What are your interests or hobbies? What are you passionate about?

Gardening, Reading, Traveling and Cooking. Passionate about fine things.

What is your favorite type of food/cuisine?

Eggplant Parmesan/vegetable Tappenade /Italian/mediterranean

What is your favorite food memory? Please provide an anecdote.

I lived in Portland Oregon which is Berry country. A wide variety of berries such as loganberries, strawberries, boysenberries, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries are grown here in abundance. I met my best friend Ann Clampett Sharma a few months after I moved to Portland and she introduced me to the world of berries… Every week, for a couple of months in summer, we would visit berry farms and pick berries off the vines, eat to our hearts content and return home with loads of them. We would then try various combinations of jams, jellies and preserves for the whole summer. This opened a whole new world for me. Ann shared her passion for good food, cooking, sewing, gardening and all other beautiful things with me and the times we spent together were so wonderful and memorable. She not only taught me to cook, bake and expose me and my young family to so many world cuisines but also to appreciate many fine things in life. Every time she made a special dish, a portion of it was saved for us. We spent almost every evening together discussing politics, fashion, restaurants over a cup of hot Indian chai. This has led to one of the most beautiful friendships I have made and also to one of the most fondest food memories.

From whom did you learn to cook? Or, what is the best party you have ever attended or thrown?

My mom was a working mom and would manage the kitchen and her job with great aplomb. Our food was very simple, but very tasty. She was sometimes busy and I had to manage the kitchen from an early age of 16.

My two best parties were for both my daughters when they turned 1. I loved serving afternoons teas and hence had a spread for 60 people all cooked by a bunch of us foodies and everything from scratch. We had a spread of Indian Gulabjamoons, Rasgullas, Dahiwadas, Queen Anne Tarts, cannoli, samosas, curry puffs and many many more.. For my older daughter’s birthday, I had taken a few cake decorating classes just to bake and decorate her birthday cake.

Which charity, if any, do you support?

Prasad and I both support the FFE (foundation for excellence), AIM for seva, Karunashraya and Ohana fine flowers will continue to support Food for Cause.

Is there anything else you want our Foodies to know about you?

I would love to start a Gourmet club… Any one who is passionate about great food and great company can join. I would love to start growing organic vegetables and microgreens on my farm and also learn more about molecular gastronomy.