Khabar Magazine. March 2023 print. Besides being a festival of colors, this is also a festival of flavors. Here are some classic food customs associated with this joyous thewaar. Holi is all about play, laughter, celebration, vibrant colors, and… food! This joyous Hindu festival marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring, the triumph […]

HuffPost. December 2022. While many familiar Christmas traditions originated in Western countries, people from all around the world and from different cultural backgrounds celebrate the holiday with the same spirit of gratitude and togetherness. No matter where, recipes passed on through generations are central to family gatherings. From callaloo to chicken tikka masala, find out […]

Georgia Trend. December 2022. The first thing that you think about during the holidays? Food. Parties, family gathering and baking together are integral to the festive season. A new book shows us how to approach our food with kindness, respect and dignity. If you are inclined to eat well and give back not only this […]

Khabar Magazine. December 2022 print. During the holiday season in India, I remember shopping at the local halwai shops for colorful boxes of freshly made sweets and gold foil-wrapped hampers filled with dried fruits. We would purchase dozens of these to give to colleagues, friends, and hosts. Over the years, these gift baskets became more […]

HuffPost. Nov 2022. Inez Cook is a member of Bella Coola’s Nuxalk Nation who was forcibly taken from her parents by the Canadian government at the age of 1. Today, Cook operates the only Indigenous restaurant in Vancouver, Canada. Through her food, she tells the stories of First Nations people and businesses and fosters dialogue […]

Georgia Trend. Nov 2022. How many times have you wandered the wine aisle at the grocery store and been overwhelmed with the selection of countless bottles? When you are scrambling to make your Thanksgiving dinner or to buy Christmas presents, the last thing you want to do is read every label and figure out which […]

Khabar Magazine. Nov 2022 print. With Indian cuisine becoming mainstream in the U.S., kitchens, grocery markets, and online stores are stocking up on new varieties of instant frozen, canned, and boxed Indian dishes. Over the years, I have tried many of these and have been disappointed with the cardboard stale aromas and chalky flavors. Also, […]

Marriott Bonvoy Traveler. Oct 2022 I wake up at 4 a.m. to the sound of an imam chanting the Muslim call to prayer from the loudspeaker of a nearby mosque in Srinagar, India. At this early hour, darkness still envelops the city, the largest in India’s northernmost state of Jammu and Kashmir. Normally, I am […]

Khabar Magazine. Oct 2022 print cover story. This collection of cherished memories and recipes from food enthusiasts is sure to put you in the mood for the holidays. Kheer: Nothing beats my late Grandma’s Punjabi recipe! Growing up in northern India in a multi-religious household meant that I had the rare opportunity to celebrate many […]

Southern Living. Oct 2022. It was a crisp fall morning. I woke up on the couch of my host, a charming older couple, as I had recently arrived from India. The aroma of Folgers coffee, homemade blueberry pancakes, fried bacon, and eggs filled the air in the small townhouse. I instantly gravitated to the pancakes. […]

Georgia Trend. Sept 2022. Helen is located only an hour and a half northeast of Atlanta, but this alpine town transports you across the Atlantic without a passport or an airline ticket. It boasts one of the longest-running Oktoberfests lasting seven weeks, from September 8 to October 30, with plenty of German polkas, waltzes, parades, live […]

Food & Wine. August 2022. If you enjoy some of the complex spices found in South Asian cuisine or the rich, nutty textures in Indian desserts, you will love the combination of sweet and savory flavors in these craft chocolates. Bonus? Madhu Chocolate treats are handmade using high-quality cacao sourced ethically from farmers in Colombia […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. August 2022. Pimento cheese, aka the “caviar of the South,” isn’t just for dipping your crackers into anymore. One Georgia chef has stretched the curd to open an entire restaurant with a not-so-cheesy pimento cheese theme. Co-founder and chef Stacey West (who goes by “Suga”) worked as a nurse for over 30 […]

Khabar Magazine. August 2022. For the longest time, one of the pet peeves of Indians has been that our cuisine does not get its due credit in the American dining scene. Well, that has changed in 2022, and how! In June, the Asheville, North Carolina-based Chai Pani (which also has a location in Decatur, Georgia) […]

HuffPost. August 2022. For decades, nutritionists and researchers have been talking about the health benefits of consuming spices and spice supplements ― we’re not talking about spicy foods like jalapenos, but spices like ginger, cinnamon and turmeric. What has been a staple in many Eastern diets is now becoming a health trend around the world […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. July 2022 print issue. Before it got famous for music, Macon was a mill town. You can find echoes of both identities in the city’s historic downtown, where Cherry and First streets intersect with Cotton Avenue at a 45-degree angle. Here stands the new Hotel Forty-Five, its name a nod to both […]

Khabar Magazine. July 2022. After a long hiatus during the pandemic, one of Atlanta’s favorite restaurants, Zyka: The Taste, reopened for dine-in. The iconic location at Scott Boulevard, Decatur, which has been around since 1997, offers the same, familiar experience with its modest interior renovations, while the newer Alpharetta location that opened in 2020, is […]

AAA The Extra Mile. June 2022. It’s summer, and that means its BBQ season. As you sip on a beer while firing up your backyard grill, it may be time to rethink your choice of beer. Your palate deserves a pleasant contrast of bitterness against the spice, heat, and meat on your plate. Brewers and […]

Georgia Trend. June 2022. While you’d expect an 8-year old to love ice cream, you would rarely find one who dedicates his childhood to building an ice cream enterprise. Not satisfied with his $7 allowance, Beau Shell wanted to make money to buy his own toys, help the family and his school’s missionary. After he […]

Khabar Magazine. June 2022 print. How to source, store, and cook the most important ingredients in your Indian pantry.  Spices are an integral part of the Indian kitchen, and most of our knowledge about them has come naturally through tasting and observing. Most of us never went to a formal cooking class or read the […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. May 2022. If you frequent some of the farmers markets around Atlanta, you may have had a chance to taste the fresh baked cinnamon rolls and cheddar scallion scones from Just Bakery Atlanta (JBA). Since 2017, this unique bakery has been serving customers baked goods via delivery, pickups and at the Grant Park, Morningside, […]

Zagat. March 2022. Okan Kizilbayir is executive chef of Salt restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, one of the only 2 AAA Five Diamond rated restaurants in Florida.  Growing up, my family had a summer home in the woods an hour outside Istanbul. My dad grew vegetables, my grandfather made old Turkish style one-pot stews, and I […]

HuffPost. Feb 2022. Chef Daryl Shular is the world’s first African American and minority chef to earn the prestigious title of certified master chef, the distinction administered by the American Culinary Federation and currently held by fewer than a hundred people. Shular has also won 12 gold medals in local and national cooking competitions, including the Culinary Olympics, […]

Georgia Trend Magazine. Feb 2022. When you dine at a trendy restaurant, you may not think of army veterans in middle Georgia. But a group of vets may have grown the heirloom tomatoes or raised the pork that’s on your plate. For them, working the land has not only helped provide quality food, but also […]