not just a local champion but a global phenomenon with her own style of Italian cooking.
Next time you taste a mouthwatering dish, keep in mind the stories behind it. Give your appreciation to the female chefs, the home cooks, the street vendors, whoever they might be. They are the hidden champions who cook with dedication, creativity, and a deep respect for the traditions. They are the future of food, and their stories tell us how magic can be created in any kitchen, whether big or small.
