Chef Anahita Dhondy On Promoting Homegrown Cuisine & Putting Parsi Food On The World Map

In 2012, chef and author Anahita Dhondy enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu, dreaming of French cuisine and patisseries. Little did she know that a perfectly cooked pork fillet would lead to an epiphany that would change her life. “I made this star dish. Everything tasted great. My chef loved it too, but I felt that something was amiss,” she recollects. Unable to put a finger on it, Anahita took the leftover dish home. There, she recreated it into pork vindaloo following her mom’s Parsi recipe. The realisation hit her instantly–the dish had lacked an emotional connection. That moment helped Anahita find her culinary niche as a regional cuisine chef. After returning to India in 2013, Anahita joined SodaBottleOpenerWala with the resolve to popularise regional Indian food and Parsi cuisine. Nine years later, the restaurant is thriving with nine chains across India and is synonymous with Ahahita’s name.

In the past decade, Anahita has played a key role in sustaining the dying legacy of Irani Cafes and Parsi food. As a sustainability advocate, she has shone light on the forgotten grains of India by introducing innovative recipes like her millet berry pulao and bajra utthapam. Anahita also represents India at the Chef’s Manifesto, a global network that promotes waste-free and planet-friendly cooking practices. For her unyielding efforts towards food sustainability and popularising Parsi flavours, she has won several accolades, including The Young Chef award and Times Food Award. In 2019, she was featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list—an achievement that she regards as her biggest one to date.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Ahanita’s kitchen is where she feels the happiest and most at home. Every day, she takes out a couple of hours to experiment and come up with innovative dishes—which she regularly shares with her ever-growing Insta fam. To further introduce the world to the multicultural accents of Parsi cuisine, Anahita has now written a book. Titled Parsi Kitchen: A Memoir of Food and Family, it weaves heirloom recipes with engaging stories of the chef’s family and her own culinary journey. 

After making SBOW a huge success, Anahita finally parted ways with the restaurant chain last year and is all set to start her new innings. She has now partnered with Glasshouse, an upcoming Gurgaon restaurant that would be serving global delicacies along with Anahita’s signature Parsi delights. Of course, she’d continue focussing on regional produce and sustainable ways of cooking with this venture as well. 

As a culinary trailblazer, she fits perfectly into our #POPxoWomenWhoSeries. In a recent chat, Anahita talked to us about her fascination with cooking and her commitment to popularise Parsi food. Excerpts below:

How do you begin your day?

I begin with a glass of water and some dry fruits followed by another glass of water. Then I have my breakfast and tea. Usually, I plan my day around the same time. After I am done with breakfast, I get ready and start my day. That’s how it usually goes. 

What does a typical workday look like for you?

Every day is different, every day is a learning and every day is an experiment. But yes, I ensure to take out a couple of hours in the kitchen to develop recipes every day. Then, connecting with people, replying to emails, and catching up is important as well. Lastly, and most importantly, I do take out some time to read and research.

Tell us about your earliest memories in the kitchen.

It will always be my mom’s kitchen. She has been a home chef for the last 25-30 years and I grew up in her kitchen. So, 4-5-year-old Anahita would always be sitting on the kitchen floor, observing what her mom would do and eagerly waiting to lick the batter from the bowl whenever a cake or some dessert was in the making. That used to be the highlight of my day. 

How different is it to be a chef manager in comparison to being a chef?

They are very different. A chef is in charge of the kitchen, its operations, the menu, the ingredients, and everything that goes into making a dish. A chef manager is actually someone who is in charge of the front of the house and the back of the house. So, that person also interacts with the guests, explains the menus,  and makes sure that the operation flows smoothly. It’s a mix of two responsibilities–the kitchen and the front of the house.

What would you say has been the biggest turning point in your career?

There was a moment in London when I realised that even though I might keep learning, tasting, and preparing exciting, new cuisines, Indian food would always be the closest to my heart. Back then I was training at Le Cordon Bleu, London and realised that I would love to learn everything about all kinds of food in the world but it’s home-cooked food and Parsi cooking that I will love from my heart. That’s what satisfies my soul. That was the biggest turning point of my career. 

What has been your biggest professional accomplishment so far?

Being part of the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. That was a huge deal and a very big professional accomplishment. The second one would be writing my own book and becoming an author.

What are the skills or qualities that have helped you succeed?

I am very patient and always try to learn as I go. To be a chef, you have to be very open to observing and learning. You have to be like a sponge so even though you are at a level where you have to teach, you also want to be always learning. That’s an important quality. A clear mind and strong decision making have helped me too in perfecting the art. 

A mantra that you swear by in your professional and/or personal life?

My dad has passed on this mantra to me–If you love your job, you don’t work a day in your life and it’s very very true. If you love and passionately want to do something in any field, you will make time and effort and put in everything you have to achieve it because you feel like you have a purpose to fulfill.

You learnt the nuances of French cooking from Le Cordon Bleu, London but specialise in Parsi cuisine now. What drove the shift?

Yes, I did learn French cuisine and pastry from Le Cordon Bleu. But as I said, I had a moment in London where I created a beautiful dish. Everything tasted great. My chef loved it too but I felt that there was something missing. When I got back home, I realised that it was the flavour of Indian cooking, spices, and home cooking that was missing. From that point onwards I decided that I will keep learning to make global food but the primary goal would be to promote my homegrown cuisine. I am very happy to be doing it. 

What do you enjoy the most about cooking?

It transports you to a different world. It is a very immersive experience. When you’re in the kitchen there is a certain rhythmic flow and all your sense are heightened. The aroma of things, the crunch and rustle, the colours and the freshness,  the tossing sounds and the way the food looks in a pan–everything is a sensory delight. I love that when I am cooking, time just flies by. 

You’d soon be embarking on new career innings with Glasshouse. Please tell us more about your partnership with the restaurant. 

So Glasshouse is coming very soon in Gurgaon sector 65. It’s a 180 seater restaurant. What’s exciting about the restaurant is that is it going to have some amazing global flavours using lots of local and seasonal ingredients. It’s gonna have a completely new and exciting menu as well as some of my Parsi favourites. I am really excited about the new partnership and hoping to bring you guys your new favourite restaurant.

What advice would you give to people considering a career in the food industry?

Be extremely passionate about what you want to do. You have to love cooking, feeding people, and seeing those smiles on people’s faces when they enjoy your food to be a Chef. It’s very important to be completely invested and honest. It is a difficult career choice because you’d be missing out on birthdays and holidays and special days and anniversaries. That’s exactly what my chef told me when I was joining the industry. But if you are determined to create something for yourself while making an impact, you’d be sorted.

And lastly, how do you unwind?

Once my work is over in the evening or at night, I like relaxing and reading a book or watching something. Currently, I am watching a lot of K dramas so that’s been helping me unwind. But I also like to go for a nice long walk and of course, playing with my puppy is the happiest feeling ever.