For me, hosting has always been a big part of my life. From a very young age, I noticed how good my parents were as hosts. They always had the tables full, whether my mother cooked 2 dishes or 8, she always had condiments next to the main dishes. My mother would keep 3-4 types of homemade pickles on the dinner table, and she would quickly make some sort of salad or raita to pair them with the main dishes. There would always be Papads and chutneys. My father would travel an extra kilometer to get the best Gulaab Jamuns in the city. All our relatives loved coming to our place for Diwali or even a weekend get-together, because everybody knew it would be a night full of fun conversations, laughter, and, of course, delicious food. I saw my parents create magic through food and togetherness, and now it's my way of passing that feeling on to Toronto.
When I first started cooking for house parties and special celebrations, I realized that people weren't just getting together for food. They were craving for an experience.
This is why I love laying out my grazing tables family-style. I want to see everyone gather around the biryanis and the fresh dips, reaching for their favorites, talking, and laughing. There is something profoundly beautiful about a table set just right. A few flowers, some flickering candles, and a spread that invites people to stay a while. Food, to me, is the center that brings everyone together, and I want that togetherness to be felt in every inch of the setup.
I remember one specific catering event for an engagement party last fall. The room was full of strangers who hadn't seen each other in a while. As the grazing table came together, with the vibrant greens of the chutney, the aromas of the Biryani, and the flickering of the candles, the air in the room changed. People stopped looking at their phones and started looking at the food, and then at each other. Conversations opened up. By the time I was packing up my bags, my heart was full to the brim.
The thing nobody tells you about catering is how much of your own heart you leave behind in those spaces. Every little detail carries a piece of me, from the way a drink is garnished to how the platters are arranged. I live this, breathe it, and love it deeply.
I want to give my guests a space where they can be themselves and truly enjoy till their hearts feel full. If you're planning something and want food that people will actually talk about long after the evening is over, let's talk. Every dish, from the dal makhani to the Supper Club menu, is cooked from scratch, with so much love and care. I believe every gathering is divinely guided, and I would love to be a part of yours.
